Russian Military Sets Up Blockchain Research Lab

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Russia’s defence ministry has turned to the blockchain in order to stop attacks from hackers, setting up a dedicated research unit to apply the technology to its cybersecurity efforts.

According to a report published in Russian broadsheet Izvestia on Friday, the laboratory will be established in the ERA Technology Park, with efforts focused on cyber attacks on the nation’s critical information infrastructure.

It is believed that blockchain technology will better enable the military to identify the origin of any hacking attacks in addition to making databases more secure.

Kaspersky Lab anti-virus expert Alexey Malanov was quoted in the report explaining how this new technology can help put hackers under the microscope. “A trespasser often clears the permission log to hide traces of unauthorized access to the device,” he said. “However, if the log is distributed among several devices, for example, via blockchain technology, this risk can be minimized.”

Blockchain can also be used to prevent viruses altering software code and data, the report said, in order to dupe data integrity controllers, by storing reference code and providing an independent check on the validity of the data.

Izvestia also reported that the 8th Directorate of General Staff, the national anti-hacking authority, which has responsibility for information security and the protection of state secrets, will lead the research in this area. The author claims that military involvement in this type of research will bode well for Russia’s technology industry.

Russia’s move mirrors work done by both NATO and the Pentagon to research how blockchain applications can shore up a nation’s defense systems. In addition to preventing cyber attacks, national authorities are thought to be testing blockchain for use in supply and logistics, keeping financial information secure and for data transfer that hackers can’t access.