Russian government hackers exploited antivirus software to steal U.S. cyber capabilities

[FriendlyFire]

In Russia Anti Virus software, give you Virus

Russian government hackers exploited antivirus software to steal U.S. cyber capabilities

Russian government hackers lifted details of U.S. cyber capabilities from a National Security Agency employee who was running Russian antivirus software on his computer, according to several individuals familiar with the matter.

The employee had taken classified material home to work on it on his computer, and his use of Kaspersky Lab antivirus software enabled Russian hackers to see his files, the individuals said. The case, which dates to 2015 and has not been made public, remains under investigation by federal prosecutors.

The NSA declined to comment on the breach, which was first reported by the Wall Street Journal.

The breach “serves as a stark warning — not just to the federal government, but to states, local governments and the American public — of the serious dangers of using Kaspersky software,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), a vocal critic of Kaspersky who has pushed for the software’s ban in federal networks.

The incident underscores the risks of using products as seemingly innocuous as antivirus software, which can be leveraged for national security purposes.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/worl...8c702d2d975_story.html?utm_term=.617c8e2f7f41

 

[hobbsyoyo]

There's been questions about the actual security of Kaspersky for a while. You'd think that after the massive Russian intelligence campaign to flip our election was successful that our security forces would wise up. We were wrong. Jesus H Spacegod when will this merry go round of endless Russian interference end. When will our government actually fight this attack on our democracy?

 

[red_elk]

Jesus H Spacegod when will this merry go round of endless Russian interference end.

It will continue as long as all this "Russian interference" theme remains attractive for your media and public. Regardless of what US and Russian intelligence do.

 

[Ryika]

So "several individuals familiar with the matter" make a claim, but where is the evidence that substantiates it?

 

[Zelig]

There's nothing here that really makes me believe there were any complicit acts between Kaspersky and Russia.

This really just looks like American politicking.

What people should really be looking at is the ineptitude from firms like Cisco when it comes to securing their equipment against NSA tampering.

 

[Arent11]

There's been questions about the actual security of Kaspersky for a while. You'd think that after the massive Russian intelligence campaign to flip our election was successful that our security forces would wise up. We were wrong. Jesus H Spacegod when will this merry go round of endless Russian interference end. When will our government actually fight this attack on our democracy?

I'm sure that Kaspersky/russian software is not always trustworthy & that you should have your own software in critical situations.

However, at the same time I always find it hilarious that people honestly believe Russia could have had a significant influence on the election when virtually all western-european governments, political parties, media etc. were demanding, pleading, threatening Americans almost every single day to vote for the "right" candidate. The publication of Clinton Emails, Trolls on the internet, advertisement on facebook - all that should have a bigger effect than the united efforts of nearly every big shot in Europe to influence the american election?

 

[red_elk]

Russian government agents used Pokemon Go to meddle in American politics - CNN investigation.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/12/media/dont-shoot-us-russia-pokemon-go/index.html

 

[GenMarshall]

Russian government agents used Pokemon Go to meddle in American politics - CNN investigation.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/12/media/dont-shoot-us-russia-pokemon-go/index.html

Quick! Find all the Putin clues!!

 

[Ryika]

Russian government agents used Pokemon Go to meddle in American politics - CNN investigation.
http://money.cnn.com/2017/10/12/media/dont-shoot-us-russia-pokemon-go/index.html

That's hilarious on so many levels.

One Russian-linked campaign posing as part of the Black Lives Matter movement used Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and Pokémon Go and even contacted some reporters in an effort to exploit racial tensions and sow discord among Americans, CNN has learned.

The campaign, titled "Don't Shoot Us," offers new insights into how Russian agents created a broad online ecosystem where divisive political messages were reinforced across multiple platforms, amplifying a campaign that appears to have been run from one source -- the shadowy, Kremlin-linked troll farm known as the Internet Research Agency.

Apparently, I was right all along that BLMs main goal is to create racial tensions and push out any meaningful dialog of the racial problems in proper perspective. I just didn't know Russian agents and the far left are on the same side of the issue!

Of course, if that's true, then CNN and co are also responsible for doing their part. I don't see how pushing racial tensions is this huge problem when Russia does it, but apparently a completely legitimate thing for American News Agencies to do.

 

[red_elk]

I don't see how pushing racial tensions is this huge problem when Russia does it, but apparently a completely legitimate thing for American News Agencies to do.

Whatever Russia does is a huge problem by definition.
If Russia does the right thing, it's even bigger problem, because it confuses the valuable Americans.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Let me guess, Russia is the good guy again ?
Kasperskys provided a back door for the Russian government, Who is going to trust Russian software now ?

How Israel Caught Russian Hackers Scouring the World for U.S. Secrets

For years, there has been speculation that Kaspersky’s popular antivirus software might provide a back door for Russian intelligence.

Russian government hackers searched computers around the world for the code names of American intelligence programs.

What gave the Russian hacking, detected more than two years ago, such global reach was its improvised search tool — antivirus software made by a Russian company, Kaspersky Lab, that is used by 400 million people worldwide, including by officials at some two dozen American government agencies.

The Israeli officials who had hacked into Kaspersky’s own network alerted the United States to the broad Russian intrusion, which has not been previously reported, leading to a decision just last month to order Kaspersky software removed from government computers.

Russian hackers had stolen classified N.S.A. materials from a contractor using the Kaspersky software

they uncovered evidence that Russian government hackers were using Kaspersky’s access to aggressively scan for American government classified programs, and pulling any findings back to Russian intelligence systems. They provided their N.S.A. counterparts with solid evidence of the Kremlin campaign in the form of screenshots and other documentation, according to the people briefed on the events.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/10/technology/kaspersky-lab-israel-russia-hacking.html

 

[red_elk]

Spain caught Russian hackers too!

Catalonia referendum: Protestors 'using Russian hackers' to maintain electoral websites
CATALONIA’s protestors are allegedly being helped by Russia as part of Putin’s plot to ruin the European Union, Spain’s elite law enforcement agency claimed.
The Guardia Civil believes that the Catalonian Government have been forced to employ Russian hackers to maintain websites containing the electoral roll and information on where to vote this Sunday.

It is crucial for the independence movement that they appear to have a valid electoral roll, in-light of what is being called by Spanish authorities an illegal referendum this Sunday.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world...endum-russia-spain-putin-hackers-independence

 

[Zelig]

Kasperskys provided a back door for the Russian government

Still no real evidence of that.

 

[Ryika]

But we don't need evidence, it matches FriendlyFire's world view, so it's true.

 

[Ryika]

I just got breaking news that Russian Spies have stolen visitor data from Area 52. Apparently they were using The Void to gain backdoor access to a computer. It's unknown how the game found its way onto the harddrive of the PC, but undisclosed sources assume that Ninjas who were trained in the sewers of Moscow have snuck it in.

I would provide screen shots of the game to illustrate how the data theft must have occurred, but all I could find are naked girls and gory images.

 

[FriendlyFire]

Spain caught Russian hackers too!
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world...endum-russia-spain-putin-hackers-independence

Really the Express ?
Its borderline tabloid

Welp at least he is busy playing World of Tanks, unlike the current US President

REVEALED: Tyrant Kim Jong-Un spends 65 per cent of his time playing online computer games
TYRANT Kim Jong-un spends his mornings browsing Amazon, fighting zombies and playing World Of Tanks online, North Korea watchers say.
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/834634/Kim-Jung-Un-north-korea-missile-test

 

[red_elk]

I just got breaking news that Russian Spies have stolen visitor data from Area 52. Apparently they were using The Void to gain backdoor access to a computer.

If you liked The Void, you may also try Pathologic and Knock-Knock. Russian hackers at Ice-Pick Lodge make absolutely fantastic games.

 

[Commodore]

It will continue as long as all this "Russian interference" theme remains attractive for your media and public. Regardless of what US and Russian intelligence do.

Exactly. This whole "big bad Russians" narrative is getting tiresome, especially since there is little evidence to support it. Notice it's only the Hillary supporters who are pushing this narrative though? It's like they are still living in denial that she just straight up lost the election and have to find someone to blame for it. Apparently they have chosen the Russians for some weird reason.

 

[Birdjaguar]

Exactly. This whole "big bad Russians" narrative is getting tiresome, especially since there is little evidence to support it. Notice it's only the Hillary supporters who are pushing this narrative though? It's like they are still living in denial that she just straight up lost the election and have to find someone to blame for it. Apparently they have chosen the Russians for some weird reason.

I am not a Hillary supporter and I am convinced that not only did the Trump campaign collude, but that Russia did make significant attempts to mess with the election. We may learn how successful those attempts were. I think that it is unlikely that Kaspersky has been able to elude the pressure from Putin and his friends given that their software is well entrenched in the US.

 

[Commodore]

I am convinced that not only did the Trump campaign collude, but that Russia did make significant attempts to mess with the election.

But there's not really any evidence to support those claims though. I mean, this whole thing has been under investigation pretty much since Trump's inauguration and nothing of significance has turned up. Only rumors, speculation, and some suspicious activity. Nothing concrete though.

Who knows? Maybe the Russians are just that good at hiding what they did, but I seriously doubt that. With how intensely this has been investigated, something more concrete to support these accusations would have turned up by now.