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This blog chronicles the musings and observations related to computer security and information technology of a college student studying those subjects at Metropolitan State University.

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When Hacking is a Form of Statecraft

Article:   Johnson, Kevin. “'Criminal Syndicate with a Flag': North Korean Intel Operatives Charged in Hacking Campaign.” USA Today. Gannett Satellite Information Network, February 17, 2021. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2021/02/17/us-charges-north-korean-intel-operatives-global-hacking-campaign/6781478002/. On February 17, 2021, the U.S. government charged three intelligence officials from the government of North Korea for participating in a global hacking campaign to steal $1.2 billion in crypto and regular currency.  According to the article, the investigation started after the 2014 Sony Pictures hack that led to the leaking of the movie The Interview but widened as investigators discovered what was described in the article as "a criminal syndicate with a flag representing the North Korean government."  The investigation also led to charges against a private citizen who was charged with organizing gangs of people using cloned ATM cards to steal mill...
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What else have we learned from the Solar Winds hack?

 Article:   “US imposes sanctions on Russia over cyber-attacks,” Yahoo! News . [Online]. Available: https://news.yahoo.com/us-poised-sanction-russia-cyber-041015589.html. [Accessed: 18-Apr-2021]. On April 18, 2021, the United States announced sanctions against Russia for its efforts to interfere in the 2020 election and for carrying out the Solar Winds hack.  In the announcement, the USA specifically blamed the Russian intelligence agency SVR for the hack. The sanctions target 32 Russian officials for trying to influence the 2020 election.  Additionally, 10 ambassadors were expelled and barred US financial institutions from doing business with Russian entities. This announcement harkens back to two previous entries of this blog on the Solar Winds Hack and Hacking as Statecraft .
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How Infrastructure Can Also be a Target for Cyber Terrorists

 Article: Evans, Jack. “Someone Tried to Poison Oldsmar's Water Supply during Hack, Sheriff Says.” Tampa Bay Times. Tampa Bay Times, February 10, 2021. https://www.tampabay.com/news/pinellas/2021/02/08/someone-tried-to-poison-oldsmars-water-supply-during-hack-sheriff-says/.  Businesses like Equifax aren’t the only entities vulnerable to hackers.  Water treatment plants can be too.  Case in point:  the hacking of the Oldsmar, FL water treatment plant.   On February 6, 2021, employees at the Oldsmar city water treatment plant noticed something strange:  the sodium hydroxide (lye) level had been changed in the computer managing the treatment plant into add 100 times more of the chemical to the water.  Lye is added to the water to control acidity but it is poisonous in higher levels.  Fortunately, the employees were able to change the lye level back to normal levels immediately before any damage was done.  Even if the employee hadn’t noticed...
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