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Hackers Came, But the French Were Prepared (nytimes.com)

Adam Nossiter, David E. Sanger, and Nicole Perlroth, reporting for the New York Times: Everyone saw the hackers coming. The National Security Agency in Washington picked up the signs. So did Emmanuel Macron's bare-bones technology team. And mindful of what happened in the American presidential campaign, the team created dozens of false email accounts, complete with phony documents, to confuse the attackers (Editor's note: the link could be paywalled; alternative source). The Russians, for their part, were rushed and a bit sloppy, leaving a trail of evidence that was not enough to prove for certain they were working for the government of President Vladimir V. Putin but which strongly suggested they were part of his broader "information warfare" campaign. The story told by American officials, cyberexperts and Mr. Macron's own campaign aides of how a hacking attack intended to disrupt the most consequential election in France in decades ended up a dud was a useful reminder that as effective as cyberattacks can be in disabling Iranian nuclear plants, or Ukrainian power grids, they are no silver bullet. The kind of information warfare favored by Russia can be defeated by early warning and rapid exposure.

6 of 286 comments (clear)

  1. Re:propaganda by MightyMartian · · Score: -1, Troll

    Oh look, more white supremacist alt-right troll ACs defending Russia.

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    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  2. Re:propaganda by MightyMartian · · Score: 0, Troll

    I have my doubts that Trump won because there are enough alt-right white supremacists out there. He won in large part because Clinton sucked, and probably with some help from Comey's interference in the election, not to mention helpful Russian hacking of the DNC and feeding it to Assange.

    But while the DNC hack and release is something of a work of art, the Macron dump has enough absurd documents to show that it was pretty damned inept, a last minute attempt to sway the French election.

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    The world's burning. Moped Jesus spotted on I50. Details at 11.
  3. Tard or Traitor? Both. by bit+trollent · · Score: -1, Troll

    Americans are stupid.. We can all agree on that. France is lucky that an average Frenchman is much smarter than at typical borderline retarded American. I know the truth hurts, and am sorry for any pain that obvious truth causes to abject morons.

    Just look at all the comments below from people to stupid to see the obvious reality that they themselves are commenting on...

    However, we can't discount the impact of traitors collaborating with Russia in their attack on our election. Donald Trump is stupid, but he is also a traitor.

    The republican senators and congressmen assisting Donald Trump's obstruction of justice are genuinely smart, but they are also obvious traitors.

    The republican party's collaboration with Trump's coverup of Russia's attack on our election, and his collusion with their attack can not be ignored.

    The people who don't see Russia's attack on our election are stupid, but their elected representatives are traitors.

    1. Re:Tard or Traitor? Both. by bit+trollent · · Score: -1, Troll

      Fascists fire their FBI director when an FBI investigation closes in on their collaboration with Russia (a foreign adversary) on their hack of our presidential campaign. Would it offend you if I call Trump's collaboration with the crimes of foreign adversary's treason?

      Only a fascist would fire the head of the FBI to protect himself from an ongoing investigation.

      Only an idiot wouldn't be able to see that while picking out every 3rd word to take offense at my lack of political correctness.

  4. Re:You have to be a real 'tard to deny the Russian by ShanghaiBill · · Score: 1, Troll

    Since America and France have never interfered in the internal affairs of other countries, it is outrageous that they are interfering in ours.

  5. Re:You have to be a real 'tard to deny the Russian by Tailhook · · Score: 1, Troll

    You have to be a real 'tard to think it matters.

    Hillary didn't lose because Russia. The Russians didn't make Hillary take the rust belt for granted. Hillary wasn't operating an illegal mail system to hide her actively from the Russians. The Russians didn't make Hillary's staff destroy government documents during an investigation. The Russians didn't make Hillary sick. The Russians had nothing to do with wrapping the US around the transgender bathroom axle for a year. The Russians didn't coin "irredeemable deplorables" and alienate millions of the Democrats traditional working class base. The Russians didn't tell lies about the slaughter of US ambassadors. The Russians had nothing to do with the DNC fucking over Bernie Sanders and obviating many of his supporters. The Russians weren't responsible for shit polling or naive candidates making bad decisions based on it. The Russians had nothing to do with Huma and her perv husbands antics. The Russians did not pay Hillary for her speeches to the banker establishment or tell her to withhold the transcripts. None of the small constellation of women Bill Clinton made famous with his cock were Russians. Nothing the Russians ever said in support of TPP was attributed to Hillary; those were her own words, and the Russians weren't the reason no one believed Hillary when she flip-flopped on it.

    But yeah, "Russia did it we was robbed!111."

    Keep believing it. The more deluded you are the better.

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