The Times: Russian hackers tried to disrupt UK election

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/ne...tion-62zdk9mnb

Russian hackers threatened to cause massive disruption to British government departments and TV broadcasters in the run-up to last year’s general election, security sources have revealed.

The “imminent threat” by Fancy Bears, a cyber-warfare group thought to be linked to the Russian state, was thwarted by GCHQ, the government’s eavesdropping agency.

The disclosure comes amid concerns that Russian hackers are attempting to disrupt the US presidential election. Last week DC Leaks, a Russian-linked website, hacked White House servers to obtain what appeared to be Michelle Obama’s passport.

And they're allegedly doing the same to the US. People aren't taking Russia seriously.

[Osem]

I dare say there'll be payback in kind.

[deadite66]

The USA were found out to have hacked Iran and spied on German ministers, why because everyone is doing it to everyone and always have done.
it's what spy agencies do. this is propaganda.

So it's true, but it's propaganda?

Propaganda - information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

[papa smurf]

Originally Posted by Hugh

So it's true, but it's propaganda?

Propaganda - information, especially of a biased or misleading nature, used to promote a political cause or point of view.

its a right pain in the Bolsheviks

[deadite66]

Originally Posted by Hugh

So it's true, but it's propaganda?

It may be state backed it may not, just because a hack came from a country doesn't mean that country did the hack.
if your computer was compromised anyone around the world could control it to hack someone else, that's why a lot of hacks come from china they have so many pirated copies of windows that don't get updated.

this will only worse the latest 'internet of things' craze which are really poorly secured low powered computers.

[Hom3r]

Every government hacks another.

No doubt they have "setup folder/files" that contain crap that look real.

[heero_yuy]

Originally Posted by deadite66

this will only worse the latest 'internet of things' craze which are really poorly secured low powered computers.

If they're vulnerable really depends on how dumb they are. I worked on a project that had a small micro running a TCP/IP stack and custom written code. There was no OS so the worst you would have been able to do was crash it or produce a DOS and the watchdog system would re-boot it.

The dangerous devices are running a real OS like Linux or Android or, God forbid, embedded Windoze.

[adzii_nufc]

Oh those pesky Russians.

No, seriously though, forget the hack, it's taking attention away from the fact they committed a war crime just a few days ago. All Cyber divisions faff around in each others business but after the ridiculous assault on Ukraine and now the hypocrisy of blaming the US for ISIS then bombing civilians in a move akin to a terrorist attack Russia need reeled in. I've been vocal on the US and their use of drones with civilian death. This is something completely different, this was the intentional use of air strikes on known aid trucks.

Also if it was anything to do with the UK government then it was state sponsored. 'Fancy Bears' Just happen to start stealing other nations Athletic medical records after the Russians lose half of their team to cheating via state sponsored doping? Be serious. It's not even speculation, it's blatant. They've hardly been covert about it in the past either, Alexander Litvinenko being the unfortunate result of that. Their Pro-Russian forces in Ukraine downed a civilian plane with a Russian missile and a Russian SAM launcher, still no remorse from them. As someone kindly reminded me in a different thread. Once you take it all in, it's far nicer being on the western side of the fence.

Does bring into question whether they ever succeeded in changing the outcome of an event though. A lot of Americans still believe the Russians got LHO to assassinate JFK. All will be revealed on that front next year though.

Russia is a problem the trouble is it's a problem with a nuclear arsenal and an erratic leader which makes dealing with them very very difficult. Take away that arsenal and Russia would be very little their conventional forces look great on paper but not operationally and their defence spending is declining despite official figures. Trouble is those nukes are real and we currently have no way to neutralise them so have to be far softer in dealing with Russia and putin then they deserve. They mess with our IT systems and we mess with theirs nothing new and nothing that's going to stop anytime soon.

[Osem]

It's got to the point where the Russians will deny everything anyway whether it's illegal bombing in Syria or cyber-attacks. The Russian public tends to lap up what Putin tells them so if he claims that the 'west' has attacked, for example, their financial sector and that's why there's no money in their ATM's, they will believe him and blame it on us. He's probably claiming this event is yet another made up story designed to undermine Russia and its people. The truth is irrelevant if ordinary Russians just believe what they're told.

A lot of ordinary russians neither believe or like putin he's arranged the system in russia so he's virtually untouchable and the only growth industry are prisons where increasing numbers of russians are finding themselves. Putin is very good with words but the actions tell the real story and it's an increasingly disturbing story.

[deadite66]

'Smart' home devices used as weapons in website attack

Hackers used internet-connected home devices, such as CCTV cameras and printers, to attack popular websites on Friday, security analysts say.

Like i said the internet of things is risky, thousands of vulnerable computers on the net.

Doubt that was Russia though tbh. The worry with them is the same kinda thing but on election day.

Russia continuing to expand it's influence in Europe: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/19/wo...ins-party.html