Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s charges against 12 members of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency accused of hacking related to the 2016 US presidential election are a stark reminder of the ways in which technology can be used to disrupt democratic processes. The charges: Rod Rosenstein, the deputy US attorney general (pictured above), said the indictment (PDF) didn’t contain allegations that the hacking had influenced the outcome of the 2016 election. But it provides plenty of details about just how extensive and well-planned the attack was on a host of targets in the Democratic party. Humans let the hackers in: The Russians didn’t need to probe systems for software weaknesses; they allegedly got in via the front door by sending “spearphishing” e-mails to trick campaign officials to click on bogus links like “Hillary-clinton-favorable-rating.xlsx” that revealed their passwords.
Once in, they knew how to get data out: Using malware dubbed X-Agent, the indictment says, the hackers infected computers at the DCCC and gained access to the DNC’s network. They got far more than just e-mails—the malware allowed the attackers to snoop on what staffers were typing and take screenshots of their work.
What else does the indictment reveal? One detail in particular that should stand out to techies: the defendants allegedly used Bitcoin to fund the operation. Our own Martin Giles dove into the rest of the indictment to pick out the other details you should know.
What’s next: With the US midterm elections looming, the news is an urgent reminder of the need to beef up the cyber defenses of America’s political infrastructure. Earlier this year, Congress voted on an additional $380 million of funding for states to improve security ahead of the midterms. Given the sophistication of the attacks revealed in the indictment, election officials will need all the help they can get.
No comments:
Post a Comment