Former US President Barack Obama in 2016. Allowed to deploy cyber weapons in Russian infrastructure systems. With such a sensational report, The Washington Post. The authors of the journalistic investigation call this weapon "the digital equivalent of a bomb", which can be used in case of aggravation of relations between Washington and Moscow.
It is noted that the corresponding project was at the development stage, when Obama left the post of the owner of the White House. In December last year, US intelligence services were instructed to find weaknesses in the Russian infrastructure. This instruction was contained in the unpublished part of the package of sanctions against the Russian Federation.
The developed cyberattack program includes the introduction into the important Russian infrastructure networks of certain "implants" that can be remotely applied in response to alleged aggression from Moscow. The technology was created by employees of the US National Security Agency, the unnamed ex-official. According to him, cyber-operation is still at an early stage.
According to the WP, the preparation of the "digital bomb" began after in August 2016. FBI reported to Obama on Russia's interference in US elections. The information was classified, t. Expected confirmation from the NSA and the CIA.
And on January 6 this year the US intelligence services presented an open part of the report stating that Moscow used cyber resources to discredit Democratic Party candidate Hillary Clinton in order to "bring" Republican Donald Trump to the Oval Office. The report said that for the cyber attacks on the Democrats is the Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff of the RF Armed Forces, and the campaign was personally ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin has repeatedly denied the involvement in the data of cyberattacks and called accusations against Russia "witch hunts".
It should be recalled that at the end of 2016. Washington imposed anti-Russian sanctions in connection with allegedly hacker attacks by Moscow on the White House. The black list was taken by the Federal Security Service and the GRU.
Also, sanctions were imposed on the Autonomous Nonprofit Organization "Professional Association of Informatics System Designers", companies "Special Technology Center" and COR Security. In addition, Washington announced the expulsion of 35 Russian diplomats from the US, whom Obama called "Russian intelligence workers". As the Washington Post notes, the implementation of the plan for the "dumping of a digital bomb" in Russia's infrastructure networks depends on the administration of the current owner of the White House Trump.