Combating the Threats of Cybercrimes in Russia: Evolution of the Cybercrime Laws and Social Concern

Since the introduction of computer technologies and the internet, Russia has been trying to adopt different strategies on maintaining social order in cyberspace. The purpose of this article is, by studying the stages of enacting legislation against cybercrime, to explore the Russian model of cyberspace regulation. In order to get control over the internet and to maintain security and stability in society, the Russian government has implemented new provisions of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation and other means. This article demonstrates how criminal law and other measures may be used to fight cybercrime, and how the legislative body reacts on social concern about cybercrime. Russian legislation against cybercrime passed the same phases as cyber law in other countries: first, criminalizing and penalizing particular cybercrime types, and then, developing a complicated system of cyber regulation. The process of cyber regulation was influenced by changing cybercrime characteristics, transformation of enforcement policy, and international treaties ratified by the Russian Federation. Regardless of active efforts in fighting cybercrime, Russian hackers are still a big threat to Russia and, in general, globally. The article concludes that the hacker subculture is one of the main factors producing cybercrime.