WASHINGTON, D.C. — In an unprecedented turn of events, the United States government is warning that it will launch cyber attacks if the government suspects Russian involvement in the U.S. elections.
A frantic article appeared Friday night on NBC News called “U.S. Government Hackers Ready To Hit Back if Russia Tries To Disrupt Election.”
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In the article, U.S. government sources clearly warn of the possibility of cyberwar with Russia in the near future. The article foreshadows a new likely talking point: that U.S. government hacker interference in the election is necessitated by supposed Russian aggression.
NBC News reports:
U.S. military hackers have penetrated Russia’s electric grid, telecommunications networks and the Kremlin’s command systems, making them vulnerable to attack by secret American cyber weapons should the U.S. deem it necessary, according to a senior intelligence official and top-secret documents reviewed by NBC News.
American officials have long said publicly that Russia, China and other nations have probed and left hidden malware on parts of U.S critical infrastructure, “preparing the battlefield,” in military parlance, for cyber attacks that could turn out the lights or turn off the internet across major cities.
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It’s been widely assumed that the U.S. has done the same thing to its adversaries. The documents reviewed by NBC News — along with remarks by a senior U.S. intelligence official — confirm that, in the case of Russia.
U.S. officials continue to express concern that Russia will use its cyber capabilities to try to disrupt next week’s presidential election. U.S. intelligence officials do not expect Russia to attack critical infrastructure — which many believe would be an act of war — but they do anticipate so-called cyber mischief, including the possible release of fake documents and the proliferation of bogus social media accounts designed to spread misinformation.
On Friday the hacker known as “Guccifer 2.0” — which U.S. officials say is a front for Russian intelligence — tweeted a threat to monitor the U.S. elections “from inside the system.”