Georgia accuses Russia of waging cyberwar
Last Updated: Tuesday, August 12, 2008 | 11:41 AM ET
CBC News
The Georgian Embassy in the United Kingdom has accused Russia of launching a cyberwar against the country's websites to coincide with military action in the breakaway region of South Ossetia.
A spokesman for the embassy on Monday said all Georgian websites had been unavailable over the weekend because of interference from Russia, forcing Georgia to redirect traffic and solicit help from other countries to disseminate information about the military action.
The spokesman said it had not yet been proven that Russia was behind the cyberattack, but told CNet, "Who else might it be, though?"
Russia has been accused of making cyberattacks before, including last year against Estonia, another former state of the Soviet Union. The source of those attacks was also not proven.
The president of Poland, Lech Kaczynski, seconded Georgia's accusation on his website.
"Along with military aggression, the Russian Federation is blocking Georgian internet portals," read a statement on Kaczynski's presidential website. "On request of the president of Georgia, the president of the Republic of Poland has provided the website of the president of Poland for dissemination of information."
The Russian Embassy in London denied the cyberwar, as well as the military attack.
"I'd like to draw attention to a misunderstanding," an embassy spokesperson told CNet. "There is no Russian [military] attack. There is peace enforcement in South Ossetia."
The Polish website, however, said Russia had attacked the port city of Poti on the Black Sea, killing more than 100 Georgian civilians and soldiers. The site said residential complexes had been targeted, along with airports and other infrastructure.
Many of Georgia's key websites have relocated their servers to other countries. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili and Rustavi 2, a prominent television station, have moved their servers to the United States, for example.
