Slashdot Mirror
Pentagon Discloses Network Breach By Russian Hackers
An anonymous reader writes: The Pentagon has disclosed that Russian hackers were able to breach one of its secure networks earlier this year, and referred to the attack as a "worrisome" incident. "Earlier this year, the sensors that guard DOD's unclassified networks detected Russian hackers accessing one of our networks," said defense secretary Ash Carter yesterday during a speech at Stanford University. Carter warned Russia that the U.S. Department of Defense would retaliate with cyber campaigns should it see fit. "Adversaries should know that our preference for deterrence and our defensive posture don't diminish our willingness to use cyber options if necessary," said Carter. He added in a prepared statement that the Russian hackers had been able to gain access to an "unclassified network" but had been "quickly identified" by a team of cyberattack experts who managed to block the hackers "within 24 hours." The cybersecurity response team had quickly analyzed the hack patterns and code and identified the intruders as Russian, before "kicking them off the network."
Russian hackers: we've successfully infiltrated the pentagons secret networks and have accessed their innermost classified projects. With this information we can plan accordingly our first strikes, retaliatory actions, and offensive as well as defensive capabilities in response to the scourge of american aggression
Russian political scientists: We've successfully modelled American capitalism over the last 40 years and have concluded that following two failed wars, two government shutdowns, rampant unemployment, gridlocked congress and senate, unsustainable student loan markets, widespread racism and fascism in local law enforcement, unfunded social security and public highways fund and an unchecked unenforceable labor and investment sector the united states will itself collapse into Mad Max style ruin after about 15 years.
Kremlin: Then it is decided. Cancel our hacking teams budget, slash defense, and clear my schedule for the next decade. Oh and get some popcorn.
Good people go to bed earlier.
...attacks from Russian IP's...
One should realize that there are a lot "pirated" Windows OS installations in Russia. I would guess more than 90%.
These PCs do not have Windows Update, since the OS is not authentic. And consequently hoards of different viruses, trojans and bot-networks run on them. The masters of these malicious networks could mount cyber activity from the IPs' of unsuspecting owners.
I would advise a Pentagon delegation to visit a Russian megalopolis for a cultural exchange trip and learn the real situation on the ground, before retaliating with cyber campaigns on poor people.