Medvedev Opens Up About Very Real Threat of Cyberterrorism Facing Russia and the World
Valery Fadeev, Channel 1: Mr. Medvedev, allow me to change the topic. There's a technological revolution going on in the world. On the one hand, we're all interested in the process. On the other, we're a bit worried because all the key decisions and research aren't being done in Russia but in the US and Europe. I think China will catch up soon. Have we got a chance to become one of the leaders once again? Won't we be late?
Dmitry Medvedev: We have the chance, but we must not hesitate. We must jump on this accelerating train. Because the train, fairly speaking, has hit its stride without us. That's where you're right. For a long time, our situation had been about survival like it was in the 90s. No one cared about it in the 80s. And only recently we have started building the basis of our technological development. We've got all that it takes. We've got the universities, we've got the money not some enormous sums of money, but they'll do. It's accumulated in different support funds. We've got the tools we've already tried out. And the main thing — we've got the people. We've got a lot of talented people. What we don't have. We are still incapable of quickly transforming technological novelties into working and commercially-viable projects. That's our weak point. We're not too good at that.
Valery Fadeev, Channel 1: Unfortunately, it's always been like that.
Dmitry Medvedev: Unfortunately, in this regard, we can't really show off our glorious past, but we can still learn. There are other countries that are good at commercialization but lack the imagination. They're good at copying. Inventing is harder. We must learn how to commercialize. The government and business should all put their effort into that. Business should fund research and development and should fund IT-research. The newest technologies. 10 years ago I had to force them to plan investments. Huge companies with huge revenues didn’t want to fund new research. "We're good. We'll buy everything we need". Now, we can't buy anything. And we haven't conducted our own research. That's why it's our key priority. However, I believe that we have a chance to catch up with the most advanced nations. We've done it in the XX century, we can do it now.
Irada Zeynalova: I am, perhaps, more than others, except you, of course interested in cyber-novelties. For several weeks, it was the most popular topic in the foreign media. Our technical specialists were arrested all over the world. They called them hackers accusing them of hacking Google, PayPal — everything. We aren't saying whether they are guilty or not, still there is such a thing as an ongoing "cyber-war". There are things we won't buy now. We might invent them, but still. Currently, people, who are deep inside the cyber-world and are building this world, claim that we must secure our cyber-sovereignty. Wars are waged now on land, in the sea, in the air, and now even in cyberspace. You always say "digital economy", "markings", and stuff like that. "Doctors healing through a TV". But how do we ensure the safety of those people who are still threatened by hackers, for instance? God knows what they are up to.
Dmitry Medvedev: That's a global-scale task. We'd rather have "cyber-cooperation", than "cyber-war". That's what we've been urging our international partners too.
Irada Zeynalova: It's still not signed in the UN.
Dmitry Medvedev: You're right. If we speak about international law and the conventions on cyber-security on regulating our relationships in the IT-sphere we're at the ground level right now. Mankind hasn't developed much since the late 70s or 80s. But the world has changed dramatically. "Cyber-sovereignty" — what's that? We must be autonomous but not enclosed. Autonomous meaning we must have all the newest cyber-technologies that would allow us to develop our economy, we've already mentioned that. Being enclosed is harmful. We can cut off all our ties and stop developing at all. We must find an equilibrium point.
Irada Zeynalova: If we lock ourselves up they'll pick the locks.
Dmitry Medvedev: They'll pick them and then do something nasty. Regarding the rebukes to us, that subject's been long worn-out, it's a threadbare theme. They're constantly claiming that all the hackers in the world are the agents of the Kremlin. It's like we've nothing else to do. That's a separate world market that's already taken shape.
Irada Zeynalova: Are the hackers meddling with us?
Dmitry Medvedev: They are meddling with everybody. Don't doubt that. Everybody's trying to keep an eye on on another. It's funny how only we get blamed when everyone gets it. But some countries transformed it into a way of solving their internal political issues. Cyber-security must be approached seriously without calling each other hackers. It must be a counteraction against the terrorist threat. That's the real issue. Terrorists are using these new technologies. That's what we must fight against and join efforts with all of the countries that face this threat. Secondly, the world is built upon these advanced digital technologies. That's why I'm sure that here we have more reasons to cooperate rather than being jealous or suspicious.
Irada Zeynalova: Countries may cooperate but they need to be able to defend themselves from each other. It’s not only friendship that they're interested in.
Dmitry Medvedev: In this regard, defense means having an internal autonomy. Controlling the net and information traffic. But let's be frank: There's no ultimate defense. No defense that would last decades or at least years. Because every cyber-security measure can be overcome with some gimmick. And that's a competition that'll go on forever, no doubt about it. We must simply be ready.
Irada Zeynalova: Are we ready? Do you get any reports? You've done your research. How secure are we?
Dmitry Medvedev: I'll say we are secure. Bearing in mind all the different decisions both open and classified both monetary and legal we are as secure as the other high-profile states. Besides, we bear great responsibility as the world’s lead nuclear country, as the world’s largest country and as a constant member of the Security Council.