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So you're saying that Russia's interests are entirely altrustic? That's quite a stretch. I don't think they hacked SolarWinds to "prove how insecure closed sour

So you're saying that Russia's interests are entirely altrustic? That's quite a stretch. I don't think they hacked SolarWinds to "prove how insecure closed source, proprietary software is". Why don't they prove how "insecure" Kaspersky AV is, in that case? Seems strange to pick a software package that nobody's heard of, but happens to be used by thousands of juicy industrial espionage targets of their primary political enemy.

breck 6y ago
I have no idea what Russia's interests are. I'm just genuinely curious and in the dark. I've never been to the country and grew up in the West during the Cold War, so when I think of Russia I was indoctrinated to think of "the bad guys". The country is an enigma to me—very good at math but from what I read a corrupt place with rule by power and not law. So yeah, I'm just genuinely asking, how are they the ones doing these things which make the world a better place, and why isn't it us leading the charge in these 3 issues? Maybe it is just a coincidence that those 3 things align with their selfish interests, and their is no altruism involved? Or maybe there's a group in Russia that loves the ideals of the USA, and is able to actually help implement those ideals from there, because if you tried to do those 3 things from here you would be thrown in prison due to some bad laws/people here?
- efdee 6y ago
  This comment, along with the original comment of the same person, is laughable at best and downright Russian astroturfing in a less favorable reading. Obviously, Russia has a policy to support whatever the US is angry about (SciHub, Snowden, ...). To paint these as altruistic is just silly - there is no chance on earth they would support Snowden if his leaks were about Russia rather than about the US. To paint the SolarWinds hacking as "showing the world proprietary systems are dangerous" is intellectually dishonest at best. You are not genuinely curious. You are not genuinely asking. You do not genuinely wonder if there is altruism involved. GTFO with your doublespeak.
  - breck 6y ago
    Big words coming from an anonymous coward.
  - danielovichdk 6y ago
    On a side note. I Wonder why Snowden chose Russia as his safe haven, thinking about the politics and rulings the country is known for. Have Snowden ever told why he chose Russia?
    - stevenicr 6y ago
      I vaguely recall that he had chosen somewhere else - but in the midst of the flights from HK(?) to other places, his passport was nulled by the US so he had to stay in Russ, could no longer board int'l flights or something (?)
    - mjevans 6y ago
      As a sibling comment notes; Snowden didn't get to choose much once their passport was revoked (made a non-person). You might recall that for a while (number of months?) they were stuck inside of the border-zone limbo of the International section of some airport in Russia. Eventually Russia decided they'd allow the poor guy inside, presumably to snub the US.
    - e12e 6y ago
      > [Snowden] had been on his way from Hong Kong via Russia and Cuba to what he hoped would be sanctuary in Ecuador when the US cancelled his passport, leaving him stranded in Russia. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2019/sep/13/edward-snowden-interview-whistleblowing-russia-ai-permanent-record https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2019/sep/...
  - larvaetron 6y ago
    > You are not genuinely curious. You are not genuinely asking. You do not genuinely wonder if there is altruism involved. What the hell kind of comment is this? Who are YOU to make that assertion?
- marcosdumay 6y ago
  Hum... Most of it seems sarcastic, but a simple antagonistic view towards the US explains a lot: > protecting a whistleblower against government overreach Becomes protecting an enemy of their enemy, and one that commands a high press influence. > pointing out how fundamentally insecure closed source, proprietary software Becomes just exploiting the enemy infrastructure. The one thing that I'm not comfortable with a simple explanation of "the Russian government doesn't like the US" is their support of SciHub. It can explain the support quite well, but it is not the only simple explanation available, so there may be other reasons.
mjevans 6y ago
OP's comment should likely be read as satiric self criticism.

breck 6y ago

I have no idea what Russia's interests are. I'm just genuinely curious and in the dark. I've never been to the country and grew up in the West during the Cold War, so when I think of Russia I was indoctrinated to think of "the bad guys". The country is an enigma to me—very good at math but from what I read a corrupt place with rule by power and not law. So yeah, I'm just genuinely asking, how are they the ones doing these things which make the world a better place, and why isn't it us leading the charge in these 3 issues? Maybe it is just a coincidence that those 3 things align with their selfish interests, and their is no altruism involved? Or maybe there's a group in Russia that loves the ideals of the USA, and is able to actually help implement those ideals from there, because if you tried to do those 3 things from here you would be thrown in prison due to some bad laws/people here?

efdee 6y ago
This comment, along with the original comment of the same person, is laughable at best and downright Russian astroturfing in a less favorable reading. Obviously, Russia has a policy to support whatever the US is angry about (SciHub, Snowden, ...). To paint these as altruistic is just silly - there is no chance on earth they would support Snowden if his leaks were about Russia rather than about the US. To paint the SolarWinds hacking as "showing the world proprietary systems are dangerous" is intellectually dishonest at best. You are not genuinely curious. You are not genuinely asking. You do not genuinely wonder if there is altruism involved. GTFO with your doublespeak.
- breck 6y ago
  Big words coming from an anonymous coward.
- danielovichdk 6y ago
  On a side note. I Wonder why Snowden chose Russia as his safe haven, thinking about the politics and rulings the country is known for. Have Snowden ever told why he chose Russia?
  - stevenicr 6y ago
    I vaguely recall that he had chosen somewhere else - but in the midst of the flights from HK(?) to other places, his passport was nulled by the US so he had to stay in Russ, could no longer board int'l flights or something (?)
  - mjevans 6y ago
    As a sibling comment notes; Snowden didn't get to choose much once their passport was revoked (made a non-person). You might recall that for a while (number of months?) they were stuck inside of the border-zone limbo of the International section of some airport in Russia. Eventually Russia decided they'd allow the poor guy inside, presumably to snub the US.
  - e12e 6y ago
    > [Snowden] had been on his way from Hong Kong via Russia and Cuba to what he hoped would be sanctuary in Ecuador when the US cancelled his passport, leaving him stranded in Russia. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2019/sep/13/edward-snowden-interview-whistleblowing-russia-ai-permanent-record https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2019/sep/...
- larvaetron 6y ago
  > You are not genuinely curious. You are not genuinely asking. You do not genuinely wonder if there is altruism involved. What the hell kind of comment is this? Who are YOU to make that assertion?
marcosdumay 6y ago
Hum... Most of it seems sarcastic, but a simple antagonistic view towards the US explains a lot: > protecting a whistleblower against government overreach Becomes protecting an enemy of their enemy, and one that commands a high press influence. > pointing out how fundamentally insecure closed source, proprietary software Becomes just exploiting the enemy infrastructure. The one thing that I'm not comfortable with a simple explanation of "the Russian government doesn't like the US" is their support of SciHub. It can explain the support quite well, but it is not the only simple explanation available, so there may be other reasons.

mjevans 6y ago

OP's comment should likely be read as satiric self criticism.