Lars Rowe (Lars Rowe), senior research fellow, Fridtjof Nansen Institute, believes that the news about massive Russian hacker attack on Norway “is rapidly getting out of control.”
The police security service (PST) believes that several targeted cyber-attacks on PSB and a number of Norwegian civil servants are the Russian authorities. But Norwegian experts on Russia warn against to accuse Russia of spying without concrete evidence.
“It seems that all absolutely sure that Russia is behind this. But no one would have seen evidence that it is true”, says Lars Rowe, senior research fellow, Fridtjof Nansen Institute.
Rowe believes that the media, like everyone else, should be critical of information no matter from whom it comes.
“If Russia is behind this, it completely corresponds to the possibility that was designated for quite some time. But the information about the Russian hacker attack comes from only one source, and this source — PSB,” said Rowe in an interview with NRK.
Rowe said that does not rule out the possibility that the PSB has provided absolutely correct information.
“I have no reason to say that Russia is not behind a cyber-attack. But I have also no reason to say that the claims of PSB, right. This is because PSB, due to the nature of this service, is unable to reveal sources or methods,” says Rowe.
“I think that such intelligence services as PSB, important and necessary for the security of the state. However, I’m not sure how appropriate their participation in public debate. What value does such information add to the public debate if it can’t be tested,” he adds.
“The negative effect”
Rove is concerned that a situation may arise when “in future discussions will take for granted the fact that Russia wants to weaken Norway”.
“If we want to criticize Russia, we are forced to operate iron facts. And it means that with the documents we need to be accurate to the sensibilities. Otherwise it can have a negative effect on the relationship of Norway to Russia”, — said Rowe.
Julia, Wilhelmsen (Julie Wilhelmsen), senior researcher, Norwegian Institute of foreign policy, believes that jumping to charges can lead to aggravating the situation and creating in society an atmosphere of fear, which is undesirable.
“Now the relations between Russia and the West are in conflict. And that’s because we look at Russia are very skeptical, we might too quickly conclude that behind all this are the Russian authorities,” says Wilhelmsen.
“Although it is possible to conclude that the hacking is a Russian hacker group, it is necessary to exercise caution in claiming that this involved the Russian government,” he Wilhelmsen.
Ingerid Maria Opdahl (Ingerid Maria Opdahl) works with the section on security policy research Institute of the Norwegian armed forces. Opdal also believes that the lack of documentary evidence can be a problem.
“It is not always possible to say with certainty who’s behind it, but access to documents is not always the case. With regard to the information which we have now, it’s hard to say who is behind this, and what intentions they may have guided,” says Opdal.
PSB did not want to comment on the details of who owns the accounts, are victims of a hacker attack. PSB did not want to tell, did you manage to crack all the accounts, subjected to attack.
