Via Reddit: A Microsoft executive sharply criticized a U.S. spy agency Sunday for its role in weaponizing a weakness in Windows and allowing it to be stolen by hackers and used to launch history’s largest ransomware attack.
"This attack provides yet another example of why the stockpiling of vulnerabilities by governments is such a problem," Brad Smith, president and chief legal officer at Microsoft, wrote in the wake of the “WannaCry” computer virus attack, which crippled computers worldwide.
He compared it to the U.S. military having some of its Tomahawk missiles stolen. “And this most recent attack represents a completely unintended but disconcerting link between the two most serious forms of cybersecurity threats in the world today — nation-state action and organized criminal action,” he added.Why didn't the NSA notify private industry to close the "security loophole"? #ObviousQuestion pic.twitter.com/xbFlzvR1aJ— Lem (@Lemang01) May 12, 2017
Smith’s criticism comes as the virus continues to spread around the globe, despite the efforts of companies, governments and security experts. Europe’s leading police agency said Sunday that the computer virus had reached an "unprecedented level," claiming 200,000 victims and spreading to at least 150 countries.
(Link to 'soft pay wall' article)
12 comments:
This smells like Deep State.
Considering Gates and Ballmer have been putting in backdoors forever, they suddenly object now?
I hope nobody proposes more government for the cure.
More cowbell would be better.
Eliminate the NSA.
Less government, 78% less would be good.
I was surprised at the small amounts the hackers were demanding in ransom for unlocking the files - especially of British NHS hospitals - they had frozen, amounts like $300 and $600. I don't know if frozen is the right term. This obviously wasn't about making a financial killing.
For something so expansive and affecting so many people; I don't know anyone affected. My company has sent out warnings, but as large as it is, none of its machines are affected. I have a brother-in-law that works IT for FAA; none of their machines are affected.
I'm not saying this is faux news, because I suspect it is real. But it does feel a lot like the "Russians are hacking us" when the reality is Sidney Blumenthal was spear phished because idiot phish in a barrel.
Permanent government can't do anything right.
Sorry for the lack of postings. I've had trouble connecting to wifi all afternoon
They got to Lem! If they can get to Lem, they can get to any of us!
Lem, that's an excellent question you asked in the tweet.
The incident exposes government malevolence and incompetence and negligence. An incident whereby a pristine and beatific and untouchable government agency's behavior worked against American citizens and business. Can they show instances where they've helped? They must so we can balance the good they do that we don't know about with the harm they do that we do know about to decide if it's worth having them around.
Things are very slow today. Have you noticed? I'm not getting some pages. Others are annoyingly slow loading.
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