“Three of every 10 candidates running for the U.S. House of Representatives have significant security problems with their websites, according to a new study by independent researchers that underscores the threat hackers pose to the November elections,” Joseph Menn reports for Reuters. “A team of four independent researchers led by former National Institutes for Standards and Technology security expert Joshua Franklin concluded that the websites of nearly one-third of U.S. House candidates, Democrats and Republicans alike, are vulnerable to attacks.”
“The warnings about the midterm elections, which are less than three months away, come after Democrats have spent more than a year working to bolster cyber defenses of the party’s national, state and campaign operations,” Menn reports. “Democratic National Committee officials told Reuters they have completely rebuilt the party’s computer network, including email systems and databases, to avert a repeat of 2016, when Russian intelligence agents hacked into Democratic accounts and then used stolen data to undermine support for Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid.”
“The report follows a string of warnings by Trump administration security officials that Russia is actively interfering in the November elections. FBI Director Christopher Wray recently warned that Russian government agents were working around the clock to sow discord ahead of the election,” Menn reports. “The Democratic National Committee agreed to discuss some steps it has taken to bolster security in the hope it can serve as a model for other election offices. Since [DNC Chief Technology Officer Raffi Krikorian] joined the DNC a year ago, the party has moved email and data storage to Google cloud and replaced most Windows computers with easier-to-defend Apple hardware and Google Chromebooks, he said.”
Read more in the full article here.
MacDailyNews Take: As usual, the crux of the issue was, is, and will continue to be until everyone finally wises up, Microsoft’s crappy Windows.
Apple hardware, Google Cloud and Chrome books says it all about Microsoft. Possibly, Google is not the evil empire after all? Trump’s team certainly has taken the lead, Godspeed…
Bellyfeel duckspeak.
“The word bellyfeel means a blind, enthusiastic acceptance of an idea”
“duckspeak. To speak without thinking.”
Thanks, TMac. New to me and had to look that up and interesting to learn something new today for a grizzled old fart.
My abbreviated post made three quick points, more detail:
1. This is less about Microsoft, good, embracing Apple tech in Big Gov and Google Chromebooks. Hold my nose on the latter, but it seems Apple has a major problem with lower priced products that force both government and education business elsewhere. The sad part is they have ALL the resources in the world to take on Chromebooks and refuse to do so. MDN often cites in their take Apple makes premium products for, is it, premium customers. The elitist Apple tax will continue to hobble Apple in business, education and government UNTIL Apple gets off its high horse and learns to compete on price.
2. Rhetorical question. Never said I endorse Google and certainly have problems with their business model. Apple rules security and privacy by comparison for miles.
3. Stand by point three. Weeks ago at an unprecedented WH briefing the heads of all the intelligence agencies gave a brief synopsis of the upcoming elections and how they are dealing with potential Russian influence. They are out in front as adults. Now contrast that with the do nothing Obama administration when intelligence agencies warned the president of the Russian influence in 2016. See YouTube for videos of Obama’s exact words. In a TV press conference recall a smarmy, smirking, smiling elitist president assuring us Russia was in no way capable of affecting the election or changing a single vote. I actually agree with Obama although his delivery could have been more professional.
So, that begs the million dollar question. If Obama was not concerned about Russia influencing the 2016 elections, even though the DNC servers were hacked, then someone please explain to me the PURPOSE of the Mueller investigation!
So, is that “Bellyfeel duckspeak” enough for you … 😉
I’m sure the question on maybe half the population’s mind is “How will Trump use the Russians to exploit this?”
Que Bill Nelson…
Emmanuel Goldstein and the Russians have the full attention of the Ministry of Truth these days and they show no signs of letting up.
Reread 1984. Mr. Goldstein was the mythical Jewish “enemy of the people” targeted by the Ministry of Truth, patterned after the Russians. Today, the Russians are the very real enemy of the American people.
Today?
They are attempting NOTHING different than they have last 90 years just different means.
And for the first time since the McCarthy era they are succeeding (with the help of many on the left and the media) beyond their wildest expectations to confuse, conflate and confound the truth.
The Russians have always been an issue, but they have always had the disadvantage of operating in a society where facts mattered more than ideology. That is now in question.
You think only the Left is to blame? They lie, but they haven’t made a virtue out of it. People, or at least decent people, used to get embarrassed when they got caught in an untruth. They did not just double down by repeating or amplifying the lie. How many new plants do you think US Steel has opened?
“You think only the Left is to blame? They lie, but they haven’t made a virtue out of it. ”
I don’t read where he has said that. You have a bad serial history of misinterpretation and worse, putting words in mouths. Liberals lie more than most and this has been going on for decades.
You hate President Trump, got it. You come him everyday putting him down, got it. You don’t give him credit for the booming economy, got it. You don’t give him credit for the RECORD LOW unemployment numbers particularly for minorities, got it. You LIED about being a conservative, got it.
More TK …
The Russians are today’s, Emmanuel Goldstein. That is precisely my meaning. I think you need to reread.
But then TX is the goodthink police around here.
If you think that the Russians are the completely innocent victims of a conspiracy of Newspeakers, and you aren’t presenting bills to the Internet Research Agency, you are missing a great opportunity to monitize your advocacy on their behalf.
You are keeping good company with the guy who wants to wrest control of Apple from its management and stockholders and give The People (as represented by The Leader) the right to decide how the company exercises its political rights and allocates its resources.
“You are keeping good company with the guy who wants to wrest control of Apple from its management and stockholders”
YOU LIE! For the THIRD TIME — I never said that. I don’t BELIEVE that. I am advocating NO such thing. Now once and for all get it through your THICK SKULL!!! …
The sad part is they have ALL the resources in the world to take on Chromebooks and refuse to do so. MDN often cites in their take Apple makes premium products for, is it, premium customers. The elitist Apple tax will continue to hobble Apple in business, education and government UNTIL Apple gets off its high horse and learns to compete on price.
That is precisely my meaning.