“Everyone” knows Russia hacked the elections

“Everyone knows the Russians hacked the election.” Right?

Technical analysis: Malware “Russian hacking” sample provided by US government is common malware.

Please note this from WordFence.com, on Friday, December 30th.

Overall Conclusion

The IP addresses that DHS provided may have been used for an attack by a state actor like Russia. But they don’t appear to provide any association with Russia. They are probably used by a wide range of other malicious actors, especially the 15% of IP addresses that are Tor exit nodes.

The malware sample is old, widely used and appears to be Ukrainian. It has no apparent relationship with Russian intelligence and it would be an indicator of compromise for any website.

You can find a public repository containing the data used in this report on github.

This is not a political analysis in the slightest, but a technological examination of the facts as yet known. The article is lengthy and of interest if you’re well-versed in technical digital matters. Please read if you are so inclined.

Techie comments include:

unity100 December 30, 2016 at 6:19 am • Reply

Long story short, it doesnt have anything to do with Russia. ‘May have’ used by anyone indeed, however Russia being able to use datacenters located especially in Germany to hack against US is quite unlikely, with the German intelligence practically being subservient to US intelligence as recent leaks showed.

Steve Maughan December 30, 2016 at 6:24 am • Reply

What you appear to be saying is there is no “smoking gun” link even to Russia, nevermind the Russian Government!

mark December 30, 2016 at 6:27 am • Reply

Hi Steve,

It does appear that way. Unless FBI/DHS shares some additional IOC’s, there’s not really anything here we can use to make the connection.

Rusty December 30, 2016 at 6:34 am • Reply

Interesting what you find when you are on a non-political quest for the truth. I appreciate the work you did digging into this. It’s hard to find a source that doesn’t lean one way or the other, and just provides cold, hard facts. Thanks!!!

David Bennett December 30, 2016 at 6:42 am • Reply

Great article but don’t you think it is a confusing headline because if anything, your article shows there is no smoking gun that leads back to Russia as a state actor?

“US Govt Data Shows Russia Used Outdated Ukrainian PHP Malware”

Then Aaron hits a Commenter’s Home Run:

Aaron Miner December 30, 2016 at 2:01 pm • Reply

The problem with that reasoning is that this is also exactly what a non-governmental hacking job would look like. The burden of proof lies with those attempting to demonstrate a Russian plot to affect the election, which means they need to find evidence that distinguishes the a Russian hacking attempt from the null scenario. In the absence of such evidence, we must assume the null hypothesis (that it was more likely any of the many non-Russian, non-governmental actors capable of such an attack) until further evidence is presented.

Otherwise, we’d have to assume that the lack of evidence for aliens crash-landing in Roswell, New Mexico is evidence of a government conspiracy, because a government conspiracy would leave no evidence of an alien crash-landing in New Mexico. That would be circular reasoning, and therefore a fallacy.

It is claimed that “everyone” knows the Russians hacked the DNC, John Podesta’s emails, Hillary Clinton’s emails, et al, and turned them over to Wikileaks. Because it serves a political end for the Demorats — that is, it provides a ready and convenient excuse for Hillary Clinton’s having lost the election — the American Media Maggots have picked up on the theme as well. Therefore, “everyone” knows the Russians are responsible for the hacks and throwing the election.

However, what about the Sony hack two years ago? The FBI concluded after a few weeks that North Korea was responsible. It was convenient to say so, so it was so. Many people were not so sure. Why? Because determining a cyber attack is more of an art than a science. And intelligence agencies frequently rely on what is called “fourth party collection.” Even the NSA. Which was hacked.

But guess what?

For reasons delineated in prior posts, I think I’d consider the weight of the propeller-heads above over the input of others at this point, who are motivated by — well, let’s just say “self-interests.”

BZ

 

DOJ must be gutted: Denver S.O. fined $10K because no illegals hired

denver-sheriff-departmentLadies and gentlemen, if you harbored the slightest doubt that the US Department of Justice must be gutted through-and-through like a rotten fish, that doubt will now be completely erased.

This is not a joke. This is real. Note the phrasing of the top headline.

From the DenverPost.com:

Denver Sheriff Department penalized for wrongful hiring practices

by Noelle Phillips

The sheriff’s department will pay a $10,000 fine and will have to sort through old applications to identify people who were eliminated from consideration because they were not U.S. citizens

The Denver Sheriff Department has run afoul of the U.S. Department of Justice because it made U.S. citizenship a job requirement for its deputies during a hiring spree in 2015 and early 2016.

The sheriff’s department will pay a $10,000 fine and will have to sort through old applications to identify people who were eliminated from consideration because they were not U.S. citizens, according to a news release from the justice department.

The department must reconsider those applicants for future jobs, the justice department said.

I repeat: this is no joke. The DOJ is saying that foreign nationals must be hired for law enforcement. This is one perfect example of a 1986 federal law that should be re-examined and then scrubbed from the books for any number of reasons. Further, because of Obama and Lynch, the DOJ decided not to simply warn but to outright fine a department that is already struggling financially. That money comes out of the pockets of local taxpayers and — as James Comey pointed out with regard to HRC — the Denver Sheriff had no intention to violate.

Hillary escapes, the Denver Sheriff’s Department does not. Oh, the irony.

First and foremost, these laws should be critically examined under the new Trump Administration if for no other reasons than those of common sense and national sovereignty. Foreign nationals cannot vote in federal elections and many state/local elections, cannot sit on a jury and logically should not hold sway in any fashion over true citizens of this nation by yielding the authority to detain, arrest and possibly take lives through the application of deadly force to non-citizens. I fail to grasp that logic.

Do we really want to continue with the precedent of, essentially, hiring mercenaries as did Rome? Hessians, anyone? Please note this irony as well: the federal government will not allow foreign nationals to be federal officers and work for DHS or USCIS.

Already law enforcement agencies across the nation cannot access the USCIS database:

Sec. 274A. [8 U.S.C. 1324a]  (F) Limited use for law enforcement purposes.-The system may not be used for law enforcement purposes, other than for enforcement of this Act or sections 1001, 1028, 1546, and 1621 of title 18, United States Code.

Many will make the argument that green card holders and those with work authorization are legal under terms and pay taxes — to the extent that illegals walking into a market to purchase a pack of chicken pay taxes. To that I firmly reply: at best, at very best, they should be — in an extremely generous sense — considered last.

The Obama DOJ fined Denver SO for two reasons only: 1) to be punitive, and 2) to make a statement, an example.

This is a perfect time to re-examine most every immigration law on the books and then try to streamline a broken system so that people may become citizens lawfully and in something of a timely fashion. And until they are ultimately sworn in, they should not reap the benefits or largesse of this nation.

Let me also, finally, state the horribly unstateable. Law enforcement finds itself in a terrible bind with regard to hiring these days, due to both the public stigma and the physical crosshairs placed on LE currently. I’ve seen and experienced this situation before personally, as one of my SME venues of expertise was training. Most everything is cyclical in law enforcement and hiring practices are no different.

Because of the desperate need for law enforcement officers across the nation, many agencies are sub rosa having to lower their hiring standards. Any time you relax hiring standards you create a contingent of persons who will yield sub-standard performance. Those persons then become your department’s training officers, its detectives, Sergeants, its Lieutenants, Captains and so on.

At times like these many departments, to its and the community’s detriment, tend to forget the three major axioms of Risk Management altogether: 1) Negligence In Hiring, 2) Negligence In Training, and 3) Negligence In Retention.

That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you got LAPD’s Rampart scandal in the 90s. Those situations and events were corrected by tightening standards, demanding excellence, and attracting the best candidates possible via “3 At 50” and other incentives.

I’ve seen this before.

I know what I’m talking about.

Because as I’ve always said: “you get the kind of law enforcement you deserve.”

Buck up, citizens.

BZ

 

Amnesty to American murderers

Status

Islam -- Religion of PeaceYou read that title correctly.

Plus, the US is going to purposely provide amnesty to Syrian “refugees” — but it’s only going to be “temporary.”

When have you ever known any federal government program to be temporary?

From the WashingtonTimes.com:

DHS grants Syrians temporary amnesty

by Stephen Dinan

Homeland Security granted a new temporary amnesty Monday to more than 8,000 Syrians living in the U.S. right now, saying they can remain for up to 18 months longer no matter what their legal status.

Secretary Jeh Johnson issued “temporary protected status” to Syrians, saying that if they are in the U.S. as of Monday and continue to reside here permanently, they can apply for work permits and other documents to remain and live in the U.S. without fear of being ousted.

His order applies to some 5,800 Syrians who were granted status under a 2012 TPS program, and 2,500 new arrivals who don’t have a more permanent status here.

“Syria’s lengthy civil conflict has resulted in high levels of food insecurity, limited access to water and medical care, and massive destruction of Syria’s infrastructure. Attacks against civilians, the use of chemical weapons and irregular warfare tactics, as well as forced conscription and use of child soldiers have intensified the humanitarian crisis,” Mr. Johnson said in announcing the new program.

Those eligible for TPS include any Syrian illegal immigrants who have managed to sneak into or remain in the U.S. beyond their visa expirations over the past four years.

ISIS, of course, remains committed to inserting itself into Syrian “refugees” everywhere in order to inculcate itself into the local populations.  Their motives are not what one would call beneficial to the populations affected.

Perhaps the Obama Administration and good old Jeh (is that pronounced “je”?) Johnson might want to read a bit of their own Leftist American Media Maggot press — such as Newsweek — where it illustrates how and why ISIS infiltrates the Syrian “refugee” masses.

The additional truth you won’t read in the AMM is that a full third of Syrian “refugees” are ISIS sympathizers, and 13% support ISIS.

Also squashed by the AMM is the salient fact that, already in the United States, a majority of Muslims — 51% — favor Sharia Law over any other form of law to include state and federal.

51% of U.S. Muslims want Sharia; 60% of young Muslims more loyal to Islam than to U.S.

Let’s also read from the UKDailyMail.com:

Merkel on the ropes: Thousands of German protesters take to the streets saying she ‘Must Go’ and a key coalition ally withdraws support to open-door immigration policy after terror attacks

by James Dunn

  • Thousands to gather in towns and cities across Germany today at 3pm
  • They are calling for her resignation over open door immigration policy
  • Comes after four brutal attacks leaving nearly a dozen dead in one week
  • Three of the attackers were among 1.1million who entered as refugees 

Merkel’s premiership is hanging by a thread today as thousands gathered to call for her resignation while a key political ally dramatically withdrew his support over immigration policy. 

More than 5,000 protested in Berlin and thousands more throughout Germany over the ‘open-door’ policy that many have blamed for four brutal terrorist attacks that left 13 dead over the last month.

The Chancellor faced a fresh wave of fury after it emerged that two recent terror attacks and a third killing were carried out by men who entered the country as refugees.

The UK’s Brexit was, yes, a statement about economic rules and regulations, but it was also a statement made by the populace that they recognize they have lost control over their sovereignty, their dignity, their destiny, and their culture.  Those who voted for Brexit had had enough of Cameron, Merkel and their ilk, and drew the line at seeing their cities and towns turned from that of UK history and pride to that of Muslim sinkholes.  They were tired of their own culture held beneath that of Islam and the political fear that was concomitant.

Despite these figures and despite the fact that Europe is recoiling and reeling from mass importation of Muslims — and the Brexit — the US continues to learn nothing from recent history much less that of any greater length.

So what does this have to do with the title of my post?  After all, isn’t that just a bit cruel and over-the-top?

Not at all, ladies and gentlemen.  I submit that the US has a sufficient problem with the Muslims already extant; witness the recent events in Boston, Orlando, San Bernardino, Chattanooga.  Go here for the rather lengthy list of Muslims killing citizens in the US.

It’s no wonder Germans are protesting the Muslim invasion — and make no mistake, it is in fact a Muslim invasion aided and abetted by Germany’s Chancellor, Angela Merkel, as she doubles down on stupid and dangerous.  From TheGuardian.com:

Angela Merkel defends Germany’s refugee policy after attacks

Angela Merkel has delivered a staunch defence of her open-door policy towards refugees, insisting she feels no guilt over a series of violent attacks in Germany and was right to allow hundreds of thousands of migrants and refugees to arrive last summer.

“A rejection of the humanitarian stance we took could have led to even worse consequences,” the German chancellor said, adding that the assailants “wanted to undermine our sense of community, our openness and our willingness to help people in need. We firmly reject this.”

You and a few others may reject the limitation of the purposeful importation of more and more Muslim “refugees” into your country there by dint of extension, all of Europe — but there are many who are tired of your willingness to let whatever guilt exists in your steaming brain, Angela Merkel,  There is already a move afoot to impeach Merkel.

What the title of my post means is this: these are the future murderers of American citizens on behalf of and in the name of Islam.

It’s clear Obama and Merkel have the same goals in mind — a flooding of their countries with Muslim immigrants — but for different reasons.  And it is only the Atlantic Ocean keeping Mr Obama from completely duplicating the efforts of Merkel here in the United States.  No matter, the outcomes will be identical.  They will both be responsible for the murder of their own sovereign citizens at the hands of Muslims.

I can only think of one word at this point: treasonous.

BZ

 

US govt incompetent: you want MORE Syrians?

The US government under Obama (and with guidance and edicts from Mr Obama) cannot and will not fully and properly vet persons seeking entry into the United States.

Witness, for example, Tashfeen Malik.  Witness the US government massively incompetent.

Witness, for example, US Representative Jason Chaffetz (3rd, UT) take apart various US government drones who admit: they know nothing and, further, they don’t care.

The Obama administration cannot be sure of the whereabouts of thousands of foreigners in the U.S. who had their visas revoked over terror concerns and other reasons, a State Department official acknowledged Thursday.

The admission, made at a House oversight hearing examining immigrant vetting in the wake of major terror attacks, drew a sharp rebuke from the committee chairman.

“You don’t have a clue do you?” Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, told Michele Thoren Bond, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Correct.  Your US government doesn’t have a clue.  It couldn’t care less.

Check out this headline from FoxNews.com:

Feds can’t say whereabouts of those whose visas were revoked over terror threat

That says it all.  After having watched the video, can you draw any conclusions?

I certainly can:

  • The Obama administration isn’t concerned about US security
  • Obama favors Islam over Christianity
  • Obama’s minions fear being “offensive” in the face of terror
  • Obama refuses to name terror because he believes the US is too strong and needs to be taken down; it is responsible for what is bad in the world and needs to make amends, have its power diminished

Each government drone you watched in the video knows they will not be held accountable, they will not be fired, and they will continue to collect their paychecks and enjoy a glorious retirement that you will not experience.

“WHEREABOUTS UNKNOWN OF THOUSANDS WHO HAD VISAS REVOKED IN U.S. DUE TO TERROR CONCERNS.”

Remember: Obama wants to purposely import over one hundred thousand Syrians into the United States.

Read this:

“Ninety percent of Syrian refugee cases are being approved,” Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian told the panel. “The average worldwide is 80 percent. How stringent of a vetting process can it be if 90 percent are being approved?”

Europe is already doomed.  Angela Merkel helped to doom the bulk of Europe with a flood of Muslims and Paris has just begun to pay the price.

If we don’t wise up, this country faces the same plight.

BZ

 

Boehner caves on Obama’s amnesty

GOP InvertebrateNo more “plain and simple” than that.

From the WashingtonPost.com:

House passes bill to fully fund Homeland Security

by Sean Sullivan

The House passed a bill Tuesday afternoon to fund the Department of Homeland Security for the rest of the fiscal year, sending it to President Obama for his expected signature. The measure will not target Obama’s executive actions on immigration, giving Democrats what they have long demanded and potentially enraging conservatives bent on fighting the president on immigration.

The vote was 257-167, with some Republicans joining all Democrats who voted to pass the bill, which had already cleared the Senate.

Gosh, what did Boehner say once the GOP had the House and the Senate?  Something similar to “we won’t let amnesty pass”?  Or words to that effect?

Boehner caved.  The GOP caved.

My, the GOP winning both the House and Senate, that was truly a wonderful thing, was it not?  How the GOP would now swoop in and right wrongs?

I wrote quite some years ago about the GOP, and I repeat: “the best predictor of future behavior is past performance, or the lack thereof.”

BZ