A ‘clandestine’ and wide-ranged cyber operation against the Russian government may be prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) by request of the Obama administration.
Photo: US Air Force / Airman 1st Class Krystal Ardrey
The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has received a task from the Obama administration to prepare a ‘clandestine’ and wide-ranged cyber operation against the Russian government in order to embarrass Russian President Vladimir Putin and high-ranking Kremlin leaders, NBC News reported, citing its own unnamed sources.
“The sources did not elaborate on the exact measures the CIA was considering, but said the agency had already begun opening cyber doors, selecting targets and making other preparations for an operation,” the report reads.
Reportedly, the White House intends to hold such an operation, the severity of which would match the severity of alleged Russian hacking.
For example, an attack on the Russian power grid would be ‘too loud response’ and could set a dangerous precedent, threatening with similar attacks in the US by Russians. In this way, an operation, designed to discredit Putin in the eyes of the Russian public, most likely, will take place.
“While the National Security Agency is the center for American digital spying, the CIA is the lead agency for covert action and has its own cyber capabilities. It sometimes brings in the NSA and the Pentagon to help…” the article continues.
According one former intelligence officer, a large cache of documents, which expose the “unsavory tactics” of Putin, had been collected. Meanwhile, retired Admiral James Stavridis noted that future attacks could be aimed at Russia’s ability to censor online content concerning “the financial dealings of Putin and his associates.”
However, the former CIA officers also pointed out that it still remains unclear whether or not such an operation will be carried out, especially in the light of administration’s history of abandoning covert action against Russia.
“We’ve always hesitated to use a lot of stuff we’ve had, but that’s a political decision,” one former officer said. “If someone has decided, ‘We’ve had enough of the Russians,’ there is a lot we can do. Step one is to remind them that two can play at this game and we have a lot of stuff. Step two, if you are looking to mess with their networks, we can do that, but then the issue becomes, they can do worse things to us in other places.”
Former CIA Deputy Director Michael Morell also expressed similar doubts and said that it was unlikely Russian networks would be attacked by the US.
“Physical attacks on networks is not something the U.S. wants to do because we don’t want to set a precedent for other countries to do it as well, including against us,” Morell said. “My own view is that our response shouldn’t be covert – it should overt, for everybody to see.”
Last Friday, Russia was officially blamed by the Obama administration for political hacks, involving the Democratic National Committee and other political organizations.
“A ‘clandestine’ and wide-ranged cyber operation against the Russian government may be prepared by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) by request of the Obama administration.” ——————————— IF this is true then the US has a far bigger problem than who’s got the bigger dìck come voting time.
Were the CIA doing this – they’d be doing it – NOT announcing it. So if it’s true then US security is soooo lax they can’t even keep an upcoming cyberattack under wraps.
Alt., the CIA are planning the attack and put out the info themselves …. in which case my theory that the people of the US are now all brain dead zombies is confirmed.
Well said Shahna !! Short and clear !! Is just bull shit !! The US depends much more on cyber structures than the Russians. The thing is WHO anounced this (??) and is NOT CLEAR. Any how it has the fragance of grasping straws : The US Navy bombs Huties non existing radar stations and now this shit ?? All of this points to a Russian Dominance and not the oposite, Putin desides the US Election, Putin desides what happens in the Middle East and I say Kudos to Saint Vladimir : The only and true Most Interesting Man of the World !!
http://map.norsecorp.com/#/ ;-)
hey this is awsome. are those real time hacking attemps???
Looks like it….
i bet they already have tried this for years without any good results. and i guess they will keep trying and maybe talk about all the dirty little secret’s of putin they’ve collected but never with any evidence.
but whatever… they blame russia and putin for everything without any prove, which circulates as truth around the globe.
it is a shame to witness McCarthyism working just fine eventhough it’s the 21century. when will it stop………….
Actually, McCarthy is another falsely maligned figure. The ‘Communists’ he was uncovering in the US Government are the same people who are in control now. Communism was merely one of the tools in their kit, and he seemed paranoid because he was uncovering evidence of the degree to which one unified cabal controlled the entire US power structure. They have subsequently discredited him to keep anyone from coming after them again.
“Physical attacks on networks is not something the U.S. wants to do because we don’t want to set a precedent for other countries to do it as well, including against us,” Morell said. ——————– Who’s this twat? Like we don’t KNOW you buggers hack each other ALL the time! There’s even a website where one can watch hack attacks in real time (and most come out the USA – next is China.)
They have becomed an perfect example of our “famous” little statue of an grumpy child, stamping His feet and yells in frustration and anger. By G. Vigerland.
Christ they are bonkers, and beside been downright stupid, their exceptionalism is indeed and to the whole world, been confirmed, yankeeboy, exceptionally bonkers, and humped with insanely greed and an self esteem of an petty tyrant, an wacko little f…. whom have the largest most slaughtering army in human history.
Yeah, what could possible go wrong, yankees go home while you stil have one.
peace
The US has been maligning Putin for so long – making up crazy sh*t and blaming him for every sparrow that falls so to speak, I’m sure people in Russia will take it all with a grain of salt and Putin’s approval ratings will rise as a result.
Exactly what I was thinking.
They are LYING when they said that we don’t do this stuff. I have a headache from the stories of … ‘Putin the thief’, ‘Putin the thug who murders political opponents’, oh and, ‘Putin the Olympic cheater’. So the U.S. is THREATENING to unleash an attack on Putin? LMAO.
If my govt is going to lie to me can they at least have the decency to make it a plausible lie?
This stuff is suposed to be covert and a surprise.
Pure bluff. Russian cyber warfare capabilities exceed ours, as a number of military reports have indicated. That’s why they are talking, not doing.