Look over there! North Korean hackers!

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 12:11am

It's an "amazing coincidence".
Just as Trump is pushing us into a deadly military confrontation with North Korea - because REASONS - it turns out that North Korea has been up to no good on the interwebs.

In February 2016, the Bangladesh Central Bank was thrown into turmoil after hackers infiltrated its computer systems and fled with millions of dollars. Now, over a year later, evidence is mounting the attack is closely linked to the reclusive nation of North Korea.
At the time, the hack was described as the largest known case of financial cybercrime. The criminals attempted to steal what amounted to over $900m (£723m, €845m) by sending fraudulent requests via Swift, a global financial transaction and messaging service based in Brussels.

What an amazing coincidence that proof of ~~Russia hacking our election~~ North Korea doing bad things with computers happened to turn up at this politically opportune time.
It's almost enough to distract you away from another news item that happened today.

Hackers released documents and files on Friday that cybersecurity experts said indicated the U.S. National Security Agency had accessed the SWIFT interbank messaging system, allowing it to monitor money flows among some Middle Eastern and Latin American banks.
The release included computer code that could be adapted by criminals to break into SWIFT servers and monitor messaging activity, said Shane Shook, a cyber security consultant who has helped banks investigate breaches of their SWIFT systems.
The documents and files were released by a group calling themselves The Shadow Brokers. Some of the records bear NSA seals, but Reuters could not confirm their authenticity.

Hmmm. Interesting. It seems the NSA has been hacking into the international banking system to "monitor" it. Not steal from it like those dirty North Koreans.
Our spies would never stoop to theft. Our spies can be trusted.

Shook said criminal hackers could use the information released on Friday to hack into banks and steal money in operations mimicking a heist last year of $81 million from the Bangladesh central bank.
"The release of these capabilities could enable fraud like we saw at Bangladesh Bank," Shook said.

Yes, the NSA could have committed fraud with the tools that they specifically built to hack the banking system, but it must have been those dirty North Koreans.

"Based on the information contained in the data dump, the NSA has been able to compromise SWIFT banking systems, presumably as a way to monitor, if not disrupt, financial transactions to terrorists groups," Thomas told SearchSecurity. "There appears to be at least several dozen exploits, including zero-day vulnerabilities in this release. Some of the exploits even offer a potential 'God Mode' on select Windows systems."
"In this case, if Shadow Brokers claims are indeed verified, it seems that the NSA sought to totally capture the backbone of international financial system to have a God's eye into a SWIFT Service Bureau -- and potentially the entire SWIFT network," Suiche wrote.

That brings up a question: if the NSA had "total capture" of the entire SWIFT network, how come they couldn't stop those dastardly North Koreans?
Why couldn't they stop thieves from stealing $10 million from a Ukrainian bank?
Why couldn't they stop thieves from stealing $31 million from Russia's central bank?
In fact, at the exact same time that the NSA had total capture of the SWIFT banking system there was an unprecedented international crime wave in that very same system.

Isn't that a weird coincidence?
And how is Putin to blame?

Tags:

hacking

banking system

swift

Vote

Comments

Submitted by OzoneTom on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 12:56am

And the US Gov't doesn't even need to hack SWIFT

By agreement they have front door access to the SWIFT network for anti-terrorism purposes.

But "terrorists" aren't really what this is about...

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 2:33am

Clearly, the time has come to move from SWIFT to CIPS

In fact, it's long overdue. Plus, word has it that CIPS uses quantum encryption, which cuts the NSA off at the knees. No more Dollar hegemony. No more US sanctions.

Long time U.S. vassal state Japan to bypass dollar and SWIFT to transact using China's CIPS system in inter-bank settlement

Ever since China began to duplicate Western financial institutions starting in 2013, more and more nations have begun matriculating towards the East, and away from dollar hegemony. And one of the most important of these new infrastructures is the Chinese CIPS platforms which functions for the RMB the same way SWIFT does for the dollar.

Yet unlike the way SWIFT charges for swaps when nations have to use the dollar as a middleman since it still reigns as the world's singular reserve currency, CIPS allows for much lower transaction fees and the convenience of bypassing the U.S. currency through direct bi-lateral currency settlement.

No more Empire.

As the world continues to reject the dollar and the old financial model of a singular reserve currency, more countries are seeing the benefits of transacting in a bi-lateral environment. And once enough of these nations decides to follow this new economic model being laid out from Beijing, and create the critical mass needed to bypass the dollar completely, then the reserve currency will simply fade away via de facto consent, and force change onto the Western institutions that have run the global financial system for decades.

—

____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato

Submitted by Sunspots on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 8:12am

Ghaddafi was pushing a gold alternate

@Pluto's Republic

Medium of exchange for Africa when we decided to destroy Libya. Odd.

Submitted by Pluto's Republic on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 2:44pm

Yep. Gold was the final frontier

@Sunspots

…for both Gaddafi and Saddam, when they announced their intentions to trade with it to bypass the Petrodollar. Plus, gold in circulation is Kryptonite to the Dollar, in general. The US has neutralized the gold threat with very low inflation and very low interest, and kept gold prices low by flooding the market with "paper" gold for investors who believe it is somehow backed with real gold. Meanwhile, China and Russia have been on an extended gold-buying spree. The US claims to have the largest gold holdings, which it will need as nations continue to dump their Dollar reserves. I don't believe the dollar will lose much relative value, but it will lose its power, including the power to print dollars and export inflation elsewhere.

—

____________________

The political system is what it is because the People are who they are. — Plato

Submitted by k9disc on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 4:01pm

Well, We Will Just Have to Bomb the World Then, Right,

@Pluto's Republic ?

I mean, they're going to war with us economically and have tech that we can't penetrate. They have to be bombed. It's like Uncle Sam's Law or something...

—

“Tactics without strategy is the noise before defeat.” ~ Sun Tzu

Submitted by HenryAWallace on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 4:18pm

How did you have my idea before I did?

@k9disc

I can't stand it that our poor politicians have to think up reasons to be mad at one country after another. A modest proposal: Let's just cut to the chase and bomb everyone but us. Foreign policy problems solved.

Then, we'll only have each other to fight with.

Submitted by Ellen North on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 9:37pm

@HenryAWallace

@HenryAWallace

But isn't that already the plan? Sure seems to be...

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Submitted by SnappleBC on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 2:40am

I share your skepticism regarding the purity of the NSA

But even cursory reading turns up that this story goes back to the Sony hack and most of the attributions seem to be coming from places like Kapersky and Symantec. That would've all been before this was all politicized and implies one hell of some serious foresight in terms of propaganda.

I can go with both an untrustworthy NSA and a North Korean hack. Evidence will tell I presume.

Of course, as we all know, the NSA has a hard time keeping hold of it's tools. So perhaps that's how the North Koreans (or whomever) got the whole thing working?

—

A lot of wanderers in the U.S. political desert recognize that all the duopoly has to offer is a choice of mirages. Come, let us trudge towards empty expanse of sand #1, littered with the bleached bones of Deaniacs and Hope and Changers.
-- lotlizard

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 9:48am

What new evidence is going to turn up a year later?

@SnappleBC
It's a hack. Not arson or a murder.
Whatever evidence would turn up after so many months would be circumstantial.

Submitted by SnappleBC on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 2:55pm

For that matter... what of the old evidence

@gjohnsit @gjohnsit The most crucial piece was a bit of recovered data off of a found server. That means our authorities were involved in the capture of this data which means... of course... it is suspect without proof.

That being said, the "new data" that can turn up is simply additional honeypots capturing additional data out in the wild and/or some company like Kapersky chewing the data better. As I understand it, much of this information came from Symantec and Kapersky and they both operate broad sensor networks.

I am refraining from any judgement on the actual perpetrator until some evidence is presented. But given where much of this originated, I'm inclined to at least be hopeful there actually is evidence.

*** EDITED TO ADD ***
None of which means the timing still isn't awfully convenient. But from the Deep State's perspective it may be a happy coincidence rather than careful planning.

I'd also like to know if there are connections between the tools used and the massive toolkit "lost" by the NSA. Did we deliberately or inadvertently facilitate this?

—

Submitted by eyo on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 6:53am

How do you know the source, Grasshopper?

Says the CIA via wikileaks vault 7.

Today, April 7th 2017, WikiLeaks releases Vault 7 "Grasshopper" -- 27 documents from the CIA's Grasshopper framework, a platform used to build customized malware payloads for Microsoft Windows operating systems.

Grasshopper is provided with a variety of modules that can be used by a CIA operator as blocks to construct a customized implant that will behave differently, for example maintaining persistence on the computer differently, depending on what particular features or capabilities are selected in the process of building the bundle. Additionally, Grasshopper provides a very flexible language to define rules that are used to "perform a pre-installation survey of the target device, assuring that the payload will only [be] installed if the target has the right configuration". Through this grammar CIA operators are able to build from very simple to very complex logic used to determine, for example, if the target device is running a specific version of Microsoft Windows, or if a particular Antivirus product is running or not.

Grasshopper allows tools to be installed using a variety of persistence mechanisms and modified using a variety of extensions (like encryption). The requirement list of the Automated Implant Branch (AIB) for Grasshopper puts special attention on PSP avoidance, so that any Personal Security Products like 'MS Security Essentials', 'Rising', 'Symantec Endpoint' or 'Kaspersky IS' on target machines do not detect Grasshopper elements.
...

Don't be afraid to read wikileaks, please. At least read the summaries. Never forget Clinton's Podesta. /digress

Microsoft Windows is globalized malware for spy agencies. Divest divest divest, but try not to profit the other asshole monopolists, Apple Google. Try building something maintainable that your community can prosper with, don't just pay rent. Free Software, Free Society. Thanks

Peace & Love

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 9:32am

Microsoft has been working with the NSA since the 90's

@eyo
The first thing I do when I buy a new PC is wipe the HD and install linux.

Submitted by gjohnsit on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 10:13am

Leaked NSA malware

@eyo link

According to security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey, co-founder of Hacker House, the significance of what’s now publicly available, including “zero day” attacks on previously undisclosed vulnerabilities, cannot be overstated: “I don’t think I have ever seen so much exploits and 0day [exploits] released at one time in my entire life,” he told The Intercept via Twitter DM, “and I have been involved in computer hacking and security for 20 years.” Affected computers will remain vulnerable until Microsoft releases patches for the zero-day vulnerabilities and, more crucially, until their owners then apply those patches.
“This is as big as it gets,” Hickey said. “Nation-state attack tools are now in the hands of anyone who cares to download them…it’s literally a cyberweapon for hacking into computers…people will be using these attacks for years to come.”

Update

Microsoft says it has already patched the Windows exploits released by the Shadow Brokers group. The hacking tools, likely originating from the NSA, were released online yesterday, and Microsoft was able to test and confirm patches are already available for all currently supported versions of Windows.

What a coincidence. Microsoft patched them just a month ago. It's almost as if they were talking to the NSA.

Submitted by detroitmechworks on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 11:38am

I smell fresh Ink.

Now they can PROVE all of this, right?

Oh who am I kidding, of course they can't, but you wouldn't know that from the way the news is covered.

—

I do not pretend I know what I do not know.

Submitted by shaharazade on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 12:47pm

' the evidence is mounting'

is bandied around by the Ministry of Fear for cover every time they make a move in their mad game. Evidence has mounted that the Russians are coming and that the lunatic North Koreans are going to kill us all. Who gassed who? The MOAB will take care of these villains. I got an article that came through my face book feed that told me how to spot 'fake news'. It made me laugh as it was fake news. The mountain ranges of evidence that they throw out there are as convincing as when they tell you they are going to 'reform' social security or the EPA. Spooky cooked up data is not evidence of anything. Why is this called intelligence? Why do people think that artificial is intelligent?

Wednesday I got locked out of my google account and it took me a good 4 hours to get back logged in even though I had the right password and user name. "Someone just used your password to try to sign in to your Google Account". It was me trying to sign into you tube. They said that there was something fishy about my sign in. It was me you assholes. I had to get a code to prove that it was me and not some North Korean who wanted to hack my email to see my endless library notices, endless tweets and the drivel from pinterest.

Shah finally came home and fixed it as he knows how to jump through the hoops and loops. Google then wanted me to give them more info to fix my security so this would not happen again. They wanted my new android stupid phone number and told me to get a superdupper code I could use to verify who I am. Lordy, this Kafkaesque 'evidence' is way scarier then the NSA, North Korean or Russian hacker's playing cyber-war. Mounting evidence that Big Brother is out to scare the crap out of us all. Foxes guarding the hen houses and calling it 'security'. Meanwhile lets drop a big one.

Submitted by MrWebster on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 5:23pm

America has an obvious "hacking gap" which must be fixed

How come Russia, North Korea, and Outer Albonia have all the super duper invincible hackers? We need our education system to step up and put a national priority on producing our own super duper hackers. We can't afford to fall behind the Russians.

BTW. Interesting interview by Michael Casey.
Russian Hacking: Is The Cyber-Attribution Industry A Racket? With Yasha Levine
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ry5y1AVMpXI

Yasha Levine speaks about the roll of the Crowdstrike and other similar companies outside the issue of Russia that involves North Korea. He calls the new version of "celebrity lawyers" whose job it is to immunize clients like Sony from lawsuits.

Also, interesting take on why the DNC did not allow the FBI to look at their hacked in server which really eluded me, and probably not others. Once in the hands of the FBI they might find illegal shit which they could then act on.

It was Crowdstrike that essentially gave cover to the DNC and blamed Russia.

Putin is obviously behind the thefts within the banking system. We just need unknown "official" making unverifiable claim based on unavailable evidence to CNN to know its true.

Submitted by Ellen North on Sat, 04/15/2017 - 9:34pm

Great essay!

Great essay!
Luckily, Sunspots posted this absolute must-read earlier, so now I know how much worse it is than I'd even imagined...

All of these private companies producing falsified information to order! Including their own order. But of course they'd never do anything else illegal.

http://thesaker.is/why-vault-7-tools-used-by-private-contractors-shows-u...

Why Vault 7 Tools Used by Private Contractors Shows US Intel Needs a Ground-Up Rebuild Intel and News Building
April 14, 2017

So, I read that before I work my way up the page to your essay:

... That brings up a question: if the NSA had "total capture" of the entire SWIFT network, how come they couldn't stop those dastardly North Koreans?
Why couldn't they stop thieves from stealing $10 million from a Ukrainian bank?
Why couldn't they stop thieves from stealing $31 million from Russia's central bank?
In fact, at the exact same time that the NSA had total capture of the SWIFT banking system there was an unprecedented international crime wave in that very same system.

Isn't that a weird coincidence?
And how is Putin to blame?

And, as pointed out in your essay, it took them a whole year?! to decide that North Korea was to blame for a bank robbery, just as Trump is trying to please his Over Lards (not a typo - they're fat and juicy and there are a lot of hungry Poors out there) by making them defend themselves after threats, followed by further threats of a US 'First Strike' (illegal attack) because there's a lot of world to bomb into the Stone Age before the Psychopath Class finally has the smoking, radioactive, darkened and rapidly becoming airless as well as lifeless, ruins all to themselves. Yay! He who dies with the most toys wins! Dunno how he tells, though...

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.

Submitted by Tall Bald and Ugly on Sun, 04/16/2017 - 12:25am

What they don't

@Ellen North realize is that he who dies with the most toys is Still Dead! And so are we.

peace

—

Ya got to be a Spirit, cain't be no Ghost. . .

Explain Bldg #7. . . still waiting. . .

If you’ve ever wondered whether you would have complied in 1930’s Germany,
Now you know. . .
sign at protest march

Submitted by Ellen North on Sun, 04/16/2017 - 5:20pm

@Tall Bald and Ugly

@Tall Bald and Ugly @Tall Bald and Ugly

Oh, no, they're going to be immortal somehow, maybe as recorded personality characteristics (edit: on) computer programs 'living' in virtual reality, which will somehow cause them not to die with their bodies.

As you say, we're dealing with reality-rejecting lunatics...

—

Psychopathy is not a political position, whether labeled 'conservatism', 'centrism' or 'left'.

A tin labeled 'coffee' may be a can of worms or pathology identified by a lack of empathy/willingness to harm others to achieve personal desires.