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Microsoft Reveals First Known Midterm Campaign Hacking Attempts (politico.com)

An anonymous reader shares a report: Microsoft detected and helped block hacking attempts against three congressional candidates this year, a company executive said Thursday, marking the first known example of cyber interference in the midterm elections. "Earlier this year, we did discover that a fake Microsoft domain had been established as the landing page for phishing attacks," said Tom Burt, Microsoft's vice president for security and trust, at the Aspen Security Forum. "And we saw metadata that suggested those phishing attacks were being directed at three candidates who are all standing for election in the midterm elections."

Burt declined to name the targets but said they were "people who, because of their positions, might have been interesting targets from an espionage standpoint as well as an election disruption standpoint." Microsoft took down the fake domain and worked with the federal government to block the phishing messages.

163 comments

  1. But... by TFlan91 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    But Trump said they weren't hacking us..............

    1. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Its not them, its us - Canada, you hosers.
      Oh, and sorry.... Eh.

    2. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Yeah why did Obama do nothing about this? He knew about it and it still happened.

    3. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Don't worry. Change the subject to voter IDs and suddenly both sides will change their tune on whether our votes are our votes...

    4. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      He said they didn't hack the elections. Election day is different than campaigns. But anyway I get phishing mails spam all day long. I would hardly categorize that as hacking.

    5. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They who?

    6. Re:But... by snapsnap · · Score: 2

      Well Obama did say no serious person thinks they are.

    7. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Trump was the only one saying the election was going to be hacked during the election.
      Hillary, the DNC and CNN were all saying it couldn't happen.
      After Trump won, suddenly it was Russian hacking 24/7.

    8. Re: But... by TFlan91 · · Score: 1

      And what is Trump doing about it?

    9. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      .... right after he "tortured some folks"

    10. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Not going into a war because of it? USA trying to whine about Russia engaging in subversion like any rational competing government does, and much like USA does whenever there's Russian elections, is hilarious considering USA's own fucked up meddling in world governments, one of which lead to the emergence of a fundamentalist Iran that would never happen had USA never been involved in fucking up the Iranian people during and after Mosaddegh. Another fine historical meddling is USA putting Saddam into office and supplying him with weapons during the Iraq-Iran war (including chemical which would later be re-branded as WMDs for convenience), then deposing Saddam and fucking up Iraq, which then lead to ISIS/ISIL being born from American destabilizing a country to make it worse than it was during its Dictatorship that at least provided a stable economy and some form of order.

    11. Re: But... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 5, Informative

      Yeah why did Obama do nothing about this? He knew about it and it still happened.

      He attempted to do something about it... unfortunately it failed.

      Obama tried to warn off Putin (as if that would work by itself). He then went to congressional leadership, trying to establish some sort of bipartisan response - but was rebuffed.

      Now, after that failed, I think he should’ve still done something - even if it were just a televised address to the nation. Frankly, I do think he dropped the ball - and badly. But pretending he just sat on the knowledge is ignoring the facts - fake news, as it were.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    12. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      He also introduced sanctions against Russia.

      I'm not sure anything he said in public would have made a difference. Nothing he would have said would have convinced anybody who wasn't already convenced. Thus, the only reason for him to say something would be so that later (about now) he could say "I told you so". He never was that kind of guy, and I like that in him.

    13. Re: But... by jedidiah · · Score: 0

      > Didn't the repubtards say Hillary would cause us to goto war with Russia. So somehow it's still her fault even tho trump is in bed with them?

      This pandering moron quite literally promised a direct confrontation with our planet's other nuclear superpower a full year after they had deployed SB-400s into Syria to deal with Turkey having the gall to defend it's own airspace.

      It is not at all clear that Trump is the bigger idiot.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    14. Re: But... by 93+Escort+Wagon · · Score: 1

      I'm not sure anything he said in public would have made a difference.

      At a minimum, it would've altered the US national dialog on the subject to some degree.

      --
      #DeleteChrome
    15. Re: But... by macraig · · Score: 1

      The Russian monarchy will cause the free world to go to war with Russia.

    16. Re:But... by spun · · Score: 1

      Your grammar seems a bit odd. Is English not your first language?

      --
      - None can love freedom heartily, but good men; the rest love not freedom, but license. -- John Milton
    17. Re: But... by macraig · · Score: 0

      Republicans aren't retards, but they are some of the most highly tribalistic people on the planet, much moreso than those who self-label as Democrats. They are perfect followers, which is precisely why the Russian government has hitched its wagon to that party, not because their ideologies align perfectly.

    18. Re:But... by sit1963nz · · Score: 1

      You could take the intelligent option, swap Trump (the whole bloody family) for Snowden ( and give him a pardon at the same time).

    19. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Warn off"...
      I do not think those words mean what you think they mean.

      "This is my last election. After my election I have more flexibility."
      Asking Putin for help in order to win an election doesn't sound like "doing something" about Russia.

    20. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That was the "more flexibility" he promised to Putin -- bending over for him in the 2016 election.

    21. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      But, Microsoft SAID they were! They even told us who was being attacked.. oh wait, no they didn't. But they used techy words like "phishing" and "landing page", I believes 'em.

      Ever look at firewall logs of an Internet-facing system? The vast majority of the hacking attempts are coming from China. Constantly. Yet I never see these three letter agencies going on and on about China's hacking attempts. Only Russia. Eh, I'm sure it's nothing...

    22. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you not used to seeing proper capitalization and punctuation? Try chatting with adults for a change.

    23. Re: But... by Papaspud · · Score: 2

      So was him telling Romney the 80s want their foreign policy back his way of doing stuff? What a farce.

      --
      Everything above is my opinion....YMMV
    24. Re: But... by h33t+l4x0r · · Score: 1

      Obama could have done more but at the time he thought HRC was a shoo-in and if he got involved the Trump supporters would cry foul when he lost. If you want to blame anybody, blame Nate Silver.

    25. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Putin needs to die. As soon as possible. That is what will bring world peace.

    26. Re:But... by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      1. Who? TFA doesn't identify the attackers in any way.

      2. Whom? TFA doesn't mention affiliation of the candidates.

      Supposedly your side is against stereotyping, jumping to conclusions and presuming guilt basing on nationality/ethnicity?

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    27. Re: But... by SharpFang · · Score: 2

      Remember the result of the First Free Elections in Iraq, after deposing Saddam?

      The Iraqi Nation voted. They choose a major religious fundamentalist choice, in genuine, free, honest elections. Then USA decided they didn't like their choice, dismissed the result of the elections and set up a government of their own.

      There's a rather lengthy list of cases where USA was sticking their fingers into foreign government choices.

      Panama. Guatemala. Bolivia. Afghanistan. Nicaragua.

      The hypocrisy is staggering.

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    28. Re: But... by apoc.famine · · Score: 1

      I'm guessing that the dialog would have been altered to Obama meddling in the election to support Hillary by making up Russian collusion to hurt Trump.

      --
      Velociraptor = Distiraptor / Timeraptor
    29. Re: But... by sysrammer · · Score: 1

      I'm guessing that the dialog would have been altered to Obama meddling in the election to support Hillary by making up Russian collusion to hurt Trump.

      Absolutely. That's exactly what would have happened. And everyone involved knew it.

      --
      His ignorance covered the whole earth like a blanket, and there was hardly a hole in it anywhere. - Mark Twain
    30. Re: But... by radarskiy · · Score: 1

      "even if it were just a televised address to the nation"
      And the next day he would have been impeached for attempting to manipulate the election.

    31. Re: But... by baristabrian · · Score: 0

      Please do NOT do that. We Libtards hate it when you cite facts and quotes that contradict our Narrative make us look ignorant!

      --
      -- "I'm not in a hurry; I'm in Hawaii." The Homeless Guy
    32. Re: But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, because Snowden has no Russian connections at all, right?

  2. why is windows on a voteing system? by Joe_Dragon · · Score: 0, Troll

    why is windows on a voteing system?

    1. Re:why is windows on a voteing system? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Why do you assume this has to do with a voting machine?

    2. Re:why is windows on a voteing system? by ole_timer · · Score: 2

      do you mean why is a voting system on windows? that is not what was reported. garden variety phishing with a landing domain that looks like Microsoft. has nothing to do with a voting system.

      --
      nothing to see here - move along
  3. The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by RyanFenton · · Score: 5, Interesting

    As the electorate that pursues their greed and cruelty to such a degree, that they would throw away the any pretense of defending democracy in the face of open attack.

    That's like 42% of likely voters.

    What happened to America. I'm not a democrat myself - I'm just amazed that this is what conservatism has allowed itself to become. Beyond any ideals, just driven by cruelty to hurting the other side, at all costs.

    Ryan Fenton

    1. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Republicans are conservative in the same way Putin is communist.

    2. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the same way Democrats are liberals.

    3. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes. It has come to that. What is the solution? Chinese style re-education of the south to be more "modern?" Another civil war? Consensus politics is now impossible we cannot even agree that a Russia attacking us is a terrible thing. One thing is for sure - American conservatives are regressing and the rest of the world won't stand for it. They'll route around the damage, and America will be greatly GREATLY diminished. The EU will be the new "leader of the free world". It's starting already, you can't win an election now in a democratic country and be a "Trump appeaser". The next slew of leaders will all be very anti-American.

      I know conservative will think "we can go it alone!". But we'll be crushed. The combined efforts of Asia/EU/Australia/Canada is too much for America, it'll cripple the economy. We can't ally ourselves with Syria/Israel/NK/Russia/Saudi and expect to win an economic war. Or a military one, either.

    4. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There was no hacking of the election. What do you libs not understand about that? Its a fake story. Election day is totally different than the campaign and wide did Hillary destroy all her servers if the Russians hacked them.

    5. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      And the same way libertarians will give to charity just as soon as social security is dismantled. Every party is packed with hypocrites and liars, many of them clearly misanthropic. Nothing I can do about that, so I'll just smoke my weed.

    6. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by RyanFenton · · Score: 0

      >>Republicans are conservative in the same way Putin is communist.

      True - but all the institutions of conservative power are WORSE at every point of consideration. Talk radio conservatives, internet conservatives - every place with a passion for conservatism is pushing right in line with Trump.

      The problem isn't republicans - they're being carved up and reshaped by conservatism itself in the US.

      It's not a team vs. team thing - it's a definite corruption in what conservatism means here.

      Ryan Fenton

    7. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by ScentCone · · Score: 1, Troll

      Democrats and their workers in the media absolutely must continue to conflate good old fashioned public discourse influencing (by the Russians ... as if they're the only government that does that!) with the fantasy of their having "hacked the election." Keeping those two topics - one routine, the other delusional fiction - melded together in front of low-information liberal voters is their only way of continuing to distract from why the Dems lost nearly a thousand legislative seats, most of the governorships, both houses of congress, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the good will of millions of two-time Obama voters who left in disgust.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    8. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd prefer to find out who the unauthorized foreign entity is where the majority of Clinton emails were funneled according to the latest ICIG findings and documentation.
      Seems Hillary had her own branch of foreign collusion.

    9. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by nnet · · Score: 1

      See? Who said a two party system isn't working :)

    10. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      This is the reason why the #WalkAway movement is going strong and the whole "blue wave" thing is a myth. The Democrats have successfully turned their party toxic. They've made it quite clear that if you believe in the American Dream, that if you believe in hard work, that if you believe that everyone is truly equal: you have no place in their party. If you cannot find some "minority identity" to be instead of just being an American, you are not welcome. It's unclear if there even will be a Democratic Party by 2020 at the rate they're alienating voters.

    11. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by danbert8 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Show me on the straw man where the libertarian hurt you.

      --
      Yes it's an anecdote! Were you expecting original research in a Slashdot comment?
    12. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by fahrbot-bot · · Score: 1

      True - but all the institutions of conservative power are WORSE at every point of consideration. Talk radio conservatives, internet conservatives - every place with a passion for conservatism is pushing right in line with Trump.

      Because they've decided that their ends justify the means ...

      --
      It must have been something you assimilated. . . .
    13. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      While America may be able to go it alone, the rest of the world will keep moving forward while we continue to degrade further and further. Without some form of serious shake-up, the way we're headed in America is going to lead us towards a very non-modern way of life. Sure, there may be computers and gadgets, but we're gonna have crumbling infrastructure that we can't afford to fix simply because we insist on gazing at our navels and talking about how amazing they are instead of looking at the world as a whole and realizing we need to be a part of it if we don't expect to be left in the dust.

      The future is not looking all that bright.

    14. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wahhhhhhh baby needs his bottle. His loyalty to the party must never be questioned. Always their fault, never admit wrong doing. The republican anthem.

      We did nothing wrong....but the Democrats they are the ones you should be keeping an eye on.

      Fucking hypocrites. Stop blindly following partisan lines you cuck. Think for yourself.

    15. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by mlw4428 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      All of this is very much open for debate. Multiple Republican states were found guilty in various lawsuits on gerrymandering. There was no shortage of reports of Red states pushing laws/practices which were targeting minority voters to make it very hard for them to get to a voting booth (either by limiting the hours to during work hours typically worked by low income voters or by setting up voting stations far from population centers). The "fantasy" as you call it has produced numerous indictments and some cases high profile persons have begun cooperating with the investigations in an attempt to minimize the penalties they now face. Russian media has actively chided Trump and said that he is Russia's puppet. Our allies are extremely alienated in what is, perhaps, the most egregious display of international diplomacy outside of major historical dictators like Hitler, Stalin, or Hussein. Our allies are working towards a future in which they no longer need to be our allies. People like you work actively to undermine the American system because you're stupid. There's no need for pretense. People like you have been working to block the investigation claiming it has taken too long - and ironically supported decades worth of investigations of the Clintons. The sheer amount of hypocrisy is either from malicious intent or vast stupidity. I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and casting people like you as a stupid instead of malicious.

    16. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure thing, Ivan. #WalkAway

    17. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by penandpaper · · Score: 0

      It's not a team vs. team thing

      Yes it is. If you don't think that nearly everyone takes part in "their" team then you are naive. People push the team thing even if they are completely ignorant of a subject. Maybe they are accidentally correct but people are more concerned about signaling to their "teammates" than finding truth. This has become more common place.

      pushing right in line with Trump.

      Could it be that people can view the same thing and come to a different conclusion? This whole Helsinki outrage is a good example. I am really confused on what Trump was supposed to do. Not meet Putin? Condemn Putin to his face? Any kind of negotiation or deal requires both sides to benefit. There is something to be gained with friendlier relations with Russia in more important Geo-poltics like North Korean denuclearize (What better way to have a security guarantee than an adversary to the US being part of that guarantee?). Why would Russia do anything to help us in those other endeavors if we insult and "be tough" with them? Isn't that the premise behind Obama's "reset in relations"? "We both did bad things. But let the past be for now and let's see if we can both benefit.".

      The whole thing is madness and the media is not helping and actively harming the country. They are doing a disservice to every citizen. Do you think the anger against Trump would be this intense if the media only reported facts without their opinion only once (instead of weeks of reporting on their opinion over a gaffe) ?

    18. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      just driven by cruelty to hurting the other side, at all costs

      You mean like all those rioting liberals? Or how that pretty accurately describes the liberal press?

    19. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL. You people are so delusional.

      Seriously, how do you even come up with this shit?

    20. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      Who.
      Gives.
      A.
      Fuck.
      She.
      Lost.
      Get.
      Over.
      It.

      Jesus Christ man. Why are you so worried about Hillary? She has no power. Meanwhile we have a narcissist in the white house who picks a fight with eberyone and you don't bat an eye.

      BUT HILLARYS EMAILS. wahhhhhhhhh

    21. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Russian troll trying really really hard to keep using that whataboutism schtick.. Not even worth reading.

    22. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Nobody is disagreeing that Russia attacking us is a terrible thing, that's a strawman argument. The disagreement is whether or not Russia is actually *attacking* us. The only thing's I've heard about Russia's "meddling" in our election would have us also saying that the EU, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, Korea, etc etc were "meddling". Literally every country in the world wants the US election to serve them favorably.

      When you also take into consideration that the "Russian meddling" amounts to some advertisements that nobody saw, some Twitter and Facebook groups that... nobody followed, and all with budgets that are literal fractions of what any one candidate spent including everybody in the primaries: It's a huge nothingburger. We've had far more response to the DNC's crowing about how they were "hacked by Russia" than any actual "hacking" by Russia could have caused.

    23. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      There's over 7 billion Russians on this planet then given how there is no ethnicity or nationality on this planet which hasn't been accused of being Russian by your butthurt Democrats as the prime Ad Hominem after they lose their arguments.
      In terms of geopolitics, Russia is only about 50th on the list of nations with animosity against USA, and one of those nations happens to currently hold 1/7th of the world population. So keep digging.

    24. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Friend, I have some Bad News for you, an epiphany I had some time ago: The America we all grew up thinking we were living in? IT NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Maybe it did for the first few months or years in the 18th century, but after that it started getting subverted by the greedy and the cruel, as you put it. Long before the time we were born, it was already gone.

      Let me tell you what is at least as big a threat, if not more so, than the foreign agents who are meddling in our electoral process: malicious natural U.S. citizens who are only really interested in 'pissing off liberals', and they don't care if they destroy the United States in the process, so long as they get their pound of flesh. CBS News conducted a poll that shows that even in the wake of Trump virtually selling out the U.S. Government to Vladimir Putin -- a shameful debacle that both sides of the Congressional aisle universally condemned -- Republicans are still supporting Trump. Even Congressional Republicans won't criticize him for long, because they're more interested in retaining their majority in Congress than they're interested in what's good for the entire country, so they let this train wreck of an Administration continue, even as Trump makes nice with one of the biggest villians on the planet today, an unmistakable enemy of the United States. That's why everything is so bad, that's why it all so completely fucked up, and until the GOP no longer has a majority in at least the House or the Senate it'll all just get worse and worse as time goes by. By 2020 there may not be much of a country left.

    25. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was supposed to meet with Putin and negotiate a way for Mueller to meet with and interview the people he's accusing of hacking the election.

    26. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, keep blaming the failure of the Democratic Party on Russia, that's sure to work. I can only hope after the "blue wave" fails to materialize and Republicans cement their control in the Senate and gain seats the House, Democrats finally start realizing that alienating everyone who isn't a strict leftist lunatic and blaming it all on Russia isn't working. But until they do, #WalkAway is just going to keep growing. But go ahead, continue to pretend it's not very real and growing. That worked so well in 2016.

    27. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'd take a narcissist who only picks verbal fights in comparison to some presidents currently gassing their people, bombing Yemen, funding suicide bombers, colluding with cartels who engage in limb chopping and acid barrels while kidnapping women to make into child-soldier birthing factories through industrialized rape, genociding Muslims from their country, genociding whole tribes in Africa just because they are an opposing tribe, engaging in the murder of their own relatives, etc. etc. etc.
      I hope you realize how mad you are now.

    28. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by GrimSavant · · Score: 1, Informative

      #WalkAway is a completely transparent astroturf, pushed heavily by the Russian bots and people who weren't Democrats at all. The right-wingers pushing this are getting high on their own supply if they believe this stuff is real, and are utterly blinding themselves to the sentiments of their opposition.

    29. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes, but the Democrats were hacked by Russia and the deep corruption within the party was revealed.

      Debbie Downer even got deposed as the head of the DNC, before the election, as a result of what was revealed about how the DNC was being run.

      The Democrats ran a dirty and dishonest primary. The Russian hacking of the DNC server revealed how crooked the operation was.

      The Russian hacker hysteria is whataboutism and deflection.

    30. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Kaenneth · · Score: 1

      4chan, trolls trolling trolls.

    31. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by pr0fessor · · Score: 1

      The thing about being conservative is that it all comes down to, what are you trying to conserve? Conserve is one of those words that doesn't really stand on it's own, to protect something but what? We all know what it means to conserve and we each have our own view of what is important and needs to be protected. To simply call someone conservative says nothing except that there is something that they want to protect.

    32. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He was? You mean the meeting that was planned for weeks earlier was supposed to be about a way for Mueller to interview the Russians that were named the day before in an indictment?

      Are there other ways for that to happen or does it has to happen right now because the indictment was announced the day before?

    33. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by jedidiah · · Score: 0

      > And the same way libertarians will give to charity just as soon as social security is dismantled.

      That's as compared to liberals... which is NEVER.

      Liberals like to talk a good game but they don't want to take any responsibility for this stuff. If you point out how their lord and savior (the government) has screwed the pooch, they refuse to hear it.

      They think they're "superior and enlightened" but ultimately they end up victimizing the people the claim to help.

      Liberals view the nanny state as a way to avoid being responsible, or even helping to foot the bill.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    34. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by jedidiah · · Score: 3, Insightful

      > Talk radio conservatives, internet conservatives - every place with a passion for conservatism is pushing right in line with Trump.

      So you've never actually paid any attention to any of that stuff then.

      Conservatives are not nearly the mindless hive mind that liberals are. Talking heads even from the same outlet can have different points of view. Conservatives have a bigger tent (than liberals) these days.

      Considering what nonsense "liberals" have been latching onto lately, it's not really that hard to be considered a heretic by them.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
    35. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Whatever helps you sleep at night. We'll see who's right once the 2018 midterms roll around.

      Fact of the matter is that many people who voted for Obama are now walking away from the Democratic party entirely. And the fact that the party has gone literally insane and has decided to be the party of whining about Russians, dismantling law enforcement, and how evil everyone who isn't some minority or can identify as LGBTOMGWTFBBQ is keeping them away.

      But go ahead, pretend it isn't real. Because, no matter how much you wish it weren't, more people are walking away every day, and the continuing refusal to even acknowledge our existence is going to ensure we never return.

    36. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm libertarian and I give 20% of my salary to charity every year. Far more than you ever have, I guarantee.

    37. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Remember, fellow #resister, when the other side starts using logic and facts; when you have nothing left in your arsenal to argue with; when you know the battle is lost..

      Accuse them of being a Russian bot and then scurry into the shadows!

    38. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is literally everything you don't like somehow the fault of "russian bots"?

      "Toast burned again this morning. Fucking russian bots!!"

      You'd go around claiming 2+2=5 if CNN told you the commonly accepted answer was part of a russian psy-op.

    39. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe someone should ask Imran Awan about that. Or Huma Abedin.

    40. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      Show me on the map of the USA where a libertarian helped anyone.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    41. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      "The America we all grew up thinking we were living in? IT NEVER EXISTED IN THE FIRST PLACE. Maybe it did for the first few months or years in the 18th century,"

      You mean when we had slavery and women couldn't vote? Yeah, paradise right?

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    42. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by melted · · Score: 1

      Our "allies" also somehow have stiff barrier tariffs, and can't be bothered to pay the agreed upon percentage of their income for their own defense, instead relying on the largesse of the US taxpayer, and creditors of the US government. All while telling us how ass-backwards the US is. The current tightening of the bolts is providing them with a reason to reconsider such reckless behavior.

    43. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by GrimSavant · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately, no, not everything is Russian bots, we have more than enough home grown crazies, traitors, collaborators, and enablers to go around even without their help. Russian bots are a force multiplier for America's self destructive movement despite that.

      #Walkaway is mostly fake and it is one of the major pushes that the Russian bots have been making lately. Plenty of useful idiots to aid them and provide a fertile ground, however. The right-wingers are clueless if they think this is a major movement on the left, I'd dismiss and ignore it except that I fear this sort of nonsense will be used to lay the groundwork for further dismantling of democracy. Creating alternative realities is a tried and true method for justifying and excusing all sorts of malfeasance.

    44. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Papaspud · · Score: 1

      Man these russian bots are good, why don't the candidates use them, hell a few bots can swing the election.....wheeeeeeee hahahahahahaha

      --
      Everything above is my opinion....YMMV
    45. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wipe that jizz off your lip, And quit sucking Obamas cock, get another pacifier.

    46. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I love you how put allies in quotes. Our NATO allies helped us with our little oil grabbing wars in the Middle East. It cost them a lot in the way of lives and money. And we are ass backwards. Literally every other industrialized nation has universal healthcare and most of them consider it barbaric that we take our youngest people and saddle them with tens of thousands in debt for education. Education which has been targeted by the Repukes and the Trump retards as being "bad" as it's easier to convince a bunch of moronic dipshit coal miners that "dem der Demorats (hur hur hur cousin-mom)" are eeebbilll. As far as "defense" goes - there were still plenty of bombings in Europe - if we can't protect against a bunch of goat fuckers we're not doing shit against a nation-state. But no, pat yourself on the back about how much protection we're, when really what we're really getting is strategic bases on land that is paid for by European taxpayers. You fucking idiot.

    47. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by dryeo · · Score: 1

      Don't you mean that other countries don't waste money on military pork and don't subsidize farmers nearly as much as the USA. I know that you want more pork, "lets get our allies to spend billions on a piece of shit aircraft and open up their borders so we can dump subsidized milk, corn and soy on them and wipe out their farmers, we can borrow more money" seems to be the American message.
      At least you have allies like Greece that spend lots on their military and are great help when you need it.

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
    48. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by ScentCone · · Score: 1

      states were found guilty

      You're not even using remotely correct legal language, which suggests you don't understand the topic at all.

      has produced numerous indictments

      Not a single one of which involves the Trump campaign, which you know, otherwise you wouldn't be using such vague, hand-wavy language about it in a effort to do EXACTLY what I was talking about. That only works on low-information people in your own echo chamber. Why do you think nobody else understand the basic facts of the matter? You seem happy that there are indictments, but you're pretending to be too uninformed to remember that in both rounds of indictments, the DoJ was very specific: no Americans were in on anything related to the campaign season, and there was no impact on the actual results of the election. I know, disappointing, right?

      People like you work actively to undermine the American system because you're stupid.

      Says the guy who is too stupid to relay basic facts correctly, or (more likely) thinks for some reason that it's rhetorically useful to pretend to be that stupid. Who knows why, since that doesn't make smart people want to suddenly abandon their knowledge and go along with your narrative.

      People like you have been working to block the investigation claiming it has taken too long

      \

      So, you have some sort of cognitive disorder that prevents you from distinguishing between "wrap up" and "block?" If you research those phrases, maybe you'll feel better.

      and ironically supported decades worth of investigations of the Clintons

      How is that ironic? It's two totally different situations. There hasn't been a lick of evidence that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia, which you know. On the other hand, the Clintons have been embroiled in countless investigations because they did a long series of separate things that each merited investigating. Again, which you know, but are pretending you don't so you can make low-information people in your own bubble nod their heads in agreement.

      --
      Don't disappoint your bird dog. Go to the range.
    49. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      Sure, easy! ...wait, you mean, other than himself?

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    50. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So whatâ(TM)s the correct legal language, Mr. Cochran? You havenâ(TM)t used any yourself.

    51. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      Yesterday I had an interesting discussion with a Liberal.

      "The figure of 4.5% of people working two jobs seem way low."

      "Politifact claims it's correct! [link]"

      "Politifact lies here. It cites a specific study and picks out one single figure: people who work exactly one full-time job and one part-time job. There are people who work two jobs in different configurations. Two full-time jobs, three part-time jobs, etc. It's all in [the study] linked by Politifact."

      " "Politifact lies here. Don't believe ANYTHING. They're ALL out to get you!!!" See how it works?! Don't fall for it, Americans."

      "Why don't you address the rest of the sentence?!"

      "I trust Politifact, I don't trust you!"

      "So you trust Politifact, but you don't trust the study upon which Politifact bases its claims?"

      [Downvote on all my posts, and silence]

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
    52. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Republicans are conservative in the same way Putin is communist.

      David Frum, a conservative, remarked in his recent book: "Conservatives will always be with us. If conservatives become convinced that they cannot win democratically, they will not abandon conservatism. They will reject democracy. The stability of American society depends on conservatives' ability to find a way forward from the Trump dead end."

    53. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Rick+Schumann · · Score: 1

      STFU and go drink your 40. :p

    54. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by melted · · Score: 1

      Well, I guess then they donâ(TM)t need NATO. No love will be lost if it is dissolved then, right? Except of course Putin will then have an army thatâ(TM)s much more capable than anything Europe can put forward in the foreseeable future. So no wonder they bowed to our demands and agreed to pay their share. Next thing to demand is that they send more than a token force to joint military operations.

    55. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by baristabrian · · Score: 0

      You are a fucktard. You obviously do not know what a Conservative really is.

      --
      -- "I'm not in a hurry; I'm in Hawaii." The Homeless Guy
    56. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by baristabrian · · Score: 0

      >> alienating everyone who isn't a strict leftist lunatic Exactly. I am poor and homeless. A poster child Democrat, right? Fuck the Democratic politicians and other Leftists. All they care about is themselves and using Groups like the one I belong toâ"to maintain their own tyrannical grip on power. More taxes! More Government! Repeat.

      --
      -- "I'm not in a hurry; I'm in Hawaii." The Homeless Guy
    57. Re: The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by dryeo · · Score: 1

      I thought Putin was the new American Ally.

      --
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inverted_totalitarianism
    58. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      You mean when we had slavery and women couldn't vote? Yeah, paradise right?

      STFU and go drink your 40. :p

      I will accept that as your concession of defeat.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    59. Re:The hacking isn't nearly as troubling... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your bias is showing.

      I find it ironic you would be so upset about "malicious natural U.S. citizens who are only really interested in 'pissing off liberals', and they don't care if they destroy the United States in the process, so long as they get their pound of flesh" and completely ignore the fact that a Democratic Candidate did, in fact, piss on Democracy by rigging a Primary election in her favor.
      You rail on about Republicans still supporting Trump while completely ignoring the DNC who not only did not learn from their past mistake with Hillary, are actually still talking about possibly running her, or someone so similar as to make no nevermind, in the upcoming election.
      You're upset that Congressional Republicans won't criticize Trump while not a single DNC member has criticized Hillary's handling of National Secrets, etc.
      And you have the audacity to refer to a CBS poll. Really? A CBS poll? CBS, who is very definitely biased toward the Democratic Party, conducts a poll that is supposedly unbiased? That would be like believing a Fox News poll that says Democrats are corrupt.

      And Russia is far from the "biggest villain on the planet today", and couldn't even be argued as the "enemy of the United States" since we are not at war with Russia. In fact, after the breakup of the Soviet Union there was a time when relations between our two Countries was at its best. This return to the 80s "Russia boogeyman" crap is ridiculous.

      So, for you, having the GOP in control of the Government must be a serious affront to your radical left-leaning ideologies. That's fine, you are entitled to your opinion.
      And for the rest of us who would gladly see social progressivism succeed, try doing it without stomping on our Rights. THAT is why the Democrats failed in 2016, and why they will continue to fail in 2020. You cannot support Freedom by denying people their Rights.

  4. Perpetual negation machine... by Sponge+Bath · · Score: 1

    It isn't not unfake news... or something. NO COLLUSION!

  5. Why is there cyber anything? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Go back to paper ffs.

  6. Re: Nice try Ivan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    My name isn't Ivan, its Gary.
    I'm from Winterpeg, Manisnowba

  7. happens all the time by ole_timer · · Score: 1

    create misleading domain, send phishes, catch morons ("...I don't know them, I wasn't expecting an attachment, I think i'll open it!..."), infect machines, repeat.

    --
    nothing to see here - move along
  8. election hacking by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You need to find those responsible and do a drone attack on them I fucking guarantee it to slow the fuck down.

  9. attempted hacking is a day to day occurance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    are there ANY IT people as early commenters on threads here? or are there too many non IT people in here who simply don't know what sysadmins face day to day?

    come on now - Hacking 'news' is the latest Red Scare.

    *sigh*

    1. Re:attempted hacking is a day to day occurance by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Lol anyone who works in IT knows that the chinese hit our servers way harder then the russians do, routinely. Nobody talks about it because it doesn't fit the current media agenda. Whoever decided to bring back the Red Scare to divide the people was a strategic genius, because it's working way better than I would have ever expected it to. Literally nothing has changed (in regards to foreign govts hacking our systems) since I started IT decades ago. Same foreign threats, same tactics, etc.

  10. Fake News! Microsoft is the enemy of the people! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Seriously. I expect that the same people who've been denying hacking since 2016, and refuse to fund cyber-security to protect the 2018 election, have no interest in discussing this story.

  11. Re: Nice try Ivan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey do you know Guy?

  12. lol by gDLL · · Score: 2

    and what would you have them do ? Get eviscerated by the MSM holy inquisition ? Perfect is the enemy of good. But of course there is one current of thought that dreams of utopias all day long, and it's not conservatism.

    1. Re: lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about we start with TELLING THE TRUTH. And stop twisted lies in facts. That'll be a start.

      Obama's wasn't born in America ;)

    2. Re:lol by mrclevesque · · Score: 2

      "and what would you have them do ? "

      Stop making so much stuff up and represent the people a little more, and themselves and big business a lot less, same as for the democrats.

    3. Re:lol by penandpaper · · Score: 0

      Are your Congressmen representing you and your interests? Mine seem to be doing okay. Not great. Nothing to be upset about.

    4. Re: lol by SharpFang · · Score: 1

      Obama being American or not is completely besides the point.

      Obama was a puppet, doing what he was told. You'd be hard-pressed finding anything he did that was good for "the people".

      --
      45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  13. "a company executive said" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    based on ? Tom Burt, Microsoft's vice president for security and trust

    Microsoft security
    Microsoft trust

    bitch get the fuck outta here. For all the public knows now Microsoft staged fake hack attacks and whispered it in the ears of gay Jews on Halloween night 2015.

    1. Re:"a company executive said" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      based on ? Tom Burt, Microsoft's vice president for security and trust

      Microsoft security
      Microsoft trust

      bitch get the fuck outta here. For all the public knows now Microsoft staged fake hack attacks and whispered it in the ears of gay Jews on Halloween night 2015.

      Since Halloween is Oct 31 and it was on that day in 2015 (the 31st) we can count on this to be a fact.

      Is there not only one Popeye?

      Subvert the dominant paradigm.

    2. Re:"a company executive said" by jedidiah · · Score: 1

      24 years ago I installed my first copy of Slackware. The moment I got that PC online, it logged break in attempts.

      You don't really need a pronouncement from Microsoft to know that all manner of miscreants are trying to break into pretty much everywhere.

      This is a generalized computer security problem that's been turned into a political circus that largely distracts from the real issues that aren't limited to politicians or elections.

      --
      A Pirate and a Puritan look the same on a balance sheet.
  14. Re: Nice try Ivan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey buddy over here Guy

  15. nothing new by gDLL · · Score: 2

    I am not american but it seems nothing new here... the US have never fully figured out that the Russian Empire is equal or worse than say Nazi Germany. Bush jr didn't get it, Obanana didn't get it, Hillary didn't get it (reset button lol) so pretty much nothing new here.....

    1. Re:nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Russians were ever only worse than Nazis when they were afflicted with the virus of Communism.
      Prior to that Russians as you know them are a result of being slaves to Mongols who brought them deaths and misery (and also the Black Plague) rarely documented in history and the Russian people finally deciding enough-is-enough one day. When you are grinded by fucking Mongols with their savage antics for centuries on top of living in a horrid climate and geography, it tends to wire your brain in a discerning manner for the foreseeable future.
      Let's not even ponder about the consequences of the norm that Russians took the biggest casualties of all against the "Axis" even when the Axis was defined before the two great wars, in every god damn war.
      Russia is a cautionary tale. Former slaves make for the best new oppressors. The blacks in USA and the Jews in Israel, sure are taking heed of this.

    2. Re: nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Does trump get it?

    3. Re: nothing new by gDLL · · Score: 1

      seems not

    4. Re:nothing new by gDLL · · Score: 1

      "Russians were ever only worse than Nazis when they were afflicted with the virus of Communism. "
      perhaps true but we were talking about perception. 1917-1990 is a hell of a long time to NOT make the same impression as 1920-1945. The american ambassador was literally seeing the showtrials in Moskov and still wasn't getting it :

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/... :
      "In view of the character of the accused, their long terms of service, their recognized distinction in their profession, their long-continued loyalty to the Communist cause, it is scarcely credible that their brother officers ... should have acquiesced in their execution, unless they were convinced that these men had been guilty of some offense.[*] It is generally accepted by members of the Diplomatic Corps that the accused must have been guilty of an offense which in the Soviet Union would merit the death penalty. "

  16. I trust by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Both Microsoft and Politico about as far as I could throw them with my pinky. I bet this turns out be nothing and is debunked by next week. Post incomplete, misleading, or plain incorrect info, apologize later. That's the name of the game.

  17. They have to be republicians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    otherwise, it will be all over the news.

  18. Re: Nice try Ivan by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Hey guy over here Friend.

  19. But hacking works as clickbait by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    while adding actual content to a clickbait-y header takes actual effort.

  20. WTF by LarryRiedel · · Score: 1

    A fake domain for phishing is not a campaign hacking attempt.

    1. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A fake domain for phishing is not a campaign hacking attempt.

      And just like Israel, gov employees like to do shit and make it look like somebody else did it.

      gtfo this isn't news or news for nerds its words for dicks.

    2. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      When the target is campaigns, it is a campaign hacking attempt. The DNC got hacked in 2016 because of phishing. It was targeted at the DNC. It was successful. Sensitive emails were released. That's like saying it wasn't meddling because it was true.

    3. Re:WTF by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It has been proven that the DNC emails were leaked by an insider that downloaded them onto a USB drive; anything else, given the evidence, is physically impossible given the transfer speeds. The red scare surrounding their leak is simply misdirection to discredit the leak -- and it worked! That Mueller's team is willing to include that in the 12-person indictment, without ever having physical access to the DNC server, discredits their whole investigation combined with that detail.

      It was Hillary's campaign chair that was spear-phished. The automatic association with Russia makes sense, particularly in hindsight, but it wasn't Russia when it was Sarah Palin getting her account socially engineered away via a password reset using known info. Cyber espionage is not limited to Russia and, these days, they're not even the best at it (see China, Israel, and -- bizarrely -- France).

  21. Re: Heh by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Ummm the repubtards were the ones saying Hilary would cause the next world war 3. Repubtards, every single one of you pushing this narrative.

    But keep lying to yourself. Whatever makes you sleep at night.

  22. this is true, and also... by gosand · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Trump was the only one saying the election was going to be hacked during the election.
    Hillary, the DNC and CNN were all saying it couldn't happen.
    After Trump won, suddenly it was Russian hacking 24/7.

    After Trump won, suddenly he does an about face and says there was no meddling in the election.

    One side changed their stance based on evidence. Well... I guess they both did.

    Trump is the president, election meddling or not. Please STOP talking about Hilary and the DNC. It's past, gone, they lost.
    It has nothing to do with them anymore. All that matters now is how our president handles things. Which is embarassing.

    --

    My beliefs do not require that you agree with them.

    1. Re: this is true, and also... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's said over and over, consistently since before the election, that there was meddling. Obama told him to stop whining. You laughed and said, "You only think it's rigged because you are losing!"

      It's really fucking hilarious. Like I laugh about this every day. You're so god damn stupid.

    2. Re:this is true, and also... by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      The DNC still matters because they are still shitting on democracy. They are still refusing to support actual leftist candidates, and still attacking the ones that manage to get on a ballot (like ocasio Cortez)

      If we are to make progress as a nation, we need to repair or replace the DNC.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    3. Re:this is true, and also... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Clintons and Obama have gone?

      I could have sworn their stupid, abusive policies and legislation are still in place... and so are their placemen in the three letter agencies.

    4. Re: this is true, and also... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      fuck off faggot

    5. Re:this is true, and also... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually not true, Trump put together a panel to review voting irregularities but most Democrat States refused to participate. What were they trying to hide?

      Please STOP talking about Hilary and the DNC. It's past, gone, they lost.

      We would be happy to stop bringing it up if you will please tell them to remember the former President's words I won, Deal with it. As long as the left and the media keep this crap going, this will keep coming up. Would be great if we could focus more attention on continuing the tremendous successes for the country that Trump is having even with this b***s*** crap going.

  23. erm, no... by gDLL · · Score: 1

    Hi,
    we are a US ally. Not going away any time soon. Nobody alienated except those who were from the start so. Please park a few batallions here, he have nice looking women also.

    K, thx, bye.

    1. Re:erm, no... by gDLL · · Score: 1

      w*

  24. Microsoft is the problem, not the solution. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Microsoft doing anything with security is pretty backwards. They are the standard in anti-security with Internet Explorer being plugged in places it shouldn't and the OS sharing silly amounts of things insecurely between programs(Outlook anyone?)

  25. TFA does not point at _Russian_ interference by melted · · Score: 1

    What "attack"? $100K in Facebook ads that primarily contained existing democratic talking points (gun control, BLM, etc), and that even the tainted Mueller investigation can't prove affected anything at all? The only thing they managed to do is sow division and boost identity politics, but as the past 2 years have shown, the Democratic party excels at that even without any Russian help.

    I mean the US State Dept _re-elected Yeltsin_ in Russia, and done so openly, in broad daylight. They've also funneled money into opposition, mostly through USAID "helping" anti-government NGOs. A couple of years ago Russia passed the same law as the US: such NGOs now have to register as "foreign agents", so now money flows under the table. That's an "attack on democracy" (which did briefly exist in Russia back then). Dozens of regime changes all over the world, at least three in just this century (Libya, Afghanistan, and Iraq, Syria was attempted but failed). Funding and arming ISIS. Those are far more egregious offenses than $100K in FB ads and a few thousand Twitter bots that just stir shit up. You could accuse me of "whataboutism", and you'd have a point, but I'd just like to point out that the US is not an innocent party here. If you think there are no US operatives in Russia "trying to affect elections", formenting dissent and division, etc, I suggest that you think again. This is simply a weak-ass attempt at a symmetric response.

    The US press portrays Putin as a genius spy mastermind, and Russian intelligence services as the CIA/NSA's peer or superior, but in reality neither of those things are true, and the net result of this worship is that they boost Putin's image and ego way out of proportion to reality.

    Truth is, his intelligence services kind of suck ass and are technologically inept (DNC "hack" was just a phishing attack -- that's the level of a US teenager as far as hacks are concerned). Putin himself doesn't really decide much in the world. He has a decent military, but military doesn't really give you much in peacetime (aside from having longer "peacetime" than would be possible otherwise), economy and trade matter a lot more, and while both have improved dramatically under Putin, there's a widespread perception in Russia that he could have achieved a heck of a lot more. And even if he "has something on Trump", I'm sure Trump has a lot more on him now that he's the president.

    TL;DR: STFU with this "they attacked our democracy" until the US stops brazenly interfering in other countries affairs.

    1. Re:TFA does not point at _Russian_ interference by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      They "attacked our democracy" the same way they did in 2014, 2012, 2010, 2008, 2006, 2004, 2002, 2000, 1998, 1996, 1992, 1990, ...

      They "attacked our democracy" the same way China did, the same way Mexico did, the same way Canada did, the same way Germany did, the same way France did, the same way Iran did, the same way the UN did, the same way...

      Propaganda and advertising to influence political campaigns is as old as electoral politics. The fevered pearl-clutching of the losers this time around does more to expose the hypocrisy and ignorance of those losers than anything else. FFS, we had a political campaign that was convicted of accepting money from a hostile foreign nation just 20 years ago, and it had no where this reaction even from the losers of that election.

    2. Re:TFA does not point at _Russian_ interference by melted · · Score: 1

      Probably less than China and Mexico. Mexico has _13 million_ citizens here in the US. Anyone who thinks they in no way "interfere with our democracy" is dangerously naive.

  26. Re: Nice try Ivan by Mattcelt · · Score: 1

    Hey friend, over here Dude.

  27. thank you MS. Godaddy not too helpful. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    nice work. now if Godaddy would do the same when they ultimately can do it, but then decline to do so.

  28. That's upsetting. by Hallux-F-Sinister · · Score: 1

    It's not as upsetting of course as the fact that the Republican and "Democratic" (hahaha) Party of the United States has been hacking into and interfering in US elections since before I was born, but...

    Don't get me wrong. I am very concerned and unhappy with external governments and intelligence services interfering in our elections, but I am much more concerned with the domestic ones doing it, since that's how they hold onto power despite the fact that they are almost universally loathed by the people whom they claim to derive their 'just power' to rule from the consent of. When Congress has a single-digit approval rating, and incumbents win reelection like, 70 or 80 percent of the time when they run... yeah, there's a problem. Russian interference is bad, but it's nothing compared to "Americans"* pouring billions upon billions of dollars into elections, bribing (oh, sorry, we're supposed to refer to it as campaign donations, or "speech" (hahahahhaha) yeah right,) our so-called "elected" officials.

    * (Consider this: how American can one be when owning property all around the world, doing business in other countries with enemies of the United States, and acting as if he or she (haha, they're almost all "he") don't give a shit about AmericA, or AmericANS? The distinction is increasingly looking light on difference.)

    --
    Our reign has gone on long enough. Indeed. Summon the meteors.
  29. Bamboozled again you are by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Mickeysoft is just trying to convince a few more people they are good guys. Don't be fooled, all they really care about is did the Russkies buy enough Windows CALs.

  30. 9 more blocked here. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I personally blocked 9 sites myself against those commies. I can't name them of course. You just have to believe me like you believe these liars. I'm really the hero here and you should be blowing kisses to me and start lowing like a barnyard bull.

  31. Re: Heh by SharpFang · · Score: 1

    She's still trying, and considering the current rabid protests against Trump maintaining peace with Russia, she's doing so quite actively.

    --
    45 5F E1 04 22 CA 29 C4 93 3F 95 05 2B 79 2A B2
  32. Still no examples of the 'meddling' though... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't that strange.... You would think the controlled media would be showing us endless screenshots of all the Facebook posts which were allegedly 'meddling' in the election. In fact, I've heard the phrase 'meddling with the election' more times than I heard the phrase 'weapons of mass destruction', and both are laughable.

  33. Agent 31337 you have been activated! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Break the monopoly on gaming, M$.

    Release DirectX for the world as FOSS. fund and promote OpenGL.

    Anything less is just a camel nose under the tent of *nix as a way to gain power and EEE.

    (WOW! How many M$ stories can we push on the FP every day? Welcome to the M$ blog.)

    31337