Archive for the ‘NSA’ Category

Details emerge about 2014 Russian hack of State Department: It was ‘hand-to-hand combat’ – Chicago Tribune

Over a 24-hour period, top U.S. cyber defenders engaged in a pitched battle with Russian hackers who had breached the unclassified State Department computer system and displayed an unprecedented level of aggression that experts warn is likely to be turned against the private sector.

Whenever National Security Agency hackers cut the attackers' link between their command and control server and the malware in the U.S. system, the Russians set up a new one, current and former U.S. officials said.

The new details about the November 2014 incident emerged recently in the wake of a senior NSA official's warning that the heightened aggression has security implications for firms and organizations unable to fight back.

"It was hand-to-hand combat," said NSA Deputy Director Richard Ledgett, who described the incident at a recent cyber forum, but did not name the nation behind it. The culprit was identified by other current and former officials. Ledgett said the attackers' thrust-and-parry moves inside the network while defenders were trying to kick them out amounted to "a new level of interaction between a cyber attacker and a defender."

But Russia is not the only top-tier cyber power flexing its muscles in this way, said other current and former senior officials, speaking on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

In recent years, China and to a lesser extent Iran have become more aggressive in their efforts to break into U.S. computer systems, giving fight to defenders from within the network and refusing to slink away when identified, the current and former officials said.

Ledgett, speaking at the Aspen Institute last month, placed the State Department incident in late 2015. But officials at the NSA, which defends the government's national security computer systems, clarified that it took place in 2014.

Fortunately, Ledgett said, the NSA, whose hackers penetrate foreign adversaries' systems to glean intelligence, was able to spy on the attackers' tools and tactics. "So we were able to see them teeing up new things to do," Ledgett said. "That's a really useful capability to have."

The State Department had to shut down its unclassified email system for a weekend, ostensibly for maintenance purposes. That was a "cover story," to avoid tipping off the Russians that the government was about to try to kick them out, said one former U.S. official.

The NSA defenders, aided by the FBI, prevailed over the intruders, who were working for a Russian spy agency. Private sector analysts have given the hacking group various names, including Cozy Bear, APT29 and The Dukes. That group also compromised unclassified systems at the White House and in Congress, current and former officials said.

The NSA was alerted to the compromises by a Western intelligence agency. The ally had managed to hack not only the Russians' computers, but also the surveillance cameras inside their workspace, according to the former officials. They monitored the hackers as they maneuvered inside the U.S. systems and as they walked in and out of the workspace, and were able to see faces, the officials said.

The Russians' heightened belligerence is aimed not just at collecting intelligence, but also confronting the United States, said one former senior administration official. "They're sending a message that we have capabilities and that you are not the only player in town," said the official.

The operation was also an attempt to probe U.S. capabilities, said a second former senior official. "If they can test you in an unclassified network, they can start to test you in a classified network," he said. "They want to see, is the U.S. government willing to escalate against us? It's all tactics and looking at responses - not just of an organization. It's what is the U.S. government willing to do?"

Ledgett said he is concerned that the private sector will not be able to defend itself without greater intelligence being shared from places like the NSA. "We need to figure out, how do we leverage the private sector in a way that equips them with information that we have to make that a fair fight between them and the attacker?" he said.

Michael Daniel, the former White House cybersecurity coordinator and now president of the Cyber Threat Alliance, a nonprofit group, said the issue also highlights how the government and private sector "are going to have to figure out some way to do triage, so that the federal government is focused on the highest threat actors against the highest threat assets."

Moscow's assertiveness in 2014 and 2015 reflected a general shift to become more aggressive in its use of cyber tools. In 2015 and 2016, Russian spy agencies hacked the Democratic National Committee's computers and launched an "active measures" campaign to disrupt the 2016 presidential election, according to U.S. intelligence officials.

China was also stepping up its hacking game in traditional espionage even as it was ratcheting back its operations in commercial cyber theft, the officials said. In September 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged at the White House that his government's hackers would not conduct hacking for commercial advantage. Senior U.S. officials have said Beijing appears to have diminished its activity in that realm.

However, as Ledgett noted in an interview at the NSA last month, the agreement applied only to cyber economic espionage. Hacking for political espionage continues. That is "legitimate foreign intelligence," said Ledgett - something that all countries do, including the United States.

See the original post here:
Details emerge about 2014 Russian hack of State Department: It was 'hand-to-hand combat' - Chicago Tribune

Ex-NSA aide’s tale a headache for Donald Trump – Boston Herald

President Trumps long national nightmare the ongoing scandal over Russias meddling into the campaign for the White House may have grown worse last night with the revelation that former National Security Adviser and Gen. Mike Flynn has a story he very much wants to tell, according to his lawyer.

Trump has been facing incoming from all sides ever since the now seemingly ancient high point of his presidency, his speech to a joint session of Congress.

His approval ratings have dipped to an all-time low for first-year presidents, 35 percent, according to Gallup. He was dealt a major legislative blow last week when Republicans failed to pass a replacement plan for Obamacare.

Yesterday, Trump engaged in a Twitter battle against some of his most loyal Republican supporters during the campaign, the House Freedom Caucus members.

And now Flynn, another one of his key campaign backers, has come forward seeking immunity in exchange for his story, though neither Flynn nor his attorney are revealing whether his story will help or hurt the president.

But for Trump, the black cloud of the Russia probe continues to hang over the White House with no signs of breaking anytime soon. There have been no smoking guns, but a lot of unanswered questions that have provided a steady drip of bad news and unwelcome distractions from Trumps agenda for his first 100 days seen as a defining period in any presidency.

The prospect of a once-loyal Trump foot soldier turned rogue if indeed Flynn has information that could damage Trump will dominate 24-hour cable news coverage and overtake everything else happening in Washington.

But Flynns testimony could also turn out to be more bust than bombshell, just like Trumps tax returns unearthed on MSNBC by Rachel Maddow earlier this month. It may simply be a bid by Flynn to save himself.

Trump also has the proven track record of being able to somehow emerge from shocking scandals, including his Access Hollywood tape and controversial comments and tweets during the campaign.

But for now, Flynns eagerness to step forward only ensures there will be more media attention, public intrigue and Washington drama for a president who campaigned on cleaning up Beltway corruption.

View post:
Ex-NSA aide's tale a headache for Donald Trump - Boston Herald

About | National Speakers Association (NSA)

NSA seeks to always advance professional speakers skill sets in four core areas:

Eloquence The art of speaking and the use of powerful and persuasive presentations. This means creating the proper setting for an effective presentation as well as the concrete skills related to presenting, performing, and theatrical methods.

Expertise The knowledge, skills, and experience in a specific area. Speakers should know which body of expertise is ideal for them and be able to effectively research and develop their content.

Enterprise The purposeful undertaking of a successful speaking business venture. This includes business management, sales and marketing knowledge, as well as the skills necessary to generate income through speaking engagements and other revenue streams.

Ethics The principles or standards governing the conduct of those in the speaking profession. Ethics is the foundation and summation of the three other competencies. It is about who you are as a person both personally and professionally and encompasses your reputation, character, and integrity.

See the article here:
About | National Speakers Association (NSA)

Members | National Speakers Association (NSA)

Mission: NSA is the leading source for community, education and entrepreneurial business knowledge needed to be successful in the speaking profession.

Vision: Every expert who uses the spoken word to present content to an audience for a fee belongs to NSA.

Our Members: NSAs thousands of members include experts in a variety of industries and disciplines, who reach audiences as speakers, trainers, educators, humorists, motivators, consultants, authors and more. NSA is a member of the Global Speakers Federation (GSF), a global network dedicated to advancing the speaking profession worldwide.

Our Chapters: NSA has independently run state and regional Chapters throughout the United States in most major markets. View the NSA Chapter directory.

Our Key Competencies: NSA seeks to always advance professional speakers skill sets in four core areas:

Code of Professional Ethics: The principles or standards governing the conduct of those in the speaking profession. Ethics is the foundation and summation of the three other competencies. It is about who you are as a person both personally and professionally and encompasses your reputation, character and integrity.

Bylaws: Read the NSA Bylaws.

See the original post:
Members | National Speakers Association (NSA)

Former NSA director says Russia was involved in 2016 election – CBS News

Former National Security Director Gen. Keith Alexander told members of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in a Thursday afternoon hearing on Russian meddling in the 2016 election cycle that he believes the country indeed interfered.

Thats one area where experts in the hearing on Russian interference and seemingly, members on both sides of the aisle were in agreement. Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the intelligence committees vice chairman, asked the witnesses if they had any doubt that Russians interfered in the 2016 election cycle.

I believe they were involved, Gen. Alexander said.

Fellow witnesses Kevin Mandia, chief executive officer of cybersecurity company FireEye, and Thomas Rid, professor at the Department of War Studies at Kings College in London, answered along similar lines. Mandia said it absolutely stretches credulity to think they were not involved. Rid said Russia seized an opportunity in 2016 when the U.S. was extremely polarized, politically speaking.

The more polarized a society, the more vulnerable it is, Rid said.

Democrats for monthshave called for a Capitol Hill probe into any Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, but the Republican-controlled intelligence committees are just now beginning to hold public hearings.

Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio revealed in the hearing that would-be hackers with IP addresses in Russia attempted to sabotage his former presidential campaign staff as recently as Wednesday, giving weight to cybersecurity experts remarks in a hearing earlier Thursdayon the same topic that Russia isnt done intervening in U.S. politics.

Play Video

The Senate Intelligence Committee will hear from experts on Russian interference in the 2016 election. CBS News' Jeff Pegues reports from Washing...

The afternoon hearing came on the heels of a New York Times report that a pair of White House officials helped provide Rep. Devin Nunes, a California Republican and chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, with intelligence reports showing President Donald Trump and his associates were included in foreign surveillance sweeps by American spy agencies. Some critics fear Nunes is too close to Mr. Trump to handle investigations into any Russian interference into the presidential election.

During an earlier hearing on the same subject Thursday, cybersecurityexperts told the Senate panelthat Russia had every ability to create fake social media accounts by mimicking profiles of voters in key election states and precincts in the 2016 election, and use a mix of bots and real people to push propaganda from state-controlled media outlets like Russia Today (RT) and Sputnik.

Mandia said its tough to differentiate between bots and humans as bots become smarter, and the U.S. cant fight Russia with cyber tactics alone.

It just feels like were in a glass house throwing rocks at a mud hut, he said.

FBI Director James Comey revealed last week the FBI is investigating any possible ties between President Donald Trump and Russia.

Heres our live-blog from earlier, below.

4:03 p.m. The hearing is adjourned.

4:01 p.m. Guccifer 2.0 is definitely not just one human being, Rid said, because of the differences in writing, but he said he is confident Guccifer 2.0 is an agent of the Russian government.

3:57 p.m. Rid said Congress may be more susceptible to hacking than others, as ethics rules sometimes require members to have multiple devices, and thus, they have more to secure.

3:41 p.m.Mandia said merely fighting Russia with cyber-on-cyber warfare wont work.

It just feels like were in a glass house throwing rocks at a mud hud, he said.

3:34 p.m. West Virginia Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin asked about the extent of Russias ability to meddle the 2016 election.

Could they have drastically changed the outcome of the election? Manchin said.

I have no idea, Mandia responded.

3:29 p.m.: Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford asked witnesses if mysterious hacker Guccifer 2.0 is definitely linked to Russia.

I think its remarkably consistent, Mandia said.

3:10 p.m. New Mexico Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich said members of his family and staff have also been victims of phishing attempts to sabotage their personal information.

3:07 p.m.Sen. John Cornyn, the Senate majority whip from Texas, asked Gen. Alexander how important the somewhat-controversial Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) is, given that its coming up for reauthorization in Congress. The law is controversial because it allows for physical and electronic surveillance measures.

I think thats the most important program thats out there, especially in counterterrorism, Gen. Alexander said.

2:40 p.m.Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said he will not address claims that he was the target of a Russian cyberattack, but said members of his former campaign staff were targeted both during the campaign, and as recently as Wednesday. Wednesdays attempt, which came from an IP in Russia, failed, he said.

2:31 p.m.Democratic Sen. Mark Warner, the committees vice chairman, asked if any of the witnesses had any doubt that Russians interfered in the 2016 election cycle.

You cant always connect the dots, Mandia said, but added, It absolutely stretches credulity to think they were not involved.

I believe they were involved, Gen. Alexander said.

I believe they were involved as well, Rid added.

Warner next asked if it was possible for the Russians to target voters at the precinct level with a network of bots.

Possible to target precinct levels with a botnet network for specific precincts?

Alexander: I think its technically possible, Gen. Alexander said, adding he couldnt confirm how much that happened.

2:24 p.m. Russia seized an opportunity in 2016 when the U.S. was very polarized politically, said Thomas Rid, a professor at the Department of War Studies at Kings College in London.

The more polarized a society, the more vulnerable it is, Thomas Rid said.

Russian intelligence operations by 2015 began combining the tools of hacking and leaking, targeting defense and diplomatic entities, Rid said.

Russia likes to use unwitting agents, Rid said, adding that Wikileaks, Twitter and over-eager journalists contributed to Russias efforts in 2016.

2:18 p.m.Retired Gen. Keith Alexander, former director of the National Security Agency, said the U.S. needs to determine Russias motives for interfering in elections or politics.

Whats Russia trying to do, and why are they trying to do it? he said.

Gen. Alexander said the U.S. cant shy away from or ignore Russia.

I believe we have to engage and confront, he said.

2:14p.m. Witness and cybersecurity expert Kevin Mandia said Russians began changing their rules of engagement for cyber warfare in August or September 2014. Also in 2014, a group they attributed to the Russian government began compromising organizations and leaking data, something experts hadnt seen before, he said.

It is our view that the United States is going to continue to see these things happen, Mandia said.

Mandia said the U.S. needs to know who is behind the hacking, which requires international cooperation. Only then can the U.S. determine a proportional response, he said.

2:06 p.m.Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr opens the hearing.

More:
Former NSA director says Russia was involved in 2016 election - CBS News