FW: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com.
FBI News Briefing
TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF
DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2020 6:30 AM EDT
TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEADING THE NEWS
• US Charges Six Russian Intelligence Officers With Launching Cyberattacks.
COUNTER-TERRORISM
• Maryland Man Linked To "Boogaloo" Movement Faces Gun Charge.
• Encrypted Apps May Conceal Full Evidence Of Whitmer Kidnapping Plot.
• Administration Imposes Sanctions On Businessman Moving Al Qaeda Money Internationally.
• Trump Says US Will Remove Sudan From Terrorism List If It Compensates Victims.
• French Authorities Crack Down On Islamists In Wake Of Teacher's Decapitation.
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE
• While Ratcliffe Says There Is No Evidence Hunter Biden Emails Are Part Of "Disinformation
Campaign," FBI Still Investigating.
• States, Voting Districts Work With Law Enforcement To Secure Elections.
• State Department Officials Self-Isolating After Meeting With COVID-Positive Lebanese Spymaster.
• NNSA: Helicopter Flew Over DC Mapping Natural Nuclear Radiation.
• Congressman: US Must Sanction Russian Sovereign Debt To Protect Elections.
• EU Struggles To Defend Against Russian Disinformation Campaigns.
• Syrian Paper: US Officials Have Made Four Secret Trips To Damascus.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
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• Two US Park Police Officers Surrender To Face Manslaughter Charges.
• FBI Investigating Murder In Missouri.
• West Virginia Man Sentenced Over Child Pornography.
• Texas Man Charged With Bribery.
• FBI Investigating Disappearance Of Michigan Minor.
• Kansas Man Arrested Following Death Threats.
• Smuggling Ring Arrested In New York.
• Georgia Pair Sentenced For Drug Distribution.
• Louisiana Men Indicted On Gun, Drug Trafficking Charges.
• FBI Concludes Gang Probe In Louisiana.
• Massachusetts Man Arrested Following FBI Task Force Search.
• Operation In Massachusetts Leads To Four Arrests, Seizure Of Drugs, Firearms.
• Tennessee Meth Case Defendant Sentenced To 151 Months In Prison.
• FBI Investigating Oklahoma Shooting.
• Virginia Man Sues Airbus Over Claims Of Lying To The FBI.
FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS
• COVID-19 Scammers Driving Unemployment Fraud Across US.
CYBER DIVISION
• Cyberspace Solarium Commission Releases Follow-Up To March Report.
• Lawsuit Alleges Indian Hackers Leaked Businessman's Emails.
• Schools Learn To Deal With Increasing Risk Of Hacker Attacks As Online School Year Amid Pandemic Begins.
• Pro-Iran Trolls Spreading Fake Scandals Posted On Legitimate News Sites By Hackers.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
• US To Execute First Woman In Nearly 70 Years.
• DO) IG Discusses Growing Threat Of Drones For Prison Smuggling Operations.
OTHER FBI NEWS
• Wray Under Fire In Run-Up To Election.
• California Ballot Drop-Off Box Damaged By Suspected Arson.
OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS
• Senate To Work Over Weekend To Complete Barrett's Confirmation.
• Trump Calls Fauci "A Disaster" And Health Experts "Idiots."
• WPost Report: Atlas "Succeeded In Largely Sidelining" Other Task Force Members.
• GAO To Investigate Administration's Influence Over CDC, FDA.
• CDC Issues Recommendation For Masks On Planes, Other Public Transportation.
• Top Military Leaders Permitted To Return To Pentagon For Work.
• FEMA Threw Out Faulty Russian Ventilators.
• COVID Cases Surging By 50% In Nearly One-Third Of States.
• State Public Health Officials Finalizing Vaccine Distribution Plans.
• Cuomo May Lift Restrictions On Some COVID Red Zones.
• New Jersey COVID Cases Spike.
• Wisconsin Judge Reimposes Governor's Capacity Limit Order.
• Racism Blamed For High Rates Of Asian American COVID Deaths In San Francisco.
• Large School Districts Are Reopening Campuses.
• Doctors With Long-Haul COVID Symptoms Pushing For Better Care.
• DO) Says Trump Denied Rape Accusation In Official Presidential Capacity.
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• Supreme Court Controls Fate Of Subpoena For Trump Tax Returns.
• Administration Facilitates Ability To Discipline Federal Workers.
• Republican Voters Embracing QAnon.
• Devastating Wildfires Continue In Colorado.
• Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.5 Magnitude Quake Off Alaska Coast.
• New Yorker Suspends Toobin Following Report Of Improper Behavior.
• SCOTUS Allows Pennsylvania To Count Ballots Received By November 6.
• Chicago Police Save Man Hanging From Trump Tower.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
• US Borders With Mexico And Canada To Remain Closed Until November 21.
• Countries, Cities Impose Targeted Restrictions On COVID Hot Spots.
• UNICEF To Stockpile More Than 500M Single-Dose Syringes For COVID Vaccine.
• COVID Cases Hitting Record Highs In Europe.
• Iran Sets New Record For Daily Deaths.
• Top Palestinian Diplomat On Ventilator In Israeli Hospital.
• Kenya Health Minister Warns Of Second Coronavirus Wave.
• Abrams: US To Enact Preemptive Sanctions On Iran.
• Turkey Abandoning Outpost Surrounded By Syrian Army.
• Pakistan Lifts Ban On TikTok.
• US Rescue Mission In Yemen Helped Pave Way For Israel-UAE Peace Deal.
• Navalny Calls On Trump To Condemn His Attempted Assassination.
• Retirees Demonstrate Against Lukashenko In Belarus.
• Armenian, Azeri Leaders Both Say They Would Meet In Moscow For Peace Talks.
• Morales Ally Triumphs In Bolivian Presidential Election.
• Thai Authorities Move To Censor Coverage Of Student Demonstrations.
• Indian Army Detains Chinese Soldier Who Strayed Over Border.
• Chinese, Taiwanese Envoys Engaged In Fistfight During Fiji Event.
• Beijing Blasts Trump's Climate Policies.
• Differing Administration Response To Diplomats' Symptoms In China, Cuba Draw Scrutiny.
THE BIG PICTURE
• Headlines From Today's Front Pages.
WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE
• Today's Events In Washington.
LEADING THE NEWS
US Charges Six Russian Intelligence Officers With Launching Cyberattacks.
NBC Nightly NewsVI (10/19, story 8, 0:50, Holt, 5.28M) reported the US "is accusing six members of the Russian military of cyberattacks that caused blackouts and financial losses of nearly $1 billion." NBC (Williams) added "federal prosecutors say these Russians used some of the most destructive computer malware ever unleashed. The FBI says all six are intelligence officers in the Russian military. It says they knocked out electrical power in Ukraine during the winter, victimized the 2018 Olympics opening ceremony, and caused losses totaling nearly $1 billion." In addition, they were "accused of trying to interfere in the French elections in 2017, and hampering the UK's investigations into the poisoning of a Russian dissident and his daughter, but there are no new allegations tonight of Russian meddling in this year's election." The AP (10/19, Tucker) reports prosecutors say the attacks "were aimed at furthering the Kremlin's geopolitical interests and as retribution against its perceived enemies."
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The Washington Post (10/19, Nakashima, Barrett, 14.2M) reports FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said the charges show that "time and again, Russia has made it clear they will not abide by accepted norms and instead they intend to continue their destructive and destabilizing cyber behavior."
Reuters (10/19, Stubbs, Bing) reports, "U.S. officials would not say whether the timing of the announcement just ahead of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election was intended to serve as a warning to foreign, government-linked hacking groups." However, Jeff Pegues said on the CBS Evening NewsVi (10/19, story 4, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.4M) the Justice Department's action "is widely seen as a warning to Russia. The message, stay out of the US election."
The New York Times (10/19, Schmidt, Perlroth, 18.61M) reports, "It was unclear whether the Russian officers would stand trial for the charges." While Moscow "is highly unlikely to hand them over to be prosecuted," the charges "could potentially restrict their travels, and they could be arrested if they enter a country willing to turn them over to the United States."
CNN (10/19, Carrega, 83.16M) reports, "The alleged hackers are officers of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Monday's charges allege some of the most consequential political attacks levied by the Kremlin since its efforts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, including the hacking of Democratic Party email accounts." CNN adds, "The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania issued a federal arrest warrant for each of these defendants upon the grand jury's return of the indictment. They are all charged in seven counts: conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, damaging protected computers, and aggravated identity theft."
The Washington Times (10/19, Mordock, 492K) reports, "Several of the countries targeted had blamed the Russian government for the hacks. However, this is the first time officials have targeted Russia for the attacks through criminal indictments. `As this case shows, no country has weaponized its cyber capabilities as maliciously and irresponsibly as Russia, wantonly causing unprecedented damage to pursue small tactical advantages to satisfy fits of spite,' Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers told reporters at a press conference announcing the charges."
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10/19, Ove, 616K) reports, "Among the victims in 2017 were Heritage Valley Health System in Western Pennsylvania, which spent $2 million to repair damage by the malware, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said at a Monday news conference in Washington, D.C." Brady "and other officials said the Russian officers are part of the same unit that the Justice Department said attempted to disrupt the 2016 election and the 2018 Olympics after Russian athletes had been banned for doping. The Justice Department said defendants, all former or current members of Unit 74455 based in Moscow, unleashed the NotPetya malware. The attacks caused nearly $1 billion in losses to three victims alone that are mentioned in the indictment. In addition to Heritage Valley, they are TNT Express B.V. (a FedEx subsidiary) and an unnamed U.S. pharmaceutical maker that paid $500 million to fix the damage."
Politico (10/19, Geller, 4.29M) reports, "As officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, the six defendants launched a June 2017 malware campaign known as NotPetya, hacked the Ukrainian power grid in 2015 and 2016, and conducted the hack-and-leak operations that targeted the 2017 French elections, according to a newly unsealed indictment. NotPetya, which began in Ukraine, quickly escaped, causing devastating losses for companies around the world. The shipping giant Maersk saw its entire operation temporarily collapse as the malware locked up its computer systems. A White House report estimated the malware's total damages at $10 billion, according to Wired. It was the most destructive and widespread malware outbreak in history."
Reuters (10/19, Stubbs, Bing) quotes Bowdich saying, "The FBI has repeatedly warned that Russia is a highly capable cyber adversary, and the information revealed in this indictment illustrates how pervasive and destructive Russia's cyber activities truly are."
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The Hill (10/19, 2.98M) reports, "Among the alleged attacks were hack-and-leak operations against the political party of now-French President Emanuel Macron in 2017, along with other French politicians. They are also alleged to have targeted the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as retaliation for Russians being banned from participating in the games due to doping allegations. Further, the six Russian nationals were indicted in connection to attacks on the Ukrainian power grid and government agencies, which caused widespread Kingdom-based power nerve outages; agent for attack targeting on former two organizations Russian spy involved Sergei Skripal in investigating and his daughter; the United and for most recently targeting Georgian government agencies and companies."
Axios (10/19, Rummler, 521K) reports, "FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich thanked Google, Cisco, Facebook and Twitter for all stepping up and helping us with this investigation,' adding: This is more common that we work together with our private sector partners than ever before.'
KDKA-TV Pittsburgh (10/19, 144K) reports, "Along with the damage to the Heritage Valley Health System, they also caused damage and disruption in France, Georgia, the Netherlands, Korea, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The exceptional talent and dedication of our teams in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City who spent years tracking these members of the GRU is unmatched,' said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Christman. These criminals underestimated the power of shared intelligence, resources, and expertise through law enforcement, private sector, and international partnerships." USA Today (10/19, 10.31M) and the Wall Street Journal (10/19, Volz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provide similar coverage. Among news outlets also reporting are ZDNet (10/19, Cimpanu, 299K), Business Insider (10/19, Holmes, 3.67M), NextGov (10/19, Baksh), UPI (10/19), Fox News (10/19, Blitzer, 27.59M), Vice (10/19, Franceschi, 2.11M), NPR (10/19, Lucas, Ewing, 3.12M), the Telegraph (VS). (10/19, Mendick, Cook, Murphy, 956K), MeriTalk (10/19, Polit), Courthouse News (10/19, Rodgers, 2K), the Daily Beast (10/19, Melendez, 1.39M), CBS News (10/19, Quinn, 3.68M), and the Daily Caller (10/19, 716K).
From: Bulletin Intelligence
Sent: Tuesday, October 20, 2020 6:26:28 AM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
To: FBI@BulletinIntelligence.com
Subject: [EXTERNAL EMAIL] - FBI Public Affairs News Briefing Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Mobile version and searchable archives available at fbi.bulletinintelligence.com.
FBI News Briefing
TO: THE DIRECTOR AND SENIOR STAFF
DATE: TUESDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2020 6:30 AM EDT
TODAY'S TABLE OF CONTENTS
LEADING THE NEWS
• US Charges Six Russian Intelligence Officers With Launching Cyberattacks.
COUNTER-TERRORISM
• Maryland Man Linked To "Boogaloo" Movement Faces Gun Charge.
• Encrypted Apps May Conceal Full Evidence Of Whitmer Kidnapping Plot.
• Administration Imposes Sanctions On Businessman Moving Al Qaeda Money Internationally.
• Trump Says US Will Remove Sudan From Terrorism List If It Compensates Victims.
• French Authorities Crack Down On Islamists In Wake Of Teacher's Decapitation.
COUNTER-INTELLIGENCE
• While Ratcliffe Says There Is No Evidence Hunter Biden Emails Are Part Of "Disinformation
Campaign," FBI Still Investigating.
• States, Voting Districts Work With Law Enforcement To Secure Elections.
• State Department Officials Self-Isolating After Meeting With COVID-Positive Lebanese Spymaster.
• NNSA: Helicopter Flew Over DC Mapping Natural Nuclear Radiation.
• Congressman: US Must Sanction Russian Sovereign Debt To Protect Elections.
• EU Struggles To Defend Against Russian Disinformation Campaigns.
• Syrian Paper: US Officials Have Made Four Secret Trips To Damascus.
CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS
EFTA01658539
• Two US Park Police Officers Surrender To Face Manslaughter Charges.
• FBI Investigating Murder In Missouri.
• West Virginia Man Sentenced Over Child Pornography.
• Texas Man Charged With Bribery.
• FBI Investigating Disappearance Of Michigan Minor.
• Kansas Man Arrested Following Death Threats.
• Smuggling Ring Arrested In New York.
• Georgia Pair Sentenced For Drug Distribution.
• Louisiana Men Indicted On Gun, Drug Trafficking Charges.
• FBI Concludes Gang Probe In Louisiana.
• Massachusetts Man Arrested Following FBI Task Force Search.
• Operation In Massachusetts Leads To Four Arrests, Seizure Of Drugs, Firearms.
• Tennessee Meth Case Defendant Sentenced To 151 Months In Prison.
• FBI Investigating Oklahoma Shooting.
• Virginia Man Sues Airbus Over Claims Of Lying To The FBI.
FINANCIAL CRIME & CORPORATE SCANDALS
• COVID-19 Scammers Driving Unemployment Fraud Across US.
CYBER DIVISION
• Cyberspace Solarium Commission Releases Follow-Up To March Report.
• Lawsuit Alleges Indian Hackers Leaked Businessman's Emails.
• Schools Learn To Deal With Increasing Risk Of Hacker Attacks As Online School Year Amid Pandemic Begins.
• Pro-Iran Trolls Spreading Fake Scandals Posted On Legitimate News Sites By Hackers.
LAW ENFORCEMENT SERVICES
• US To Execute First Woman In Nearly 70 Years.
• DO) IG Discusses Growing Threat Of Drones For Prison Smuggling Operations.
OTHER FBI NEWS
• Wray Under Fire In Run-Up To Election.
• California Ballot Drop-Off Box Damaged By Suspected Arson.
OTHER WASHINGTON NEWS
• Senate To Work Over Weekend To Complete Barrett's Confirmation.
• Trump Calls Fauci "A Disaster" And Health Experts "Idiots."
• WPost Report: Atlas "Succeeded In Largely Sidelining" Other Task Force Members.
• GAO To Investigate Administration's Influence Over CDC, FDA.
• CDC Issues Recommendation For Masks On Planes, Other Public Transportation.
• Top Military Leaders Permitted To Return To Pentagon For Work.
• FEMA Threw Out Faulty Russian Ventilators.
• COVID Cases Surging By 50% In Nearly One-Third Of States.
• State Public Health Officials Finalizing Vaccine Distribution Plans.
• Cuomo May Lift Restrictions On Some COVID Red Zones.
• New Jersey COVID Cases Spike.
• Wisconsin Judge Reimposes Governor's Capacity Limit Order.
• Racism Blamed For High Rates Of Asian American COVID Deaths In San Francisco.
• Large School Districts Are Reopening Campuses.
• Doctors With Long-Haul COVID Symptoms Pushing For Better Care.
• DO) Says Trump Denied Rape Accusation In Official Presidential Capacity.
EFTA01658540
• Supreme Court Controls Fate Of Subpoena For Trump Tax Returns.
• Administration Facilitates Ability To Discipline Federal Workers.
• Republican Voters Embracing QAnon.
• Devastating Wildfires Continue In Colorado.
• Tsunami Warning Issued After 7.5 Magnitude Quake Off Alaska Coast.
• New Yorker Suspends Toobin Following Report Of Improper Behavior.
• SCOTUS Allows Pennsylvania To Count Ballots Received By November 6.
• Chicago Police Save Man Hanging From Trump Tower.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
• US Borders With Mexico And Canada To Remain Closed Until November 21.
• Countries, Cities Impose Targeted Restrictions On COVID Hot Spots.
• UNICEF To Stockpile More Than 500M Single-Dose Syringes For COVID Vaccine.
• COVID Cases Hitting Record Highs In Europe.
• Iran Sets New Record For Daily Deaths.
• Top Palestinian Diplomat On Ventilator In Israeli Hospital.
• Kenya Health Minister Warns Of Second Coronavirus Wave.
• Abrams: US To Enact Preemptive Sanctions On Iran.
• Turkey Abandoning Outpost Surrounded By Syrian Army.
• Pakistan Lifts Ban On TikTok.
• US Rescue Mission In Yemen Helped Pave Way For Israel-UAE Peace Deal.
• Navalny Calls On Trump To Condemn His Attempted Assassination.
• Retirees Demonstrate Against Lukashenko In Belarus.
• Armenian, Azeri Leaders Both Say They Would Meet In Moscow For Peace Talks.
• Morales Ally Triumphs In Bolivian Presidential Election.
• Thai Authorities Move To Censor Coverage Of Student Demonstrations.
• Indian Army Detains Chinese Soldier Who Strayed Over Border.
• Chinese, Taiwanese Envoys Engaged In Fistfight During Fiji Event.
• Beijing Blasts Trump's Climate Policies.
• Differing Administration Response To Diplomats' Symptoms In China, Cuba Draw Scrutiny.
THE BIG PICTURE
• Headlines From Today's Front Pages.
WASHINGTON'S SCHEDULE
• Today's Events In Washington.
LEADING THE NEWS
US Charges Six Russian Intelligence Officers With Launching Cyberattacks.
NBC Nightly NewsVI (10/19, story 8, 0:50, Holt, 5.28M) reported the US "is accusing six members of the Russian military of cyberattacks that caused blackouts and financial losses of nearly $1 billion." NBC (Williams) added "federal prosecutors say these Russians used some of the most destructive computer malware ever unleashed. The FBI says all six are intelligence officers in the Russian military. It says they knocked out electrical power in Ukraine during the winter, victimized the 2018 Olympics opening ceremony, and caused losses totaling nearly $1 billion." In addition, they were "accused of trying to interfere in the French elections in 2017, and hampering the UK's investigations into the poisoning of a Russian dissident and his daughter, but there are no new allegations tonight of Russian meddling in this year's election." The AP (10/19, Tucker) reports prosecutors say the attacks "were aimed at furthering the Kremlin's geopolitical interests and as retribution against its perceived enemies."
EFTA01658541
The Washington Post (10/19, Nakashima, Barrett, 14.2M) reports FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich said the charges show that "time and again, Russia has made it clear they will not abide by accepted norms and instead they intend to continue their destructive and destabilizing cyber behavior."
Reuters (10/19, Stubbs, Bing) reports, "U.S. officials would not say whether the timing of the announcement just ahead of the 2020 U.S. Presidential election was intended to serve as a warning to foreign, government-linked hacking groups." However, Jeff Pegues said on the CBS Evening NewsVi (10/19, story 4, 1:50, O'Donnell, 4.4M) the Justice Department's action "is widely seen as a warning to Russia. The message, stay out of the US election."
The New York Times (10/19, Schmidt, Perlroth, 18.61M) reports, "It was unclear whether the Russian officers would stand trial for the charges." While Moscow "is highly unlikely to hand them over to be prosecuted," the charges "could potentially restrict their travels, and they could be arrested if they enter a country willing to turn them over to the United States."
CNN (10/19, Carrega, 83.16M) reports, "The alleged hackers are officers of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU), a military intelligence agency of the General Staff of the Armed Forces. Monday's charges allege some of the most consequential political attacks levied by the Kremlin since its efforts to interfere in the 2016 US presidential election, including the hacking of Democratic Party email accounts." CNN adds, "The United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania issued a federal arrest warrant for each of these defendants upon the grand jury's return of the indictment. They are all charged in seven counts: conspiracy to conduct computer fraud and abuse, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, damaging protected computers, and aggravated identity theft."
The Washington Times (10/19, Mordock, 492K) reports, "Several of the countries targeted had blamed the Russian government for the hacks. However, this is the first time officials have targeted Russia for the attacks through criminal indictments. `As this case shows, no country has weaponized its cyber capabilities as maliciously and irresponsibly as Russia, wantonly causing unprecedented damage to pursue small tactical advantages to satisfy fits of spite,' Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers told reporters at a press conference announcing the charges."
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (10/19, Ove, 616K) reports, "Among the victims in 2017 were Heritage Valley Health System in Western Pennsylvania, which spent $2 million to repair damage by the malware, U.S. Attorney Scott Brady said at a Monday news conference in Washington, D.C." Brady "and other officials said the Russian officers are part of the same unit that the Justice Department said attempted to disrupt the 2016 election and the 2018 Olympics after Russian athletes had been banned for doping. The Justice Department said defendants, all former or current members of Unit 74455 based in Moscow, unleashed the NotPetya malware. The attacks caused nearly $1 billion in losses to three victims alone that are mentioned in the indictment. In addition to Heritage Valley, they are TNT Express B.V. (a FedEx subsidiary) and an unnamed U.S. pharmaceutical maker that paid $500 million to fix the damage."
Politico (10/19, Geller, 4.29M) reports, "As officers of Russia's GRU military intelligence agency, the six defendants launched a June 2017 malware campaign known as NotPetya, hacked the Ukrainian power grid in 2015 and 2016, and conducted the hack-and-leak operations that targeted the 2017 French elections, according to a newly unsealed indictment. NotPetya, which began in Ukraine, quickly escaped, causing devastating losses for companies around the world. The shipping giant Maersk saw its entire operation temporarily collapse as the malware locked up its computer systems. A White House report estimated the malware's total damages at $10 billion, according to Wired. It was the most destructive and widespread malware outbreak in history."
Reuters (10/19, Stubbs, Bing) quotes Bowdich saying, "The FBI has repeatedly warned that Russia is a highly capable cyber adversary, and the information revealed in this indictment illustrates how pervasive and destructive Russia's cyber activities truly are."
EFTA01658542
The Hill (10/19, 2.98M) reports, "Among the alleged attacks were hack-and-leak operations against the political party of now-French President Emanuel Macron in 2017, along with other French politicians. They are also alleged to have targeted the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, as retaliation for Russians being banned from participating in the games due to doping allegations. Further, the six Russian nationals were indicted in connection to attacks on the Ukrainian power grid and government agencies, which caused widespread Kingdom-based power nerve outages; agent for attack targeting on former two organizations Russian spy involved Sergei Skripal in investigating and his daughter; the United and for most recently targeting Georgian government agencies and companies."
Axios (10/19, Rummler, 521K) reports, "FBI Deputy Director David Bowdich thanked Google, Cisco, Facebook and Twitter for all stepping up and helping us with this investigation,' adding: This is more common that we work together with our private sector partners than ever before.'
KDKA-TV Pittsburgh (10/19, 144K) reports, "Along with the damage to the Heritage Valley Health System, they also caused damage and disruption in France, Georgia, the Netherlands, Korea, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom. The exceptional talent and dedication of our teams in Pittsburgh, Atlanta, and Oklahoma City who spent years tracking these members of the GRU is unmatched,' said FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Michael A. Christman. These criminals underestimated the power of shared intelligence, resources, and expertise through law enforcement, private sector, and international partnerships." USA Today (10/19, 10.31M) and the Wall Street Journal (10/19, Volz, Subscription Publication, 7.57M) provide similar coverage. Among news outlets also reporting are ZDNet (10/19, Cimpanu, 299K), Business Insider (10/19, Holmes, 3.67M), NextGov (10/19, Baksh), UPI (10/19), Fox News (10/19, Blitzer, 27.59M), Vice (10/19, Franceschi, 2.11M), NPR (10/19, Lucas, Ewing, 3.12M), the Telegraph (VS). (10/19, Mendick, Cook, Murphy, 956K), MeriTalk (10/19, Polit), Courthouse News (10/19, Rodgers, 2K), the Daily Beast (10/19, Melendez, 1.39M), CBS News (10/19, Quinn, 3.68M), and the Daily Caller (10/19, 716K).