Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), the successor to the Soviet Unions KGB, recently received an order from President Vladimir Putin to develop and create a new system to ensure Russian networks can detect and thwart cyber attacks . . . the new effort is aimed at strengthening the nations critical networks and sensitive IT system security . . . the move follows recent revelations that some of Russia’s government and private sector networks as well as Websites were infected with a virus that has been called “Red October” . . . the virus was purposely designed to collect sensitive information, intelligence documents and other classified materials . . . the virus was initially discovered by the Russian computer security firm Kaspersky Labs . . . the perpetrators of the “Red October” virus are believed to be part of a network of anti-Putin activists . . . the decision to enhance cybersecurity is likely in direct response to the recent virus, but it has probably been building momentum for sometime now . . . the realization that anti-government hackers were able to successfully penetrate and infect sensitive government systems seems to have caught the Kremlin off guard and is likely seen as a threat to internal security, as information gleamed from “Red October” could be used by elements opposed to Putin’s iron-like control over Russia. 

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