Politics 11:42 10/09/2020 World

Russian state hackers reportedly suspected in targeting Biden campaign firm

Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O) recently alerted one of Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden’s main election campaign advisory firms that it had been targeted by suspected Russian state-backed hackers, Reuters reported on Thursday, quoting three people briefed on the matter.

The hacking attempts targeted staff at Washington-based SKDKnickerbocker, a campaign strategy and communications firm working with Biden and other prominent Democrats, over the past two months, the sources said.

A person familiar with SKDK’s response to the attempts said the hackers failed to gain access to the firm’s networks. “They are well-defended, so there has been no breach,” the person said.

SKDK Vice Chair Hilary Rosen declined to comment. A Biden spokesman did not respond to a request for comment.

The hacking attempts on SKDK come as U.S. intelligence agencies have raised alarms about possible efforts by foreign governments to interfere in the November presidential election.

Investigations by former special counsel Robert Mueller and the Senate intelligence committee both concluded that affiliates of the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election, and Mueller has warned that Russia was meddling in the current campaign.

One of the sources said it was not clear whether Biden’s campaign was the target or whether the Russians were attempting to gain access to information about other SKDK clients.

SKDK managing director Anita Dunn was a White House communications director during the Barack Obama presidency and serves the Biden campaign as a senior advisor.

The attempts to infiltrate SKDK were recently flagged to the campaign firm by Microsoft, which identified hackers tied to the Russian government as the likely culprits, according to the three sources briefed on the matter.

The attacks included phishing, a hacking method which seeks to trick users into disclosing passwords, as well as other efforts to infiltrate SKDK’s network, the three sources said.

A Microsoft spokesman declined to comment.



Source Panorama.am
Share |
Տեքստում սխալ կամ վրիպակ նկատելու դեպքում, ուղարկեք խմբագրին հաղորդագրություն` նշելով տվյալ սխալը, այնուհետև սեղմելով Ctrl-Enter:

Newsfeed

12:30
US seeks full control of Armenia, Russian intelligence says
The United States seeks to bring Armenia entirely to heel, Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) said in a statement seen by TASS....
12:00
Nikol Pashinyan to skip CSTO summit in Astana
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan will not participate in the CSTO summit to be held in Astana on November 28, his spokesperson...
11:35
Heavy snow hit parts of Armenia
A powerful cyclone has delivered heavy snowfall to some parts of Armenia, the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center reports. Lori Province,...
11:17
Book reveals 8,000 letters by Armenian survivors of 1890’s Turkish massacres
By Harut Sassounian TheCaliforniaCourier.com I just received the first volume of a valuable book published in Yerevan in 2021 that makes...
11:06
Iran welcomes Lebanon ceasefire deal
Iran welcomed the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon’s Hezbollah, Tehran’s main militant partner in the Mideast, AP reported....
17:03
Polish leader: Russia wants to carry out dominant actions in South Caucasus
Polish President Andrzej Duda addressed the Russia-Ukraine war during his visit to Armenia. “There is also instability in our...
16:30
EU's Borrell urges Israel to accept ceasefire deal in Lebanon
The European Union's foreign policy chief urged the Israeli government on Tuesday to back a proposed ceasefire deal in Lebanon which he said...
16:16
Armenian pro-government MP says parliament speaker 'pressured' him
Armenian pro-government lawmaker Hovik Aghazaryan says National Assembly Speaker Alen Simonyan has "pressured" him....
15:57
CaseKey 2024 Gala hosted with Byblos Bank Armenia's sponsorship
The gala event of the CaseKey Business Case Competition 2024 sponsored by Byblos Bank Armenia took place from November 22-24 at the Dilijan...
15:35
Polish president vows efforts towards Armenia's integration into European family
Polish President Andrzej Duda expressed readiness to facilitate Armenia’s accession to the European Union. “We will make every...
15:00
Putin calls on CIS intelligence agencies to prevent destabilization
Constructive interaction among the intelligence services of the CIS countries is crucial in the context of the current geopolitical tension, and...
14:45
Armenian ministry denies transboundary water cooperation with Azerbaijan claimed by U.S. envoy
Armenia’s Ministry of Environment has denied any cooperation with Azerbaijan on transboundary water management claimed by a U.S. diplomat....
14:04
Greece could send Russian air defense systems to Armenia
Greece plans to send S-300 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as two other types of Russian-made air defense systems, to Armenia and replace...
13:35
Georgia to elect president on December 14
Georgia’s parliament set December 14 as the date for selecting a new president, as lawmakers continue to meet despite an opposition...
13:05
Azerbaijan transfers Artsakh's Dadivank monastery to Udi community administration
The medieval Armenian monastery of Dadivank located in the Karvachar district of Azerbaijani-occupied Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh),...
12:30
Pashinyan names pick for new tax chief
Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has named Eduard Hakobyan as his pick for the tax and customs chief. "Eduard Hakobyan, who...
12:02
Armenian top court checks constitutionality of two loan agreements
The Constitutional Court of Armenia has started hearings to check the compliance of two loan agreement terms with the country’s...
11:38
Welcoming ceremony for Polish president held at Armenian presidential residence
Polish President Andrzej Duda arrived in Armenia on Monday evening. Today, an official welcoming ceremony for Duda was held at the...
11:27
Powerful cyclone bringing snow to most parts of Armenia
A powerful northwestern cyclone is making landfall in Armenia on Tuesday, the Hydrometeorology and Monitoring Center warns. It is forecast...
11:12
Biden pardons turkeys during final Thanksgiving event
President Joe Biden tapped into his presidential pardon power in the waning days of his tenure Monday, granting clemency to a pair of lucky...
17:05
Opposition politician: France responded to Pashinyan's 'absurd' comments
Opposition politician Eduard Sharmazanov, a senior member of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA), claims the French envoy’s latest...
16:30
Israel, Hezbollah reportedly close to a ceasefire deal
A ceasefire deal between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is “very close,” a regional source told CNN on Sunday,...
16:15
Temperatures set to plunge in Armenia
Rain and snow are forecast for most parts of Armenia from Monday to Friday. The capital Yerevan will also see precipitation till Thursday...
16:02
Armenian companies help Russia evade Western gold trade sanctions, study reveals
Hetq, and the Russia-focused independent media outlet The Insider, have revealed that companies in Armenia are aiding Russia to circumvent gold...
15:36
Major car crash leaves several wounded in Armenia
Several people were wounded in a major car crash in Armenia's Aragatsotn Province on Monday. The Rescue Service reported that a Nissan...
15:15
HIV infections rising in Armenia
Health officials have reported an increase in HIV infection rates in Armenia in recent years. A total of 462 new HIV cases were confirmed in...
14:36
Cosmetic doctor sues Ronaldo over ‘unpaid’ bill
Footie superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is being sued by a cosmetic doctor over an alleged unpaid £40,000 bill, The Sun reports. Dr...
14:06
Russia remains committed to ensuring Armenia's security, envoy says
Russia remains committed to its security obligations towards Armenia, including through the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO),...
13:32
World Chess Championship kicks off in Singapore
The FIDE World Chess Championship Match 2024 is taking place in Singapore from November 25 to December 13. The championship is...
13:01
'Genuinely Yours': ARARAT presents new communication platform
“Genuinely Yours” new communication platform of ARARAT is a new chapter in the history of the brand. ARARAT continues its...

Follow us and get updates!

Most popular articles

{"core.blocks.header.spell_message1":"Selected mistake: ","core.blocks.header.spell_message2":"Send a message about the mistake?"}