From The Hill
Russian hacker resurgence after midterms
By Jacqueline Thomsen and Olivia Beavers
Russian hackers are back in the spotlight after the U.S. midterm elections, carrying out a widespread campaign that targeted the federal government, media outlets and think tanks.
American officials were on the lookout for Russian interference ahead of and during the Nov. 6 elections, but the detection of activity by a Kremlin-linked hacking group took place just days after the polls closed.
Some researchers told The Hill that the recent cyber efforts are a sign that hackers are exploring the new political landscape now that Democrats will be in control of the House starting in January...
Steve Weber, faculty director for the Center for Long Term Cybersecurity at the University of California at Berkeley, said a number of scenarios could be playing out behind the scenes, and it’s unclear how exactly the groups are run.
Regardless of their orders, he said, the hackers could be showing that they can carry out campaigns at any time for whatever reason, and perhaps even for the sake of showing they still have the capability to launch cyberattacks.
“At the end of the day, it’s up to us to put ourselves in a position where we’re not as vulnerable to that sort of manipulation,” Weber said. “Trying to reason your way — why it is the Russians are doing what they do, when they do it — is not probably the best way to protect ourselves.”
Steve Weber is a professor in the School of Information and the department of political science, and faculty director for the Center for Long Term Cybersecurity.
