Senator Says Russia May Be Holding Back Cyber Activity Due To Risk Of US Response

WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 21st May, 2022) Russia may be holding back on engaging in widespread cyber operations against Europe and the United States due to concerns about a US response, Sen. Angus King said on Friday during a conference panel on tech and national security.

"I don't think there's much doubt that the Russians have held back to some extent," King said at the TruCon2022 conference. "This isn't based on intelligence, this is just based on my awareness over the years of how the Russians think. I think they know that we have some pretty potent capabilities ourselves and that they better be careful. And I have to believe that's been part of why we haven't seen the widespread cyber attacks in Europe or in the United States that everyone, including me, was expecting.

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The US thinks about responses to possible cyber attacks in terms of integrated deterrence, Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Cyber Policy Mieke Eoyang also said during the panel discussion. There are multiple ways to impose costs on Russia depending on what is appropriate, and it may not always be cyber for cyber, Eoyang said.

There are different hypotheses about why Russia may not be engaging in the levels of cyber activity anticipated by the West following the launch of the special military operation in Ukraine, Eoyang also said. The hypotheses included that Russia may be holding back, that cyber operations are more difficult than previously believed, or that Ukraine's cyber defenses are better than expected, according to Eoyang.