US punishes Russia for election hacking, ejecting operatives

[Jacque67 7,328]

code associated with the Russian hacking operation dubbed Grizzly Steppe by the Obama administration has been detected within the system of a Vermont utility, according to U.S. officials.

While the Russians did not actively use the code to disrupt operations of the utility, according to officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss a security matter, the penetration of the nation’s electrical grid is significant because it represents a potentially serious vulnerability. Government and utility industry officials regularly monitor the nation’s electrical grid because it is highly computerized and any disruptions can have disastrous implications for the function of medical and emergency services.

American officials, including one senior administration official, said they are not yet sure what the intentions of the Russians might have been. The penetration may have been designed to disrupt the utility’s operations or as a test by the Russians to see whether they could penetrate a portion of the grid. 

Federal officials have shared the malware code used in Grizzly Steppe with utility executives nationwide, a senior administration official said, and Vermont utility officials identified it within their operations.

While it is unclear which utility reported the incident, there are just two major utilities in Vermont, Green Mountain Power and Burlington Electric.

 

According to a report by the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security, the hackers involved in the Russian operation used fraudulent emails that tricked their recipients into revealing passwords.

[Jacque67 7,328]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russian-hackers-penetrated-us-electricity-grid-through-a-utility-in-vermont/2016/12/30/8fc90cc4-ceec-11e6-b8a2-8c2a61b0436f_story.html

 

Clever Putin. 

Vermont!!!!

[The Nature Boy 7,659]

5 hours ago, bcking said:

I don't think Russia is the reason he won. I don't think our intelligence agencies are arguing that either. They have just found evidence that Russia attempted (successfully or not) to tamper with the election in favor of a particular candidate. It doesn't matter whether they were succesful or not. A foreign nation should not be even trying (succesful or not) to tamper with a democratic election of another country.

The outcome, as least to me, is not what matters. I don't blame Russia for our Trump presidency. I just think they shouldn't be able to get away with trying to influence our elections. They influence enough elections in Eastern Europe. Their reach shouldnt extend to the USA. I don't want my President's hands down Putin's pants.

Cept they didn't tamper with the election.  Somebody, and it remains to be seen who,  just put facts out there that no one disputed.  The only proven entity that rigged an election is the DNC.

If it was Putin and he reported on the corruption and election tampering of the DNC , then yeah to him. American press be ashamed 

[OriZ 3,157]

33 minutes ago, Jacque67 said:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/russian-hackers-penetrated-us-electricity-grid-through-a-utility-in-vermont/2016/12/30/8fc90cc4-ceec-11e6-b8a2-8c2a61b0436f_story.html

 

Clever Putin. 

Vermont!!!!

 

Can't imagine that would be too hard lol

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

My, the jealousy is thick in here today...

 

4 hours ago, millefleur said:

Owning a white piano says so much about a person's taste.

 

 

3 hours ago, bcking said:

 

If only the white piano was the only thing in that photo reflecting poor taste

 

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

Yeah, it sucks.  I do not like the layout at all.

1 hour ago, OriZ said:

On a different note, is it just me or does anyone else think this new VJ "look" is kind of horrible? It's worse than getting used to a new phone.

 

[bcking 3,157]

4 minutes ago, IDGAF said:

My, the jealousy is thick in here today...

 

 

 

Hardly.

 

Sure I wouldn't mind a grand piano, but I would never get a white one. Only Liberace should own a white grand piano.

The gilding and mirrored ceiling, no one should own. Doesn't matter how expensive it is or how rich you are. It's horribly tacky. There are things trump owns that I would like I'm sure, but nothing in that photograph.

[bcking 3,157]

1 hour ago, Nature Boy Flair said:

Cept they didn't tamper with the election.  Somebody, and it remains to be seen who,  just put facts out there that no one disputed.  The only proven entity that rigged an election is the DNC.

If it was Putin and he reported on the corruption and election tampering of the DNC , then yeah to him. American press be ashamed 

Have the intelligence agencies that have said they have found evidence told the public what the evidence was exactly? I've been in the UK the past two weeks so maybe I've missed it.

I'm only going off what they have reported, which to my knowledge is just that there is evidence Russia attempted to manipulate the election. They haven't mentioned how, unless I missed it.

[OriZ 3,157]

4 minutes ago, bcking said:

Have the intelligence agencies that have said they have found evidence told the public what the evidence was exactly? I've been in the UK the past two weeks so maybe I've missed it.

I'm only going off what they have reported, which to my knowledge is just that there is evidence Russia attempted to manipulate the election. They haven't mentioned how, unless I missed it.

They have already made it clear, including Obama himself, that none of this has anything to do with the voting itself, the machines or the counts. It's basically about the leaks.

[OriZ 3,157]

8 minutes ago, bcking said:

Hardly.

 

Sure I wouldn't mind a grand piano, but I would never get a white one. Only Liberace should own a white grand piano.

The gilding and mirrored ceiling, no one should own. Doesn't matter how expensive it is or how rich you are. It's horribly tacky. There are things trump owns that I would like I'm sure, but nothing in that photograph.

 

Way too much yellow gold for my taste. Not a fan of yellow gold at all generally. Even our wedding bands are white gold.

[bcking 3,157]

Just now, OriZ said:

They have already made it clear, including Obama himself, that none of this has anything to do with the voting itself, the machines or the counts. It's basically about the leaks.

Oh I missed that part. More mixed feelings then to be honest. If the leaked information is all real, leaking it doesn't change the fact that it happened. 

However, I'm sure there is dirty laundry on Trump that could have been leaked by Russians if they wanted to (more than the media already released). So it still was clearly an "unfair advantage". Though based on how his base acted to the stuff that leaked on Trump already Russia could have revealed Trump murdered someone and people would still not mind. They probably would have just thought he was even cooler.

[bcking 3,157]

1 minute ago, OriZ said:

 

Way too much yellow gold for my taste. Not a fan of yellow gold at all generally. Even our wedding bands are white gold.

Gold in general is not really something that belongs in interior decorating. Not since the 18th century.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

9 hours ago, Teddy B said:

I disagree with your assessment and I doubt that you would be able to post anything that supports it. I think given the hand he was dealt, Obama has done a decent job overall.

The one area where I would say Obama has failed would be race relations. He has clearly played favorites and mishandled situations like Trayvon Martin, Henry Louis Gates and the ridiculous "beer summit", Michael Brown and most of the rioting situations that have taken place when police have shot black criminals/suspects. Imo, he should have been more supportive of the police in these situations, especially when the critical facts became known.

Yeah, I know.  Some still think Obama passed some awesome health care reform, and ended the war in the Middle East.  Bailed out GM and Chrysler with what, more than $60 Billion?  He also made unemployment better, right?  And he sure put Iran in their place.  Solyndra, the Bowe Bergdahl swap... just to name a few.  The good news is that he has made it easier for Trump to improve upon the presidency overall.

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

How do we know this is taken inside Trump's house?  Maybe it's in a professional photographer's studio?

20 minutes ago, bcking said:

Hardly.

 

Sure I wouldn't mind a grand piano, but I would never get a white one. Only Liberace should own a white grand piano.

The gilding and mirrored ceiling, no one should own. Doesn't matter how expensive it is or how rich you are. It's horribly tacky. There are things trump owns that I would like I'm sure, but nothing in that photograph.

 

[OriZ 3,157]

18 minutes ago, bcking said:

Oh I missed that part. More mixed feelings then to be honest. If the leaked information is all real, leaking it doesn't change the fact that it happened. 

However, I'm sure there is dirty laundry on Trump that could have been leaked by Russians if they wanted to (more than the media already released). So it still was clearly an "unfair advantage". Though based on how his base acted to the stuff that leaked on Trump already Russia could have revealed Trump murdered someone and people would still not mind. They probably would have just thought he was even cooler.

You're right leaking it doesn't change the fact it happened and it is good that people found out. I do believe there needed to be consequences so long as they actually have evidence. I just find it ironic considering the interaction between Romney and Obama during their debate, that Obama might finally be on board. I agreed with Romney then, and I agree now, I just think it's clear Obama isn't doing it for all the right reasons, but I have no issue with the actions themselves being taken. Hacking has consequences.