Jewish Voice for Peace ad on Israeli policy, The Hill 5/8/15
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news THE HILL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015 11 By Elise Viebeck • Russian hackers who hit the White House in- filtrated an unclassified computer system and apparently accessed details about President Obama’s schedule. While the White House previously sought to downplay the seriousness of the hack, which took place last year, the intruders were able to see information about the president that was not publicly available, CNN reported Tuesday. Officials briefed on the investigation told CNN that the incident was connected to a Russian cy- berattack that also breached the State Depart- ment’s network. The breach of Obama’s schedule is notable be- cause the White House maintains tight control over information about the president’s activities. While a general outline of the day’s events is available to the press, Obama takes many meet- ings and phone calls throughout the day that are not publicly disclosed. The president’s precise whereabouts are also not always known, and the press pool that cov- ers Obama on a daily basis is restricted from ac- cessing many parts of the White House building and grounds. Intimate knowledge of Obama’s activities would be valuable to foreign intelligence agen- cies such as Russia’s. Officials with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that Russian hackers were able to break into the White House system through their foot- hold within networks at the State Department. The intrusion began when hackers sent what is known as a “phishing ” email from a State De- partment account, infecting a White House computer with malware, the investigators said. The State Department has been battling its own highly sophisticated cyber intrusion for months, though exactly which portions of its network remain breached is unclear. Private security experts had suspected there was a link between the State Department and White House break-ins. Russia is a key adversary of the United States in cyberspace and is believed to have infiltrated critical U.S. infrastructure, installing malware in software that controls everything from oil and gas pipelines to wind turbines to nuclear power plants. The White House breach made headlines last year as a sign of hackers’ ability to access in- creasingly higher levels of the U.S. government. White House officials confirmed in October that its unclassified system had been breached. Computers and systems were not damaged, offi- cials said, though some services were disrupted as cybersecurity experts sought to limit hackers’ activity in the months that followed. The “vast majority” of systems were back on- line as of late February, White House press sec- retary Josh Earnest said at the time. Russian hackers got the president’s schedule in White House cyberattack Intruders had info on Obama that wasn’t publicly available GETTY IMAGES Hackers broke into unclassified computer systems last year and were able to view nonpublic information about President Obama’s schedule.
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newsTHE HILL WEDNESDAY, APRIL 8, 2015 11
By Elise Viebeck
Russian hackers who hit the White House in-filtrated an
unclassified computer system and apparently accessed details about
President Obamas schedule.While the White House previously sought
to downplay the seriousness of the hack, which took place last
year, the intruders were able to see information about the
president that was not publicly available, CNN reported
Tuesday.Officials briefed on the investigation told CNN that the
incident was connected to a Russian cy-berattack that also breached
the State Depart-ments network.The breach of Obamas schedule is
notable be-cause the White House maintains tight control over
information about the presidents activities.While a general outline
of the days events is available to the press, Obama takes many
meet-ings and phone calls throughout the day that are not publicly
disclosed. The presidents precise whereabouts are also not always
known, and the press pool that cov-ers Obama on a daily basis is
restricted from ac-cessing many parts of the White House building
and grounds. Intimate knowledge of Obamas activities would be
valuable to foreign intelligence agen-
cies such as Russias. Officials with knowledge of the
investigation told CNN that Russian hackers were able to break into
the White House system through their foot-hold within networks at
the State Department. The intrusion began when hackers sent what is
known as a phishing email from a State De-partment account,
infecting a White House computer with malware, the investigators
said. The State Department has been battling its own highly
sophisticated cyber intrusion for months, though exactly which
portions of its network remain breached is unclear.Private security
experts had suspected there was a link between the State Department
and White House break-ins.Russia is a key adversary of the United
States in cyberspace and is believed to have infiltrated critical
U.S. infrastructure, installing malware in software that controls
everything from oil and gas pipelines to wind turbines to nuclear
power plants. The White House breach made headlines last year as a
sign of hackers ability to access in-creasingly higher levels of
the U.S. government. White House officials confirmed in October
that its unclassified system had been breached. Computers and
systems were not damaged, offi-cials said, though some services
were disrupted as cybersecurity experts sought to limit hackers
activity in the months that followed. The vast majority of systems
were back on-line as of late February, White House press sec-retary
Josh Earnest said at the time.
Russian hackers got the presidents schedule in White House
cyberattackIntruders had info on Obamathat wasnt publicly
available
gEttY ImAgES
Hackers broke into unclassified computer systems last year and
were able to view nonpublic information about President Obamas
schedule.
