Two state election databases have been hacked, FBI says

Shawn Knight

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The FBI has found evidence that foreign hackers have infiltrated at least two state election databases in recent weeks according to a report from Yahoo News.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson held a conference call with state election officials on August 15 in which he extended the department’s assistance in helping to ensure the security of state voting systems. At the time, Johnson said they weren’t aware of a specific or credible cybersecurity threat.

Three days later, the FBI’s Cyber Division released a flash alert that referenced two recent attacks on state election databases. The document, titled “Targeting Activity Against State Board of Election Systems,” didn’t specifically say which two states were targeted although sources reportedly familiar with the matter identified them as Arizona and Illinois.

In Arizona, attackers were able to load malicious software onto state voter registration systems but nothing major came of it. It was a different story in Illinois, however, as the attack forced local officials to shut down the state’s voter registration system for more than a week. Worse yet, hackers made away with personal information belonging to as many as 200,000 state voters.

The FBI’s alert listed eight IP addresses involved in the attacks. Considering that one IP address was used in both attacks, it’s likely that the two attacks are somehow linked. Rich Barger, chief intelligence officer for cybersecurity firm ThreatConnect, told Yahoo News that one of the addresses had previously surfaced in underground Russian hacker forums.

Image courtesy Associated Press

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Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.
 
...one of the addresses had previously surfaced in underground Russian hacker forums.

When he said surfaced, does that mean "identified" by forum as being an IP address that's used for hacking? or does it mean the IP belongs to Russia? That's really confusing.
If a forum based in the UK discuses hacking attempts or anything computer related and identifies multiple IP address used in some sort of attacks, would it be also correct to say that one of the addresses had previously surfaced in underground UK hacker forums?
 
...one of the addresses had previously surfaced in underground Russian hacker forums.

When he said surfaced, does that mean "identified" by forum as being an IP address that's used for hacking? or does it mean the IP belongs to Russia? That's really confusing.
If a forum based in the UK discuses hacking attempts or anything computer related and identifies multiple IP address used in some sort of attacks, would it be also correct to say that one of the addresses had previously surfaced in underground UK hacker forums?

Kind of thought the same thing when I read that, either its an unnecessary detail to make the more ignorant happy, or it's just unnecessary.
 
Kind of thought the same thing when I read that, either its an unnecessary detail to make the more ignorant happy, or it's just unnecessary.
Yep..this just jumped at me because Russia has been in the news so much as the big bad wolf...and really, not sure what's so bad about them? I guess the alleged doping crap?
All this trashing russia on every turn is annoying to read - there is just so much more to report on.

I still want sales figures for Note 4 & Note 5!!!! huh? how about that! :D
 
I doubt it's back hacked twice and the govt knows about both. It's probably been hacked a number of times but we only know about 2.
 
Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.

You said it perfectly. Trump warns people that our election could be rigged, and all the talking head morons (including our lord and master Obummer) make fun of him. Then low and behold, once again, he is proved right.
 
Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.

You said it perfectly. Trump warns people that our election could be rigged, and all the talking head morons (including our lord and master Obummer) make fun of him. Then low and behold, once again, he is proved right.
Funny how Trump knew. I wonder which hackers he paid?
 
Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.

Liberal propaganda! Keep taking hits from the leftist bong!
 
Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.

Liberal propaganda! Keep taking hits from the leftist bong!

I think you misunderstand..he's pointing out that the liberals will USE the hacking to their advantage if (or more like when) it becomes clear that Hillary will not win the election. As we get closer to that day, Trump will start to sound steadily more reasoned, responsible and sensible. He'll act more "presidential". He knows - just as the other side does - that most voters have the memory of gerbils. They will base their decision on what they know of the candidates in the last three weeks before the election. All Trump has to do is keep talking more sense as Hillary grows increasingly desperate and more hysterical. When you resort to using the testimony of irrelevant, nameless, *masked* people in your campaign ads, you're clearly terrified and have no aces left to play. Thus we're going to get an October surprise in the form of a "cyber attack" or possibly a real terrorist event - something to keep the nation distracted while the liberals figures out a way to steal the election again..probably by making it as easy to hack the vote as possible. Most of the world wants another limp-wristed globalist in the White House so they can keep blackmailing America and dumping their poor on us. If the left pulls this off, you'll have riots in the streets. THEN you'll see the real endgame with martial law being declared and civil liberties being rolled back. Its fine when hundreds of masked thugs burn down American cities over fabricated media stories about police brutality. But citizens demanding accountability or a legitimate vote? That's when the stormtroopers will come marching in.
 
Just weeks ago...

U.S. officials and media: Our voting systems are perfectly secure. Fraud isn't even a possibility.

Today...

U.S. officials and media: Only two databases were attacked and it will have no impact on the general election.

November...

U.S. officials and media: We knew as early as September that the Russians were actively trying to circumvent our political process and install Donald Trump in the White House. There is no way, in a country that previously reelected its first black president, a misogynist orange racist could defeat Hillary Clinton in a landslide after poll after poll showed him losing by double digits. There must be an investigation!

Get your popcorn ready, folks.
No one has voted yet... Neither are ahead or behind...

If your sure trump is winning by a land slide maybe you want to bet on it? Looks like trump only has a 33% chance of winning according to Bovada lol.
https://sports.bovada.lv/politics/2...e-2016-u-s-presidential-election-201611300000
 
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Kind of thought the same thing when I read that, either its an unnecessary detail to make the more ignorant happy, or it's just unnecessary.
Yep..this just jumped at me because Russia has been in the news so much as the big bad wolf...and really, not sure what's so bad about them? I guess the alleged doping crap?
All this trashing russia on every turn is annoying to read - there is just so much more to report on.

I still want sales figures for Note 4 & Note 5!!!! huh? how about that! :D
Well they invaded ukraine...?
 
Crimia? Didn't the people of crimia vote to be annexed?
Soldiers stopped people from voting in anti russian regions, ever watch the news? They rolled tanks and soldiers in, forced\ monitored a vote and then declared this is now ours.
 
Soldiers stopped people from voting in anti russian regions, ever watch the news? They rolled tanks and soldiers in, forced\ monitored a vote and then declared this is now ours.

I used to watch the new ages ago, then decided that life is better without knowing all the details the news feeds me :p
I did hear of the tanks and soldiers, but at the time all this was happening, it seemed that the russians came after the referendum was passed.
 
I used to watch the new ages ago, then decided that life is better without knowing all the details the news feeds me :p
I did hear of the tanks and soldiers, but at the time all this was happening, it seemed that the russians came after the referendum was passed.
Nope
 
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