Virtual attacks and the problem of responsibility: the case of China and Russia

Abstract

Virtual attacks are forming a new threat scenario for governments and other actors of global society. The first decade of the XXI century saw an intensification of cyberattacks on government networks which could not be traced back. However, due to political circumstances there were often actors suspected of being involved in cyberattacks. This case study is analyzing the methods and reasons of potential attackers in Russia and China which between 2004 and 2009 appeared in several cyber threat scenarios.