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Confirmed: CBS News Reporter's Computer Compromised

Posted by timothy on from the all-the-cool-kids-have-their-lines-tapped dept.

New submitter RoccamOccam writes "Shortly after the news broke that the Department of Justice had been secretly monitoring the phones and email accounts of Associated Press and Fox News reporters (and the parents of Fox News Correspondent James Rosen), CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson said her computer seemed like it had been compromised. Turns out, it was. 'A cyber security firm hired by CBS News has determined through forensic analysis that Sharyl Attkisson's computer was accessed by an unauthorized, external, unknown party on multiple occasions late in 2012. Evidence suggests this party performed all access remotely using Attkisson's accounts. While no malicious code was found, forensic analysis revealed an intruder had executed commands that appeared to involve search and exfiltration of data.'"

5 of 176 comments (clear)

  1. Oddly specific denial by hawguy · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why is the justice department denial so specific:

    To our knowledge, the Justice Department has never compromised Ms. Attkisson’s computers, or otherwise sought any information from or concerning any telephone, computer, or other media device she may own or use.

    It sounds like a carefully worded statement that leaves open the possibility that they planted an old fashioned bug to listen to her in her home, or a GPS tracker on her car, or secretly searched her house, or one of the other many ways they can secretly keep someone under surveillance.

    Why not a simple "We have never had Ms Attkisson under any surveillance or covertly obtained any information about her"?

    Besides, if she used a Verizon Business cell phone, or if the same cell phone meta-data order that was leaked to the press was given to all of the carriers, then the government *did* seek information concerning telephones used by her.

    1. Re:Oddly specific denial by larry+bagina · · Score: 5, Insightful

      When you have an Attorney General who will, under oath in front of Congress, commit perjury, why are any of their other statements considered credible?

      Not posting anonymously because the DOJ and NSA are tracking us either way.

      --
      Do you even lift?

      These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.

  2. Welcome to the Botnet by checkitout · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Occam's razor would suggest that she got pwned by a drive-by exploit on some site she visits. In the same way anyone else might. She just happened to be of some level of importance.

  3. What data? by dadelbunts · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I love how they fail to mention what data was searched. Im sure that would provide alot of information as to who was doing the searching.

  4. Re:Better security might help by AxemRed · · Score: 5, Informative

    It's all over the internet. Here for one:

    http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/06/nsa-gets-early-access-to-zero-day-data-from-microsoft-others/