topic Re: Right-wing groups hack health officials in Industry News

Right-wing groups hack health officials

rslade — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 18:55:16 GMT

Various right-wing groups seem to be mounting an attack on health (and other) officials by posting purported lists of email accounts and passwords.

Way to help out in a bad situation, guys.

Re: Right-wing groups hack health officials

Beads — Wed, 22 Apr 2020 21:36:38 GMT

Looks like a great deal of borrowed attribution. First the hack was attributed to 4Chan (posted on their message board). Then attributed by a source in Brittan as allegedly used by "right wing groups" but in reality gives no basis for her statement but her own conclusions.

Reading the next source: The Washington Post or WaPo gives us a little more useful information, admitting that some of the leaked information was from old hacks against the WHO and that 48 people used passwords containing the word "password". Ultimately, leaked by the Gateso foundation with no attribution to any one group but simply "hackers".

Really, I am disappointed at the level of discipline and analysis put into your statement declaring "right wing groups" without identifying a single culprit or means to back up the statement.

We need to do better than this or accept no one will ever believe "security" now or in the future because we will continue to deserve the credibility we portray.

Interesting set of reads before my evening shift here at work though. We are swamped.

- b/eads

Re: Right-wing groups hack health officials

CraginS — Thu, 23 Apr 2020 16:34:49 GMT

@Beads wrote:
Looks like a great deal of borrowed attribution. ...
Really, I am disappointed at the level of discipline and analysis put into your statement declaring "right wing groups" without identifying a single culprit or means to back up the statement.

We need to do better than this or accept no one will ever believe "security" now or I have to agree with in the future because we will continue to deserve the credibility we portray.

I have to agree with Brent that there is a chain of unwarranted assumptions in the article itself, compounded by Rob's @rslade 's presumptive statement as to attribution.

We know that attribution is hard to do. We should not fall into personal biases to influence such conclusions without valid evidence.

Craig

Re: Right-wing groups hack health officials

rslade — Fri, 24 Apr 2020 17:19:41 GMT

OK, I probably got caught in a spoof. Of some kind.

Those who have pursued it seem to think it's just made up nonsense, based on a few, possibly old, lists of credentials to give it some feel of veracity. Seems to be related to 4chan, although whether it is by them or targetted at them is open to question.

Some of the credentials are real and active, and there are ongoing attacks on the WHO.