Inside Russia’s Hacking Culture: `Many of their peers in the Western world say Eastern Europe’s computer crackers and hackers are
the most skillful in the world — far superior to the so-called “script kiddies” who have gained a fair
amount of notoriety.

“We call Russia the Hackzone because there are so many of us here, and we are so good at what
we do,” said Igor Kovalyev, a self-described cracker living in Moscow. “Here hacking is a good job,
one of the few good jobs left.”

Kovalyev claims he is often hired to “have fun” with the websites and networks of his employer’s
competitors.

He is paid 3,000 rubles per job — about $104 American. It may not sound like much, but a college
professor gets paid about $150 per month.’

Wired