Intelligence Agencies Point Finger at Russia for SolarWinds Hack

by | Jan 7, 2021

Intelligence Agencies Point Finger at Russia for SolarWinds Hack

by | Jan 7, 2021

Pexels Rodolpho Zanardo 1259327

In a rare joint statement, the FBI, NSA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Office of the DNI said the recently discovered hack of the software firm SolarWinds that affected several government agencies was “likely Russian in origin.”

The intelligence agencies offered no evidence to back up the claim that Russia was “likely” responsible. When the hack was first discovered, many in the media and in Congress began accusing Moscow of being involved, despite a lack of evidence. Some senators even likened the hack to a Russian invasion.

While the Russian attribution by the intelligence agencies is not definitive, it comes at a sensitive time for U.S.-Russia relations and will do nothing but stoke tensions. Joe Biden and members of his future administration have vowed to retaliate for the SolarWinds hack through financial sanctions and offensive cyberattacks.

Claims of Russian hacking are nothing new, as the U.S. public has been bombarded by them for years now. But attributing cyber activity is difficult since hackers use tools to disguise their identity and location.

One way the US often attributes cyber activity to Russia is by identifying tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) used by hackers. Federal agencies often say hackers used TTPs consistent with previous Russian government activity, offering that assessment as the only proof to substantiate claims of Russian hacking.

On December 17th, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency put out an alert that said the actor responsible for the SolarWinds hack likely has “tactics, techniques, and procedures that have not yet been discovered.”

Dave DeCamp is the assistant news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave. This article was originally featured at Antiwar.com and is republished with permission.

About Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com. Follow him on Twitter @decampdave.

Our Books

9 libooksjuly2023sm

Related Articles

Related

Let’s Start Minding Our Own Business

Let’s Start Minding Our Own Business

I look at this country and I see too many veterans unable to reenter society because of their trauma from fighting these endless wars. I look at this country and I see political prisoners like Julian Assange locked up for practicing honest journalism. I look at this...

read more
Yeah, It Was (Mostly) the Fed’s Fault

Yeah, It Was (Mostly) the Fed’s Fault

A not uncommon reaction from central bank defenders in response to criticism is some form of an apology, arguing a lesser of two evils choice. Posing a counterfactual, they present a scenario, say the East Asian Crisis or subsequent Subprime Crisis, which it is then...

read more
Don’t Tread on Homeschoolers

Don’t Tread on Homeschoolers

A 12-year-old Colorado boy became a victim of “woke” education when he was taken out of class and told he could not return unless he removed a Gadsden flag, or “Don’t Tread on Me,” patch from his backpack. The school backed down after a video went viral in which a...

read more
Goldfish in Chief

Goldfish in Chief

Former U.S. President Barack Obama recently put out a tweet with a link to organizations that may be of some help to the people of Libya due to recent floods. NATO was absent from the list. Whoever runs the former president's social media is likely unaware why some...

read more

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This