Obama, McCain campaigns' computers hacked for policy data

[NikolaC]

Source: CNN.com

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Computers at the headquarters of the Barack Obama and John McCain campaigns were hacked during the campaign by a foreign entity looking for future policy information, a source with knowledge of the incidents confirms to CNN.

The source said the computers were hacked mid-summer by either a foreign government or organization.

Another source, a law enforcement official familiar with the investigation, says federal investigators approached both campaigns with information the U.S. government had about the hacking, and the campaigns then hired private companies to mitigate the problem.

U.S. authorities, according to one of the sources, believe they know who the foreign entity responsible for the hacking is, but refused to identify it in any way, including what country.




Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2008/TECH/11/06/campaign.computers.h...

[bemildred]

1. Gosh, maybe "policy information" should not be on networked machines?

As an experienced computer and network professional, this sounds like bullshit to me.

[Dont_Bogart_the_Pretzel]

2. I wonder how they can tell where it was hacked from?

I saw a Firefox extension that basically changed your computer DNS to another city, state, or even another country. It made it very hard to locate you.

UPDATE: It is called Torpark. It uses Firefox browser and secures it.

[ThoughtCriminal]

3. Well if they wanted information about policy positions

they weren't going to get it from our media. After all, policy had nothing to do with Ayers.

[Nihil]

4. Well that narrows the field quite a bit doesn't it?

> U.S. authorities, according to one of the sources,
> believe they know who the foreign entity responsible for
> the hacking is, but refused to identify it in any way,
> including what country.

It certainly rules out the half of the world that are being treated
as "axis of evil" along with those that are painted as "anti-American"
due to their dislike of giving in to bullies.

Now, let's think, how many countries have frequently had spies let off
by the US authorities over the years and are granted a consistent
"blind-eye" status to their crimes & "irregularities"?

[Virginia Dare]

5. I would bet my bottom dollar it was China....n/t