Representatives of the Russian Federal Security Bureau said that several largest Russian banks are expected to become targets of large-scale cyber attacks. The attacks are to be organized by foreign special services, RIA Novosti reports.
"Cyber attacks are expected to include a massive amount of provocative text messages and posts on social media about the crisis of the financial system in Russia. It is expected that such posts and messages will contain information about the revocation of licenses and the collapse of major leading Russian banks of both federal and regional significance," officials said.
The attacks are to take place on December 5 targeting dozens of Russian cities. The goal of the attacks is to destabilize the Russian financial system.
The command center for the cyber attacks is located in the Netherlands and belongs to a Ukrainian company.
The Federal Security Service is taking measures to neutralize the threats to Russia's economic and information security.
A similar story took place in Russia two years ago. In December of 2014, it was rumored that Visa cards in Russia would be blocked and all the money on Visa accounts would be frozen. The rumors appeared on social media.
"This is a provocation to make people worry about their money and withdraw cash from their bank accounts to create problems for Russian banks and economy in general," a spokesperson for one of he largest associations of Russian banks told Politonline. "This could be done simply for fun, to cause damage to the banking system of Russia, or harm a competitor. This could also be a part of the information war," the source added.
In November 2016, the Central Bank of the Russian Federation said that five Russian banks were subjected to hacker attacks. Representatives of three of them confirmed the information. The capacity of the attacks ranged from "weak" to "strong," but no client incurred any losses.
According to Vice publication, the attacks could be masterminded by those dissatisfied with Russia's possible interference in the US presidential election. Russian specialists believe that cyber attacks are conducted only to demonstrate one's abilities, whereas the causes for such attacks are purely economic.
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