Spy vs Spy: US Gov. Hackers ready to "hit back" if election is disrupted

[ApatheticAustrian]

U.S. Govt. Hackers Ready to Hit Back If Russia Tries to Disrupt Election
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/u-s-hackers-ready-hit-back-if-russia-disrupts-election-n677936



U.S. military hackers have penetrated Russia's electric grid, telecommunications networks and the Kremlin's command systems, making them vulnerable to attack by secret American cyber weapons should the U.S. deem it necessary, according to a senior intelligence official and top-secret documents reviewed by NBC News.

American officials have long said publicly that Russia, China and other nations have probed and left hidden malware on parts of U.S critical infrastructure, "preparing the battlefield," in military parlance, for cyber attacks that could turn out the lights or turn off the internet across major cities.

It's been widely assumed that the U.S. has done the same thing to its adversaries. The documents reviewed by NBC News — along with remarks by a senior U.S. intelligence official — confirm that, in the case of Russia.

[Zarn]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

This sounds like a lot of chest beating to me to a fictional opponent to me.

[muon2]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

This sounds like a lot of chest beating to me to a fictional opponent to me.

"The whole point of the doomsday machine malware is lost if you keep it a secret. Why didn't you tell the world?" - Dr. Strangelove

[Frodo]

They should strike while Barack Obama is still President -Donald Trump would almost certainly call it off.

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

This sounds like a lot of chest beating to me to a fictional opponent to me.

They've been doing this for months. They're already hacking each other back anyway. They've been doing it for years.

[dead0man]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

This sounds like a lot of chest beating to me to a fictional opponent to me.

Why would you think it wouldn't be true.  It's rather obvious if you think about it.  How could the US Fed Govt NOT be able to put together a group that could accomplish it?.....probably in a short afternoon.  If a thing is connected to the "internet", it's vulnerable.  Period, end of discussion.  To add to that, there is NOTHING connected to the "internet" that is impregnable.  Obviously it's harder to say, listen in on the President when he's talking to the Sec of State on a secure line (virtually impossible, but there is a reason for that adverb) than is to get on your mom's Facebook account, but anything is possible*.  The Iranian centrifuges were not even connected to anything and they still got roasted.  Russia's electrical grid and telecom network would be easier to mess up.


*yes, there are many encryption technologies that are uncrackable, but you can still get info pre and post encryption with other types of espionage or hackery.

[Cory]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

Deterrence.

[Zarn]

If this were true, why would they announce it?

This sounds like a lot of chest beating to me to a fictional opponent to me.

Why would you think it wouldn't be true.  It's rather obvious if you think about it.  How could the US Fed Govt NOT be able to put together a group that could accomplish it?.....probably in a short afternoon.  If a thing is connected to the "internet", it's vulnerable.  Period, end of discussion.  To add to that, there is NOTHING connected to the "internet" that is impregnable.  Obviously it's harder to say, listen in on the President when he's talking to the Sec of State on a secure line (virtually impossible, but there is a reason for that adverb) than is to get on your mom's Facebook account, but anything is possible*.  The Iranian centrifuges were not even connected to anything and they still got roasted.  Russia's electrical grid and telecom network would be easier to mess up.


*yes, there are many encryption technologies that are uncrackable, but you can still get info pre and post encryption with other types of espionage or hackery.

I never said they couldn't do it.