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Russian Hackers Launch Targeted Cyberattacks Hours After Trump's Win (vice.com)

Hours after Donald Trump won the Presidential Election, a group of hackers that is widely believed to be Russian and was involved in the breach of the Democratic National Committee launched a wave of attacks against dozens of people working at universities, think tanks, NGOs, and even inside the US government. From a report on Motherboard:Around 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, the hackers sent a series of phishing emails trying to trick dozens of victims into opening booby-trapped attachments containing malware, and clicking on malicious links, according to security firm Volexity, which observed and reported the five attack waves. The targets work for organizations such as Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, the Atlantic Council, the RAND Corporation, and the State Department, among others. One of the phishing emails included a forwarded message appearing to be from the Clinton Foundation, apparently sent by a professor at Harvard. The email used the professor's real address, and according to Volexity's founder Steven Adair, it's likely that the professor got hacked and the attackers then used his account to send out the phishing emails. (The professor did not respond to a request for comment.) One of the targets, who shared the email she received with Motherboard, said she "almost fell for it."

78 of 160 comments (clear)

  1. Nice of them to take Election day off by myth24601 · · Score: 1

    They took off Election day so they wouldn't taint the results. Good for them!

    --
    No matter where you go, there you are.
    1. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1, Flamebait

      They took off Election day so they wouldn't taint the results. Good for them!

      And also to celebrate that their candidate won.

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    2. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by unixisc · · Score: 1

      Wouldn't they do that the day after the results were known? Like yesterday?

    3. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by gnick · · Score: 5, Funny

      Some more headlines:
      Russian Hackers Launch Targeted Cyberattacks Hours BEFORE Trump's Win
      Russian Hackers Launch Targeted Cyberattacks DURING US ELECTION
      Russian Hackers Launch Targeted Cyberattacks ALL THE FUCKING TIME...

      --
      He's getting rather old, but he's a good mouse.
    4. Re: Nice of them to take Election day off by unixisc · · Score: 1

      I thought they were 24 hrs ahead of AK, or 19 hrs ahead of EST, so they'd have almost a complete day to start updating Moscow. Speaking of which, shouldn't all Russian hackers interested in monkeying around w/ US sites just relocate to Big Diomede island near the Bering Sea, so that they just need to flip the date, but otherwise not worry too much about time zones?

    5. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by bestweasel · · Score: 1

      BBC News summarized the evidence for the Russian state being behind a whole host of cyber-attacks since 2007, via the Fancy Bears hacking group. There is no smoking gun but the article and those linked within it (well worth reading) suggest evidence of Russian involvement in the language and timestamps of the malware as well as the list of targets: the Georgian, German, Romainian and Polish governments, Ukraine, Russian dissidents, NATO, the MH17 investigation team, as well as the US Democratic Party, US media and US athletes' drug testing records and more generally targets of interest to governments rather than those after money. The same hackers also shut down a French TV station and a Ukrainian power station, probably just to see if they could.

      The article is based on Microsoft's accusation that the group was exploiting an unpatched flaw in Windows but it's probably no co-incidence that it was published just after the head of MI5 warned about Russia's increased aggression.

    6. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Russian hackers made me step in dog poop
      Russian hackers made my milk go bad
      Russian hackers made me late to work

      Won't somebody please start a nuclear war with Russia so we can stop this madness!!??

    7. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by rtb61 · · Score: 2

      Do you even know who owns the New York Times and not point putting a link, I refuse to obey and log in, screw em.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
    8. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by flyingfsck · · Score: 1

      Anyone who ever ran his own mail server would have noticed that spam and malware attacks follow the US work week and public holidays. So the simple fact is that most of these 'Russian' hackers are living in the USA.

      --
      Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
    9. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Pretty sure they had already accomplished all they needed to ahead of the election.

      For the most popular, and among the most easily-hack-able voting machines, physical access and a USB stick were required. Kind of hard to do at every polling station in a District without being noticed.

    10. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Anyone who ever ran his own mail server would have noticed that spam and malware attacks follow the US work week and public holidays. So the simple fact is that most of these 'Russian' hackers are living in the USA.

      Sorry, but your logic does not follow.

      It would make the most sense to do your dirty deeds on busy days. Also, November 8, voting day, is not an official Holiday in most places.

    11. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by imadeyoureadpoop · · Score: 1

      You don't have the hack a voting machine to influence an election result.

      --
      Hanlon's Razor -- Never attribute to malice that which is adequately explained by stupidity.
    12. Re: Nice of them to take Election day off by lucien86 · · Score: 1

      If you smash your skull you will find some useful meat inside. Go be something more useful like compost or meat.

      --
      Below the speed of light Special Relativity is one of the most accurate theories in physics - above the speed of light..
    13. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by lucien86 · · Score: 1

      Russian infiltrator posing as Slashdot member posts fabrications to indirect and distract from Trumps involvement with the security services of enemy powers.

      --
      Below the speed of light Special Relativity is one of the most accurate theories in physics - above the speed of light..
    14. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by lucien86 · · Score: 1

      The ex Soviets are past masters at infiltration. You hack the electorate not the voting machines..

      --
      Below the speed of light Special Relativity is one of the most accurate theories in physics - above the speed of light..
    15. Re:Nice of them to take Election day off by lucien86 · · Score: 1

      Maybe he will just sack the FBI and replace them with the New KGB.

      --
      Below the speed of light Special Relativity is one of the most accurate theories in physics - above the speed of light..
  2. False News by BradMajors · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is a funny story to post immediately after another story was posted about false news.

    1. Re:False News by bfpierce · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure if you understand the difference between "false" and "boring".

  3. Why would they stop now? by quax · · Score: 1, Troll

    Getting Trump into the White House was just the beginning.

    1. Re:Why would they stop now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Were you born and spent your life in a video rental store, or something? Your accusations hint that your view of the world is like a bad Hollywood movie. Russian hackers can't "hack" the election and decide who gets to be president, get it?

    2. Re:Why would they stop now? by Adriax · · Score: 1

      Was that "get it" with the same tone of voice a mob enforcer would say "capisce"?
      Are your comrades currently tracking down what school Mr quax's kids go to?

      --
      I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
    3. Re:Why would they stop now? by quax · · Score: 1

      Competent bunch :-)

    4. Re:Why would they stop now? by Clsid · · Score: 1

      And yet you seem totally convinced that it was Russians that did it, when all your information comes from US govt sources or the BBC, which historically have a major propaganda machine against them. Legitimate or not, stop being a tool.

    5. Re:Why would they stop now? by quax · · Score: 1

      You are thoroughly mistaken in where you think my information comes from.

      I am a German native speaker, and also can read French pretty well. The intelligence that Trump has been compromised has hardly filtered through MSM yet.

      I put a pretty high chance on the possibility that you just put the ultimate Manchurian candidate into the White House.

    6. Re:Why would they stop now? by lucien86 · · Score: 1

      Maybe you're a Russian infiltrator.

      --
      Below the speed of light Special Relativity is one of the most accurate theories in physics - above the speed of light..
  4. So...phishing is news now? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 3, Interesting

    >> the hackers sent a series of phishing emails trying to trick dozens of victims into opening booby-trapped attachments containing malware, and clicking on malicious links

    So...phishing is news now? Zzzzzzz...

    1. Re:So...phishing is news now? by Mashiki · · Score: 5, Funny

      So...phishing is news now? Zzzzzzz...

      No no, get it right. It's "Russian" phishing. Also it was Russian because they said so. Now remember to double or triple down and call everyone racist/sexist/homophobic/misogynist and keep wondering why this helped Trump get elected.

      --
      Om, nomnomnom...
    2. Re:So...phishing is news now? by BringsApples · · Score: 1

      Haha, made me think of this.

      --
      Politics; n. : A religion whereby man is god.
    3. Re:So...phishing is news now? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Government sponsored phishing is news. Always has been and always will be.

      I see that some troll is in here "shaping" slashdot commentary. Hi Vlad, is that you?

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  5. NEWSFLASH!!! by CajunArson · · Score: 3, Informative

    Russian Hackers did shit during practically every day of Obama's presidency.

    Conspiracy?!?!?!?!?

    --
    AntiFA: An abbreviation for Anti First Amendment.
    1. Re:NEWSFLASH!!! by Oswald+McWeany · · Score: 1

      It's still Obama's presidency. They've been doing stuff all year.

      --
      "That's the way to do it" - Punch
    2. Re:NEWSFLASH!!! by Gravis+Zero · · Score: 1

      Russian Hackers did shit during practically every day of Obama's presidency.

      Conspiracy?!?!?!?!?

      YES!

      Simple Definition of conspiracy
      : a secret plan made by two or more people to do something that is harmful or illegal
      : the act of secretly planning to do something that is harmful or illegal

      --
      Anons need not reply. Questions end with a question mark.
    3. Re:NEWSFLASH!!! by yuriklastalov · · Score: 1

      But this is Trump's America now... I'm confused.

  6. How is this news? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Hackers sent out phishing attempts. How is this news? What next? The sun rose?

    1. Re:How is this news? by flyingfsck · · Score: 1

      Well, yeah, OhBumma said the sun will rise in the morning and it did.

      --
      Excuse me, but please get off my Pennisetum Clandestinum, eh!
    2. Re:How is this news? by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Hackers sent out phishing attempts. How is this news? What next? The sun rose?

      Well, here in the US, it will rise in about 3 to 4 hours. Of course, that is not news. . .

  7. Of course they do by quax · · Score: 3, Insightful

    With a bit of active help they got the president they wanted. Why stop now?

    1. Re:Of course they do by quax · · Score: 1

      The Russians are so successful at what they are doing because the work along the fissures that are already there.

      But I can't shake the suspicion that they have something on Trump. It's a tried and tested Russian method, and Trump visit the country many times. Given his sexual appetites it would have been easy for their secret service.

    2. Re:Of course they do by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      It's the Democrat's fault for having dirty laundry, the Russians didn't create it. Stop shooting the messenger. Also, what goes around comes around. We've done the same to other countries far more often. Hillary didn't need to delete thousands of emails. She didn't need to lie or forget about a bunch of things. The Russians didn't conspire to get Sanders out of the election. They didn't create Obamacare and allow insurance companies to take advantage of it (dropping tons of people so they would have re-sign up on higher costing plans). Etc...

      It's all in the timing. . .

      Trump has truckloads of dirt, but it all came out too soon. (Or too late, as he's getting the 'Trump University' case hearing-date extended (or at least trying to) from the day after inauguration to some time later. . . when he can pull strings and get the case dropped, perhaps.

  8. Agent X7 must be proud of them by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    After all they did to help him, he must be very proud of them.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
    1. Re:Agent X7 must be proud of them by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      After all they did to help him, he must be very proud of them.

      He's got a new debt to repay.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    2. Re:Agent X7 must be proud of them by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

      After all they did to help him, he must be very proud of them.

      He's got a new debt to repay.

      No, the debt gets pushed to the next administration, that's their SOP.

      --
      -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  9. Proof by bmo · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Anyone with a passing familiarity with malware knows that such spear-phishing scams may be /anyone/ /anywhere/.

    So they're Russian, you say? (picture of Putin glowering at the top of the article) How come you're so /certain/ it's the Russian government and not, you know, the Russian Mob (Russian Business Network and affiliates) or someone in the RBN pretending to be FSB or any combination of Russian speaking expatriates or even the CIA posing as FSB or RBN or something much more mundane?

    >undetectable
    >detected
    >passed by the filters

    BECAUSE ANYONE WITH ANY SENSE IN HIS HEAD WHO IS WRITING MALWARE HAS ALL THESE FILTERS THEMSELVES TO MAKE SURE THEY PASS BEFORE RELEASING INTO THE WILD.

    This has been standard operations for malware for the past, oh, nearly 20 years. Because the filters are only as good as the latest definitions and anything not in the definitions is going to skate right on by. THIS IS NOT NEW.

    I'm treating these nearly fact-free vague news stories like this as pure propaganda, because that's what they are. Like our top-secret-hush-hush "CLANDESTINE" retaliations at the putative "russians" /announced/ on NBC News (fucking really?).

    This fucking forced march into a new Cold War is fucking stupid. The clowns that have been pushing for it since the collapse of the Soviet Union need to be imprisoned at the very least.

    --
    BMO

    1. Re:Proof by rholtzjr · · Score: 1, Insightful

      They have to distract us in anyway possible in order to not have us look too closely at what is behind the curtain and what they are really doing. They really need to come up with a better tactic other than "Look over here, look over here, pay no attention to the person behind the curtain".

    2. Re:Proof by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 2

      The clowns that have been pushing for it since the collapse of the Soviet Union need to be imprisoned at the very least.

      So are you going to be the one to go to Russia and get them to lock up Putin? ... I ask because it normally takes at least two to quarrel.

    3. Re:Proof by bestweasel · · Score: 1

      When we're talking about spear-phishing then it's wise to look at the targets: who would benefit from hacking "Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty, the Atlantic Council, the RAND Corporation, and the State Department"? This "Russian Business Network"? There is a widespread and long-standing series of attacks which points to the Russian state being the culprit. I'll post this again because it was unaccountably modded to zero before.

      BBC News summarized the evidence for the Russian state being behind a whole host of cyber-attacks since 2007, via the Fancy Bears hacking group. There is no smoking gun but the article and those linked within it (well worth reading) suggest evidence of Russian involvement in the language and timestamps of the malware as well as the list of targets: the Georgian, German, Romainian and Polish governments, Ukraine, Russian dissidents, NATO, the MH17 investigation team, as well as the US Democratic Party, US media and US athletes' drug testing records and more generally targets of interest to governments rather than those after money. The same hackers also shut down a French TV station and a Ukrainian power station, probably just to see if they could.

      The article is based on Microsoft's accusation that the group was exploiting an unpatched flaw in Windows but it's probably no co-incidence that it was published just after the head of MI5 warned about Russia's increased aggression.

    4. Re:Proof by Altrag · · Score: 1

      Why? That tactic seems to work just fine. If it ain't broke..

    5. Re:Proof by vinlud · · Score: 1

      This fucking forced march into a new Cold War is fucking stupid. The clowns that have been pushing for it since the collapse of the Soviet Union need to be imprisoned at the very least.

      Its quite the opposite from a march to a new Cold War, what the stories are implying (and we'll see from January onwards how much meat there is to it) is that Trump and Putin will passively work together to cover eachothers asses. Putin hacks and flamewars the opposition in the US, Trump will let Russia do what it wants. Not stating this is as a fact but based on the events we've seen this looks like the direction we're heading.

      --
      Repeat after me: We are all individuals
    6. Re:Proof by Clsid · · Score: 1

      Look closely why the Russians acted that way. They were being pushed. If somebody started crap in Cuba, where Guantanamo is, or Bahrain or Japan, where the US has bases, you can be a 100% the US will make sure shit hits the fan.

      So number one fact that happened, EU sponsored coup d'etat against a pro-Russian govt in the Ukraine, where they have this major base in Crimea. Conclusion: Russians annexed Crimea and supported rebels in the East.

      Number two: Trying to forcefully remove Bashar Al Assad from Syria. That Russian base they have in Tartus was not going to defend itself and they are not going to lose their only base in the Mediterranean like that.

      So again, it is just crude politics and pissing contests. Let go of the Cold War mentality because starting similar crap with someone like China, will take us back ages ago.

  10. Re:Do It NOW! by dohzer · · Score: 1

    And then DRAIN THE SWAMP! LOCK HER UP!
    Or just commend her and continue as normal. Or whatever. You won so it doesn't matter anymore.

  11. In non-related news. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    10's of millions of turkeys are cooked and eaten just hours after Trump is elected!!! Proof of the end of times brought about by the election!!!

    (Ok, so it is more like 384 hours, and this has nothing to do with Trump, but the two have to be related somehow right? Or could it just be that hackers do what hackers do?)

    1. Re:In non-related news. by CajunArson · · Score: 1

      That's a good way to illustrate the post-hoc fallacies Slashdot is relying on these days.

      --
      AntiFA: An abbreviation for Anti First Amendment.
  12. Put the proof on the table by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    or shut the f-ck up. The Russian hacker boogey-man bullshit is getting tiresome, and nobody believes it anymore. Anyone can compromise machines anywhere in the world and launch attacks from them, and the only ones who have been proven to do so are the NSA, so this is more likely some bullshit propaganda scare again. Show us the irrefutable proof that Russian state-sponsored hackers are attacking U.S. systems, or stop posting crap like this.

    1. Re: Put the proof on the table by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      20% of our Uranium... Billions in cash to his proxy in Iran...

      Please go elsewhere with your Breitbart news. I hear Facebook wants some.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  13. Psychological Warfare 101 by Aero77 · · Score: 1

    Strike when the Enemy is confused or off-balance. Post-election depression makes the target more emotional, more vulnerable to phishing.

  14. Probably want some internal documents... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

    ... to give to WikiLeaks to help their buddy when he gets into the White House in January.

    1. Re:Probably want some internal documents... by QuietLagoon · · Score: 1

      Prior history is a good indication.

    2. Re:Probably want some internal documents... by Rockoon · · Score: 1

      Prior history means its Anonymous, not Russia.

      --
      "His name was James Damore."
  15. Re:Do It NOW! by skids · · Score: 2

    They won't notice. Their eyes will be on whatever new devil brietbart manfactures to distract them.

  16. Re:Democrats got some spam huh? by shilly · · Score: 1

    Yay for one party rule!!

  17. See the difference? by Okian+Warrior · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Perhaps a headline rewrite will put things in perspective:

    Russian Hackers Launch Targeted Cyberattacks Hours After Clinton's loss

    Emphasis mine.

    See the difference?

    1. Re:See the difference? by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      See the difference?

      Yes, you're a Trumpian.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  18. Re: Is Russia trying to break apart the USA? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Of course! Just hold my beer so I can use both hands.

  19. Re:Bogus Story... or mal/mis-informed by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

    It is.

    For whatever fucktarded reason - probably because they're being led by the nose by old senile fucks - people are jonesing for Cold War 2.0.

    I mean, I can almost understand it - the Cold War era provided some of the best Hollywood movies. Brutalist architecture, an angry sounding language, and frigid temperatures are all a bit more scary than Achmed bin Jihadi and his hole-filled cast-off American t-shirt and pants as he screeches from the back of a beat up Toyota.

    There's something to be said for being able to be hysterical against an enemy that's actually a threat.

    But Russia isn't. They don't have the economy. They don't have the military. And screaming about them like it's the 1960s won't change that.

  20. Success Rate by freeze128 · · Score: 1

    The attack was launched against DOZENS of people.

    Only one person "Almost fell for it".

    Russian Hackers: Give up.

  21. Re:Help me! by Feral+Nerd · · Score: 1

    There's Russians under my bed!

    Sarah Palin? ... is that you?

  22. This is stupid. by ulzeraj · · Score: 1

    > The email used the professor's real address, and according to Volexity's founder Steven Adair, it's likely that the professor got hacked and the attackers then used his account to send out the phishing emails.

    You don't need to access the account to include a SUBJECT header. Whoever wrote that article has no idea about how SMTP works.

    1. Re:This is stupid. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      > The email used the professor's real address, and according to Volexity's founder Steven Adair, it's likely that the professor got hacked and the attackers then used his account to send out the phishing emails.

      You don't need to access the account to include a SUBJECT header. Whoever wrote that article has no idea about how SMTP works.

      It sounds like you don't either, otherwise you would have said "envelope", not "subject". Sure, it can all be spoofed but it's way easy to just hijack a Windoze box, plus easier to cover tracks (though not foolproof...)

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
    2. Re: This is stupid. by ulzeraj · · Score: 1

      Aw my bad.

      s/SUBJECT/FROM/

    3. Re: This is stupid. by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

      Whoops, you lost another geek point.

      --
      When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  23. Re:Help me! by PolygamousRanchKid+ · · Score: 1

    There's Russians under my bed!

    Sarah Palin? ... is that you?

    No, Sarah Palin said:

    "They're rushing in my daughter's bed!"

    Tip the veal, try the waitress . . .

    --
    Schroedinger's Brexit: The UK is both in and out of the EU at the same time!
  24. And So What? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Fucking Establishment Media is still trying to start another cold war...

    Sorry bitches but the current administration isn't going to push your shitty pseudoliberal corny agenda.

    1. Re:And So What? by Sir+Holo · · Score: 1

      Fucking Establishment Media is still trying to start another cold war...

      Sorry bitches but the current administration isn't going to push your shitty pseudoliberal corny agenda.

      Agreed that the media wants to re-ignite another cold war. It's good for advertising, and likewise good for the MISC (formerly MIC). The most I've heard out of Putin lately is that, "We want to be a citizen and trade partner with the Global Community."

      Sure, supposedly 'Fancy Bear' is located there, but they could be VPN'ing in from anywhere on the planet.

      The second half of your post is unintelligible, so I will ignore it.

  25. Re:Is Russia trying to break apart the USA? by unixisc · · Score: 2

    So is it the Russians who are behind the massive protests in major cities and college campii against the election results? Results that they are supposed to have wanted?

  26. Re:Bogus Story... or mal/mis-informed by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

    ...old senile fucks - people are jonesing for Cold War 2.0....

    You should talk, you just dated yourself.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.
  27. Plain and Simple proper planning by gordguide · · Score: 1

    Like any good Criminal, they study Human Nature and know it inside out.

    The Election was late-breaking news and people were hungry for tidbits of information. That means many (not all, of course) normally wary and aware recipients of the eMail would have fallen for it, despite probably knowing better the other 364 days of the year.

    The results may have played a role in the uptake, but it would have worked regardless of who won, as long as it was reasonably close, and that would include the state results only in some races, regardless of the Presidential race.

    Just good planning by the hackers. In retrospect's perfect 20:20 vision, it's obvious but on Election Day, maybe not so much.

    Hopefully it won't be forgotten, although the odds in my opinion are against it, but next time around maybe these organizations should warn their staff a day or three before the first Tuesday in November. It's a near perfect "setup", as the crime movies would say.

  28. no attack on RNC? by k6mfw · · Score: 1

    It seems Dems, govt, and others victims of cyberattacks. I haven't seen mentions of such on the Republicans or some emails from Trump. Maybe RNC doesn't use internet as much as the DNC? Or no dirt on Trump to release because he openly says what he thinks anyway? Just wondering.

    --
    mfwright@batnet.com
  29. Re:Bogus Story... or mal/mis-informed by Tough+Love · · Score: 1

    Words you should live by.

    --
    When all you have is a hammer, every problem starts to look like a thumb.