Microsoft says SolarWinds hackers have struck again at the US and other countries

[Wicked Blue]

By Jill Disis and Zahid Mahmood, CNN Business
Updated 11:27 AM ET, Fri May 28, 2021

Hong Kong/London (CNN Business) -- The hackers behind one of the worst data breaches ever to hit the US government have launched a new global cyberattack on more than 150 government agencies, think tanks and other organizations, according to Microsoft.

The group, which Microsoft calls "Nobelium," targeted 3,000 email accounts at various organizations this week — most of which were in the United States, the company said in a blog post Thursday.

It believes the hackers are part of the same Russian group behind last year's devastating attack on SolarWinds — a software vendor — that targeted at least nine US federal agencies and 100 companies.

Cybersecurity has been a major focus for the US government following the revelations that hackers had put malicious code into a tool published by SolarWinds. A ransomware attack that shut down one of America's most important pieces of energy infrastructure — the Colonial Pipeline — earlier this month has only heightened the sense of alarm. That attack was carried out by a criminal group originating in Russia, according to the FBI.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/28/tech/microsoft-solarwinds-russia-hack-intl-hnk/index.html

[Initech]

1. Well my biggest fear is a nationwide DDOS attack that will shut down the internet grid.

And don't say I'm too paranoid on this subject because as Solarwinds has proven the old saying "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...".

[Wicked Blue]

2. I wouldn't put anything past these hackers

I hope to Goddess that our cybersecurity experts are up to the task of protecting the U.S.

[Initech]

4. I wrote an OP on the subject a few months ago:

https://democraticunderground.com/100215274507

[Wicked Blue]

5. Great post, Initech

At least the Biden administration seems to be taking this threat seriously.

One of the early victims of Russian cyber crime is the nation of Estonia. Estonia is heavily into the internet. People vote and pay taxes online, among many other things. In 2007 its government networks were crippled by a Russian cyberattack. Estonian officials have since strengthened their cyber defenses, created a cybersecurity strategy and developed their own cyber command within the military. We should be taking lessons from them.

[Initech]

7. Thanks!

Yeah I'm totally paranoid about this happening in case you couldn't tell!

But after 4 years of President Shit For Brains at the helm, I'm glad that we have a real leader in charge who is taking all threats seriously!

[Chainfire]

3. Apparently we don't have the ability to respond in kind.

That means that once they push too far the situation could become very dangerous. At some point the American people will demand a reaction. Perhaps that is what Putin is pushing for.

[lagomorph777]

6. We need to develop that, pronto. Maybe in the meantime, we use kinetic options.