Last week, it was reported that several government agencies fell victim to a highly sophisticated hacking operation led by the Russian government. The list of agencies is growing by the day as more is uncovered about the spy operation. America is familiar with the hacking efforts of Russia. In 2016, the Russian government sponsored a hacking operation designed to influence the US presidential race outcome. This article will go into detail about the massive hacking operation led by the Russian government. We will also discuss any possible response from the US government.
What We Know About the Hack
More details are coming out every day about precisely who was affected by the Russian hacking operation. So far, we know the State Department, National Institutes of Health, Department of Homeland Security, and several Treasury departments were all successfully targeted. We know sensitive data was stolen, but we do not know what was stolen due to the data’s classified nature.
SolarWinds, a leading maker in network-management software, reported to the US Government that Russian agents infiltrated their software to access clients’ data. In a filing to the Federal Security Department, SolarWinds claims 18,000 out of 300,000 clients were exposed during the hacking operation. The clients affected were government, consulting, and technology agencies worldwide.
Through the report filed by SolarWinds and information coming in from government agencies, we are starting to understand how Russia infiltrated America’s most secure systems. In the past, hackers would try to brute force their way into a system and steal as much data as possible. While this method is effective at getting information, it also leaves a massive trail behind. According to the CISA, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Russia implemented a much more sophisticated and targeted attack plan. The hackers used a method known as a “supply chain” attack. This method involves hackers attacking the software patches that were sent out by SolarWinds. Using a “supply chain” attack allowed the Russian agents to access data points without leaving a trace. The CISA believes this hacking operation has been in motion for the past six to twelve months.
What Will Be the Outcome of the Hack
The good news is that this attack is not an isolated incident and is therefore not something the government isn’t prepared for. Hacking operations occur every day all around the world. According to Thomas Rid, a political science professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, America and many other countries conduct operations like this on a daily basis. The purpose is to gain a geopolitical advantage over opponents or other politicians.
However, the bad news is that Russia is stepping up its game when conducting massive hacking operations. The method used in the SolarWinds hack is exceptionally sophisticated and can go unnoticed for months or even years. Many US agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, were completely unaware of the attack until it was brought to their attention by outside sources. This brings into question America’s ability to detect these attacks before they get out of hand.
This story is still ongoing, and much more is yet unknown about who was affected and what was taken. Late Monday night, The Defense Department received a briefing on the attack. In a statement, a spokesperson for the US Cyber Command said the department is ready to take “swift action” against any foreign agent behind the hacking operation.
Bibliography
Bajak, Frank, et al. “US Agencies Hacked in Monthslong Global Cyberspying Campaign.” AP NEWS, Associated Press, 13 Dec. 2020, apnews.com/article/us-agencies-hacked-global-cyberspying-e8a2e819f7cc6982f6a72f8c85209b72.
Cohen, Zachary, et al. “US Officials Scramble to Deal with Suspected Russian Hack of Government Agencies.” CNN, Cable News Network, 14 Dec. 2020, www.cnn.com/2020/12/14/politics/us-agencies-hack-solar-wind-russia/index.html.
Timberg, Craig, and Ellen Nakashima. “DHS, State and NIH Join List of Federal Agencies - Now Five - Hacked in Major Russian Cyberespionage Campaign.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 15 Dec. 2020, www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/dhs-is-third-federal-agency-hacked-in-major-russian-cyberespionage-campaign/2020/12/14/41f8fc98-3e3c-11eb-8bc0-ae155bee4aff_story.html?utm_campaign=ext_rweb.
