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EXCLUSIVE: Entire US national security system possibly compromised by year-long cyber-assault
Fox News ^ | 07/23/2015 | By George Russell

Posted on 07/23/2015 9:33:20 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

The prolonged hacking into the White House Office of Personnel Management, which put the personal information of at least some 21.5 million past and current federal employees in jeopardy, is only the beginning of the security threat to the Obama Administration and its successors, a number of top-level experts in cybersecurity have told Fox News. The attack has been frequently sourced as coming from China.

The experts warned that the entire U.S. national security clearance system could be compromised, that future senior government leaders and advisors could be targeted even before taking office, and hundreds, perhaps thousands, of government officials might successfully be blackmailed, bribed or otherwise manipulated in the future into handing over still more sensitive information.

The identity disaster could also weaken the U.S. in any time of military confrontation: “If we choose to engage in conflict, we are in a much weaker position,” one expert concluded.

The threat could include intruders already in the government whose security credentials were stealthily enhanced during the OPM intrusion, which may have lasted a year before it was detected last April.

“There may be people walking around with higher levels of clearance than they should have,” said one of the experts. “I believe the entire national security apparatus is now at risk. It’s mind-boggling.”

“It’s the digital equivalent of Pearl Harbor,” another expert told Fox News. “Because people don’t see the carnage, they don’t recognize that this is the equivalent of an act of war. This is about espionage—Cold War tactics in the modern digital age.”

The experts consulted by Fox News were former government officials with deep knowledge of federal information systems and experience with national security issues, who had worked in top positions in both the Obama and George W. Bush administrations.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


TOPICS: Breaking News; Crime/Corruption; Foreign Affairs; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 2015; china; chinahackers; cybersecurity; cyberwar; espionage; hackers; hacking; internet; nationalsecurity; obama; opm; opmhacked; securityclearance; spies; spooks; tech
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To: Carry_Okie

There are multiple networks. DoD uses a very different network than the OPM. However agencies need to communicate with each other.

The solution isn’t really creating parallel networks as that increases the over complexity and cost dramatically. The solution is to follow the damn rules.

This was almost certainly avoidable if they followed the rules and built their systems properly.


21 posted on 07/23/2015 10:11:40 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: MeshugeMikey

Sure its doable, it would also result in massive increases in billing to ATT and other carriers.


22 posted on 07/23/2015 10:12:40 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: SeekAndFind

QUOTE: “The prolonged hacking into the White House Office of Personnel Management...”

Valerie Jarrett gave the Moslem Brotherhood her back door.

To the network I mean!


23 posted on 07/23/2015 10:12:46 AM PDT by Fitzy_888 ("ownership society")
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To: driftdiver

as long as obie’s in charge...there’s no will...and no way.


24 posted on 07/23/2015 10:15:33 AM PDT by MeshugeMikey ("Never, Never, Never, Give Up," Winston Churchill ><>)
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To: Buckeye McFrog

“The OPM system that was hacked does not include files of intel agents or higher level operatives. So the Chinese need only compare the list of Americans in their country to the OPM list, and those who are missing get targeted as likely spies.”

A lot of agents have covers that put them working for other US departments and agencies.


25 posted on 07/23/2015 10:15:34 AM PDT by VanShuyten ("a shadow...draped nobly in the folds of a gorgeous eloquence.")
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To: SeekAndFind

At this point, what difference does it make?

Does anyone doubt that the traitors in the white hut have not been having a field day giving away intel and classified information? I don’t.

We have been increasingly compromised since January 21, 2008.

At this point what difference does anything make?


26 posted on 07/23/2015 10:19:40 AM PDT by Sequoyah101
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To: SeekAndFind
“It’s the digital equivalent of Pearl Harbor,” another expert told Fox News. “Because people don’t see the carnage, they don’t recognize that this is the equivalent of an act of war. This is about espionage—Cold War tactics in the modern digital age.”

Wrong analogy. It's the Visigoths have broken through the gates - let the sacking of Rome commence.

27 posted on 07/23/2015 10:20:20 AM PDT by Old Sarge (Its the Sixties all over again, but with crappy music...)
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To: driftdiver

The moment US Govt/Mil put china chips into their system computers, it was over.

Trace back to the people responsible for allowing china sourced hardware, arrest them, put them on trial, convict and execute them for treason because a 2 year old could see this coming.

It made compromising our system childs play because those chips are KNOWN to be backdoored. We already KNOW it.

This problem will not be fixed, ever, as long as those china sourced hardware parts remain in use. Then we will have a chance at defending against straight up hacking.


28 posted on 07/23/2015 10:21:06 AM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: Buckeye McFrog

Not try, al others could simply be citizens.


29 posted on 07/23/2015 10:25:29 AM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Oh well...

People voted for this. So enjoy the ride down, suckers.


30 posted on 07/23/2015 10:25:32 AM PDT by VanDeKoik
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To: Norm Lenhart

They don’t even need the chips


31 posted on 07/23/2015 10:26:53 AM PDT by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: VanDeKoik

Well it’s a lesser evil. No matter what.


32 posted on 07/23/2015 10:26:54 AM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: A CA Guy

Not at all, all others not on list could be citizens.


33 posted on 07/23/2015 10:27:23 AM PDT by A CA Guy ( God Bless America, God Bless and keep safe our fighting men and women.)
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To: driftdiver

No, but it sure makes everything they do a ton easier. Gives them far more points to screw with and access/FUBAR.

And lest we forget, those chips are in our aircraft/weapons systems and commercial airliners.


34 posted on 07/23/2015 10:28:47 AM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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To: Sir Napsalot
The ‘hacking’ of OPM is the only thing the public is allowed to know, as it is too big even for msm to hide.

Are you saying the MSM's protecting China now too? Or just the usual lying filthy traitorous democrats?

35 posted on 07/23/2015 10:30:05 AM PDT by GOPJ (They are not undocumented and they are not immigrants. They are illegal aliens. Lurkinnamloomin)
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To: MeshugeMikey

I agree with the ATT alumnus...it would be easy.


36 posted on 07/23/2015 10:34:07 AM PDT by Red Steel (Ted Cruz: 'I'm a Big Fan of Donald Trump')
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To: driftdiver
The solution isn’t really creating parallel networks as that increases the over complexity and cost dramatically.

Of course it would. There are costs, and then there are the costs of risks.

The solution is to follow the damn rules.

Since when has that ever worked? Know anybody who keeps the Ten Commandments?

37 posted on 07/23/2015 10:39:05 AM PDT by Carry_Okie (Donald Trump is Ross Perot, with hair.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Obama’s plan to give it all away ,well except his share


38 posted on 07/23/2015 10:43:22 AM PDT by molson209 (Blank)
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To: Norm Lenhart

Those stories turned out to be bogus.
There were definitely counter fitted chips in cisco gear, but they did not have the capability to be remotely re-programmed.


39 posted on 07/23/2015 10:44:00 AM PDT by Ghost of SVR4 (So many are so hopelessly dependent on the government that they will fight to protect it.)
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To: Ghost of SVR4

Then the stories were not bogus at all. China got their crap into our stuff.


40 posted on 07/23/2015 10:45:54 AM PDT by Norm Lenhart
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