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Security United States Politics

Microsoft: Iranian Hackers Targeted a 2020 Presidential Campaign (zdnet.com) 100

Microsoft disclosed today that Iranian state-sponsored hackers tried to hack into email accounts belonging to current and former US government officials, and members of a 2020 US presidential campaign. From a report: The attacks have taken place "in a 30-day period between August and September," Tom Burt, Corporate Vice President, Customer Security & Trust at Microsoft, said today. Microsoft's Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) linked the attacks to a group the company calls Phosphorous (other names are APT35, Charming Kitten, and the Ajax Security Team). The group has been linked to Iran's government in reports from multiple cyber-security vendors. Burt said the group operated in different stages. It first made more than 2,700 probes to identify consumer email accounts belonging to specific Microsoft customers. Once the group had a list of high-value targets, it went after 241 of those accounts, which included "accounts are associated with a U.S. presidential campaign, current and former US government officials, journalists covering global politics and prominent Iranians living outside Iran."
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Microsoft: Iranian Hackers Targeted a 2020 Presidential Campaign

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  • by Oswald McWeany ( 2428506 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @01:41PM (#59270360)

    Maybe we just need to open up voting in the US elections to people all over the world so that they don't have to go through the hassle of hacking us or buying candidates anymore.

    • All the cool countries are doing it!!!

    • Re: (Score:1, Interesting)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Maybe we just need to open up voting in the US elections to people all over the world so that they don't have to go through the hassle of hacking us or buying candidates anymore.

      Wouldn't that kind of upset the Israelis? They are currently the only country allowed to openly mess with US elections.

      • by gtall ( 79522 )

        Yet another unfounded accusation concerning Jews. Make it trifecta and link them to Deep State and la Presidente Tweetie's fake news.

        • Re: (Score:1, Insightful)

          by Anonymous Coward

          Yet another unfounded accusation concerning Jews. Make it trifecta and link them to Deep State and la Presidente Tweetie's fake news.

          I think you'll find it is a well founded accusation of corruption against the Government of Israel, not all Israelis and certainly not all Jews. Please try to resist the temptation of conflating discussion of Benjamin Netanyahu's government's corrupt dealings in the US with hatred of all Jews.

    • Why not? We already have plenty of Mexicans voting.

  • Beyond the 2016 Russian Hoax, I'm sure there are many countries who play outside of their borders.

    A modern national campaign better hire a good cyber security professional who can advise on passwords, data compartmentalization, encryption in transit, intrusion detection, etc.

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by Daralantan ( 5305713 )
      At this point though, I feel like a lot of people probably have some stupid idea of only Russia has hackers that do anything to elections. Just because it's the only hacking that many seem to care about the origin of.
      • In a way, we can't blame people for not being informed - there's effort being made to misinform them and it's not everyone who has the spare time (or desk job) to have enough time to get informed.

      • At this point though, I feel like a lot of people probably have some stupid idea of only Russia has hackers that do anything to elections. Just because it's the only hacking that many seem to care about the origin of.

        Ok, that's just downright untrue. President Trump has been on TV for days now calling for the UK, Australia, the Ukraine and now China to interfere in the 2020 elections by investigating his opponents and he seems to care very equally about all of these cries for help.

        • by gtall ( 79522 )

          What he's doing is attempting to normalize using foreigners to influence U.S. elections. It makes him feel good.

          • What he's doing is attempting to normalize using foreigners to influence U.S. elections. It makes him feel good.

            I think he's hoping it gets him out of this. (which will make him feel good)

            His entire life he seems to have taken great personal satisfaction with fucking people over.

        • Biden isn't going to be Trump's opponent. If this had anything to do with the election more than a year away he would've waited until Biden got the nomination. This is about investigating foreign meddling in the 2016 election. I though you guys wanted that investigated?

          Using your logic no candidate could ever be investigated for anything.

          • by jpapon ( 1877296 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @03:59PM (#59270998) Journal
            Candidates can be investigated - through the normal channels, such as the FBI.

            Investigations of candidates should not be suggested, or asked for, by the sitting President of the United States. That's a clear conflict of interest.

            Even worse, the President should not be asking foreign adversaries to investigate their political rivals. What's to keep the foreign power from just fabricating evidence and handing it over in order to get something they want geopolitically?

            • Re: (Score:1, Troll)

              by Train0987 ( 1059246 )

              The investigation was already underway. Who is ultimately in charge of the FBI/DOJ? That would be the President. Executive branch.

              How many investigations into Trump did Obama launch? He unleashed the entire intelligence apparatus on him and his campaign. Are you upset about that at all?

              • by Freischutz ( 4776131 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @04:30PM (#59271076)

                How many investigations into Trump did Obama launch?

                I confess my ignorance on that subject. Please do provide me with a comprehensive list.

                • Comprehensive? Well, that's difficult, since more keep getting discovered.

                  But so far, we have the fraudulent warrants used to spy on Carter Page (watch for the upcoming Horowitz report), asking the Ukraine to re-open an investigation into Paul Manafort (which has resulted in Ukrainian officials going to jail for "interfering with the US election"), the set-up and false accusations against George Papadopoulos by the FBI, and the set-up and absurd claims against Michael Flynn for breaking an unconstitutional

              • Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)

                by Ly4 ( 2353328 )

                The investigation was already underway.

                That's a lie.

                And from your original post:
                This is about investigating foreign meddling in the 2016 election.

                Also a lie. The CloudStrike stuff is a deranged and well-debunked conspiracy theory.

                • by Anonymous Coward
                  “I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike ... I guess you have one of your wealthy people ... The server, they say Ukraine has it,” - Trump

                  CrowdStrike is the security firm that in collaboration with the FBI investigated hacks against the Democrats it in 2016, that were committed by Russia. Trump believes that because CrowdStrike didn't give the server to the FBI, somehow information is being withheld. It is a nonsense conspiracy t
              • by Ryzilynt ( 3492885 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @06:46PM (#59271518)

                The investigation was already underway. Who is ultimately in charge of the FBI/DOJ? That would be the President. Executive branch.

                How many investigations into Trump did Obama launch? He unleashed the entire intelligence apparatus on him and his campaign. Are you upset about that at all?

                Again, not going to allow pure unfiltered bullshit to permeate.

                "Obama" did not "unleash" the entire intelligence apparatus on trump.

                The intelligence community did that all on its on while following credible leads from our trusted allies. /whispers trump is a criminal (and i base that solely on the very words that have come out of his own mouth)

                Put it away. And open your eyes.

                • Well it's too bad we're stuck with ol Criminal Trumpypants. I wish Hillary, Bill and Obama could be our president together, since THEY NEVER DID ANYTHING SUSPUCIOUS.

                  Seth Rich *cough* Hatiain Children's Fund *cough* Midnight Ping Pong Parties *cough cough* Russian Uranium Deals *achoo* "Ohhh, 'hand over the secret email server', I thought you said delete everything and walk away Scot free. -Whoops McClinton

            • Well, in answer to your question, the answer is the US legal system.

              But more simply, the US - including the President and the Attorney General - ask for foreign governments to cooperate with investigations all the time. They even sign treaties on exactly that subject.

              When the supposed event took place in a foreign country, government-to-government cooperation is almost essential. And when it implicates senior foreign government officials or programs, as it did in the Ukraine, it takes high-level US govern

          • by Ly4 ( 2353328 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @04:31PM (#59271078)

            Reporter: "Have you asked foreign leaders for any corruption investigations that don't involve your political opponents?"

            Trump: "You know, we would have to look" (in other words: NO).

            https://twitter.com/MSNBC/stat... [twitter.com]

            • Re: (Score:1, Insightful)

              by Train0987 ( 1059246 )

              Everybody in the Establishment is his political opponent. Both parties. And they're pretty much all criminals. That's why he's so dangerous to them.

              • Everybody in the Establishment is his political opponent. Both parties. And they're pretty much all criminals. That's why he's so dangerous to them.

                Trump calling the establishment criminals is like a trophy wife calling a hooker a gold digger.

              • Everybody in the Establishment is his political opponent. Both parties. And they're pretty much all criminals. That's why he's so dangerous to them.

                Again wrong. if republicans were his enemy he'd already be long gone. He has committed crimes, and it has been investigated. The only reason his is not in prison is because the DOJ policy pertaining to charging a sitting president with a crime.

                Fact is his enemy.

            • Reporter: "Have you asked foreign leaders for any corruption investigations that don't involve your political opponents?"

              Trump: "You know, we would have to look" (in other words: NO).

              https://twitter.com/MSNBC/stat... [twitter.com]

              He's a criminal

            • So, Trump makes non-secret phone calls, eh? Hmm.. next time he should go in the bathroom with a burner phone, doncha think?

              Meanwhile check out what Newt Gingrich said back in 2016 when like 6 people trying to investigate Hilary mysteriously died just in August:

              "We have these kind of scenes in there where you begin to realize that there are dangerous things going on in the world."

              "I think part of what happens to all of us though is there is so much clutter, but it's all about Hillary and the emails," he sa

          • It was investigated. By Mueller, and the US intelligence community. The investigation resulted in the indictment of a bunch of Russians, because Russia did it. The President doesn't believe his own CIA and FBI, and also doesn't believe the results of an inquiry that he, bizarrely, also claims exonerates him.

            Now he wants foreign governments to prove that the hacking was a Democratic/Ukrainian plot (which is wasn't) so that he can accuse the Democrats of corruption and collusion during the 2020 election.

            "Mr.

            • You said "there is no deeper level of corruption than" making a phone call about investigating crimes.

              You sure don't want Trump's opponents to have their crimes exposed do you? Yeah.. that's usually a bad idea:

              (quote)
              By Pam Martens and Russ Martens: August 8, 2016
              Shawn Lucas, Process Server for One Source Process, Delivering the Lawsuit Against the Democratic National Committee and Debbie Wasserman Schultz on July 1, 2016

              Shawn Lucas, Process Server for One Source Process, Who Delivered the Lawsuit Against

          • Biden isn't going to be Trump's opponent. If this had anything to do with the election more than a year away he would've waited until Biden got the nomination. This is about investigating foreign meddling in the 2016 election. I though you guys wanted that investigated?

            Using your logic no candidate could ever be investigated for anything.

            We don't know how long it would take for the current administration to release any dirt they managed to acquire or "produce".

            The current administration began it's 2020 campaign the first day in office?

            What other modern president has held a steady stream of campaign rallies through their entire administration? (outside of Germany)

            The only reason we even know "any" of this is because a whistle was blown.

            You need to open your eyes, seriously , and i say this with all due respect, please consider opinions and f

      • by gtall ( 79522 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @03:42PM (#59270960)

        No, there's a push in Congress to make secure all voting...well, there was until Moscow Mitch decided that wasn't necessary.

    • ... he's not good.

      Get somebody who refuses to use "hacker" for anything but the Jargon File definition. And never calls himself a hacker or cracker.
      Plus points if he has a beard, no tie, and is barefoot.

    • by gtall ( 79522 )

      Okay, publish la Presidenta Tweetie's tax records and we'll get back to you on how badly the Putin's Poodle is owned by the FSB.

    • Beyond the 2016 Russian Hoax...

      Ahh yes of course. The "Hoax". (capitalized even)

      I honestly felt compelled to insult you. But what's the point? You've already taken care of that.

  • state of security (Score:5, Insightful)

    by jmccue ( 834797 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @01:43PM (#59270374) Homepage

    Well with the state of 'cyber' security surrounding US elections, it has been open season for everyone for quite a while. Never mind that one specific party is doing all it can to prevent some groups of people to vote.

    Why can't we go back to paper, seems to work OK for a country with close (maybe over) a billion people. Instead congress is ignoring the issue along with may states.

    • Re: (Score:1, Flamebait)

      by Train0987 ( 1059246 )

      "Never mind that one specific party is doing all it can to prevent some groups of people to vote."

      Well yeah, if you consider those groups to be illegal aliens and dead people.

  • So on one side people are led to believe that countries like Iran or North Korea are fucking backward countries that oppress progress, intellectualism, and all that, internet ? forget it. On the other side.. they are saying that these people are hacking US electricity companies, influencing elections, and effectively undermining everything that progressive, intellectual (accepting) countries do.

    Am I alone in thinking that these are totally opposing ideas ? Something must not be true here... you can say t
    • by skids ( 119237 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @03:18PM (#59270854) Homepage

      Am I alone in thinking that these are totally opposing ideas ?

      Probably not, but that doesn't make you less wrong. Just because the masses are kept in huts doesn't mean the dictatorship isn't going to have Internet access, scientists, engineers, and an electronic warfare unit. If it were just people living in huts without an elite and their cronies, then they'd probably decide not to live in huts anymore.

  • "Iran, if you're listening..."

  • Hey, is Ajax Security Team your actual name? Because it sounds suspiciously made up. What is it really? Kevin? Ruth? Scott? Mitch? Dexter? Is it Basil Fawlty?
  • I like to imagine the most fun possibilities today.

    Fearmongering turns us all into pussies. But not me.

  • They broke in and found the North Koreans and Russians already camped out.
  • by Some Guy I Dont Know ( 6200212 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @02:44PM (#59270712)

    Well, unless they are complete idiots, every government in the world that CAN do it is trying to hack the campaigns of every politician running for President.

    The President of the United States is one of the most power people in the world - with the ability to literally cause the destruction of entire nations. Not figuring out who they are and how they think would be criminally irresponsible to their own nation.

  • now if we can just get them to dig up some dirt on Biden (and now Warren).

    Poor Bernie continues to be ignored, despite the fact that he's got more small dollar donors than any of them and matches even Buttigieg's fundraising without doing those swanky $2000/plate dinners they use to get around fundraising limits (you're not donating to Buttigieg's campaign, you're buying a dinner, see, totally different and totally above board).
    • by _xeno_ ( 155264 )

      now if we can just get them to dig up some dirt on Biden (and now Warren).

      Be careful, apparently digging up dirt on Biden is now an impeachable offense.

      Poor Bernie continues to be ignored

      Bernie is being ignored because he will never be the Democratic nominee and we were all Bernied out in 2016. He's bringing the same ideas voters rejected in 2016. He is, simply put, not newsworthy. He has no path to the Democratic nomination, he cannot win in the general election against Trump, so unless he's willing to run as an independent and literally guarantee Trump's reelection, he is not worth discussing.

      • by chill ( 34294 )

        Actually, the heart attack and double stent implant are newsworthy. And considering the age of many of the candidates -- Bernie (78), Biden (76), Trump (73), Warren (70) -- it brings the health of this ancient crew to the forefront. Or at least the second row, considering all the rest of the noise.

        • It would be newsworthy if it wasn't for the fact that the Media has such a Pavlovian response to everything President Trump says that they've forgotten the Democrats are currently running a primary.

      • by Agripa ( 139780 )

        Bernie is being ignored because he will never be the Democratic nominee and we were all Bernied out in 2016. He's bringing the same ideas voters rejected in 2016. He is, simply put, not newsworthy. He has no path to the Democratic nomination, he cannot win in the general election against Trump, so unless he's willing to run as an independent and literally guarantee Trump's reelection, he is not worth discussing.

        Bernie sold out his supporters in the 2016 election for either a phantom chance in the 2020 election or knowingly. I think it was knowingly because he cannot be that dumb but either way, for them to support them now would just make them twice fooled. He serves the Democrats by drawing his voters in to support others.

  • Comment removed based on user account deletion
  • Technology is the true ruler of this world...everywhere you look there are people with their heads in their phones...or others playing computer games...but also everywhere you look is a potential hacker...who in this day and age can we trust...are our friends and family who they say they are...what is the government hiding...this may all sound like paranoia but in reality it's the truth...think of hackers like the flu...when the flu season arrives an antidote is made...then when the next years flu Season ar
  • by kaatochacha ( 651922 ) on Friday October 04, 2019 @05:54PM (#59271344)

    Who in their right mind would want to be an Iranian Hacker?
    "oooh, lets hack into the world computers, so we can make everyone cover up all the women like we do, and force women to set themselves on fire because they attended a soccer game. So hot!"

    • by Agripa ( 139780 )

      Who in their right mind would want to be an Iranian Hacker?
      "oooh, lets hack into the world computers, so we can make everyone cover up all the women like we do, and force women to set themselves on fire because they attended a soccer game. So hot!"

      Maybe so they can see what women look like?

  • If you've managed to find Donald Trump's tax returns, the American public would sure love to see them.
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