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Author Topic: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story  (Read 4710 times)

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Geek-9pm

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The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« on: December 31, 2016, 07:47:26 PM »
The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
The story has been aired by major TV networks in the USA.
But is it true?
Links:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/news/2016/12/30/report-russia-penetrated-us-electrical-grid/96022986/
Quote
BURLINGTON, Vt. — Malicious software believed tied to a Russian hacking group associated with attempts to influence the U.S. presidential election was found Friday within a computer that belongs to Burlington Electric, one of Vermont’s electrical utilities.
OR:
http://mashable.com/2016/12/31/power-grid-in-vermont-was-not-infiltrated-by-russian-hackers/#NQKFMnNFW5qw
Quote
You may have read or seen on social media a Washington Post story published Friday which claimed that Russian hackers had hacked the U.S. power system via an electrical grid in Vermont.
...
That’s not what happened and the incident is not necessarily connected to the alleged Russian hack of the Democratic National Committee.
The Washington Post has since amended its story:...

Take your pick.
The retraction is now on the Washington Post site. Now see if you can find it.
« Last Edit: December 31, 2016, 08:01:34 PM by Geek-9pm »

DaveLembke



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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #1 on: January 01, 2017, 07:35:09 AM »
From what I read and heard, it was some guys laptop and homeland security put out a notice to have all systems scanned for a potential threat. This one lone laptop was found to be infected. The method of infection unknown. But it sounds like it was likely infected outside of the secured network when the user used the laptop on a unprotected internet connection outside of the protection of the main companies network.

This story caught my attention pretty fast because I work in White River Junction VT and live 15 miles away on the NH side.

The quickness to assume blame on Russia to me is kind of to me almost crazy talk unless they know for a fact that its Russia's Military that is carrying out these actions. They keep saying Russia this Russia that, but then they back down when it gets to saying with certainty that its strategic and of military nature. It could be just some hackers out there that are not associated with the Russian military. With the exact hackers unknown it should just remain that a hacker group based out of Russia, "Only if 100% sure its of Russian origin ", is to blame for infections that are going around of this kind. Being so quick to blame Russias Military and Putin is to me the crazy talk of Trump who babbles like a 5 year old that doesn't get his way, quick to put blame without knowing all the facts. God Help the USA for the term that this idiot is running the show.  ::)

Would the USA Military and leadership be blamed by other countries if one lone hacker or small group was based in the USA and hacked or infected their systems.

This quick to escalate to Military origin to me is the kind of crap that sent us to Iraq and then no chemical weapons found... OOPs our bad  ::) If there was ever a war with Russia, thats it GAME OVER ... NO WINNER ... Everyone Wiped Out. We have been in a stalemate with them ever since the cold war, and that stalemate needs to remain a stalemate since the powers that be cant get along without the stalemate. Trump being the whiny 5 year old that he is, I pray that Russia looks at him as a fool that he is and never carry out any attack as a result of this mans hot headed words. Putin is smart and is hopefully laughing at Trumps stupidity.

Do we really want a war with Russia caused my hot headed and quick to assume without fact idiots. The USA just needs to tighten up on information security, remove systems that are critical from any ability to backdoor and get that persons bottom into work to do whatever it is vs remotely from home etc. Additionally the most secure of communications would be to use communications that dont use the internet as a backbone to carry out communications such as a private network using custom OS that is like no other and immune to all infection types because its so drastically different.  Example being if a new system was put in place and it was well protected from leaking out the OS and hardware to others it would be the most secure system out there because someone cant sandbox and play with it to make vulnerabilities and test their hacks and malware, you cant write malware for an unknown system. You cant easily hack an unknown system. Everything out there that is critical that is riding on the internet as a backbone comes down to complete laziness of making the correct system which would have isolation and be different from computers that we all use. An OS that supports a military class processor only etc, and those processors having strict control of keeping track of them to avoid them getting out into the wrong hands. The OS that wont run on any consumer or server grade processor. That is the direction they need to go vs being lazy and using the same type of computers and OS that everyone can easily get their hands on and make vulnerabilities for.

patio

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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #2 on: January 01, 2017, 07:58:43 AM »
The babbling 5 year old still occupies the White House...his name is Obama...not Trump...
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

DaveLembke



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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #3 on: January 01, 2017, 08:03:04 AM »
Quote
The babbling 5 year old still occupies the White House...his name is Obama...not Trump...

I agree with you there, I didnt care for him either, and he showed weakness in crying like he did. Trmp I feel is going to be worse than Obama though. Time will tell.  :P

patio

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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #4 on: January 01, 2017, 08:27:17 AM »
The issue i have is that he is in the process of making this one of the rockiest transitions of power ...ever.

What a putz.
" Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

BC_Programmer


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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #5 on: January 01, 2017, 08:47:09 AM »
A lot of Malicious software originates from Eastern Europe, but that doesn't indicate that a system infected with it was infected as part of some sort of cyber-warfare.

Quote
Additionally the most secure of communications would be to use communications that dont use the internet as a backbone to carry out communications such as a private network using custom OS that is like no other and immune to all infection types because its so drastically different
Sounds an awful lot like security through obscurity.

On the arguably related political stuff, I've seldom heard any body say they were happy with their country's current political leadership. I'm seeing the same relatives on Facebook that called Harper a fascist posting comparisons between Hitler and Trudeau and talking about how they "always supported the government with Harper but no more!"

I think in many cases that is because it's a lot easier to blame problems on poor leadership than have to take responsibility for your own prosperity.
I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

Allan

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Re: The somewhat dubious “Russia hacked Vermont” story
« Reply #6 on: January 01, 2017, 09:04:24 AM »
I'm locking this thread. NO POLITICAL DISCUSSIONS PLEASE