Communicating Clearly

For John, BLUF:  The inability of the Bureaucrats of the Federal Governmen to communicate well is a problem.  Either they don't wish to communcate or they did very poorly in school.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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The Hack

Here is the sub-headline:

How to write about attacking the United States:  The Cosmopolitan Globalists' Guide to Style

From the Claire Berlinski Substack, by the Cosmopolitan Globalists, 18 Decembewr 2020.

Here is the lede plus one:

The Cosmopolitan Globalists, we have grandly announced, will not chase breaking news.  It breaks, we shrug.

But the Cosmopolitan Globalists have done nothing useful today because we can’t take our eyes off the breaking news.  It’s best we be honest about this.  And we don’t know what it means any more than you do.

Is Russia about to invade a NATO country?

We don’t know.

What does “a grave risk to government and private networks” entail?

We don’t know.

How secure is the American nuclear deterrent?

We don’t know.

Who now controls American nuclear weapons?

We don’t know.

But one thing we do know: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency can’t go in there without an editor.

Then begins the writing lesson.  An important one.  For example, while I like the expression "Supply Chain", it may not convey information to a lot of readers.  To me it is the line of actions from the clerk writing a requisition to the delivery of the item needed, and maybe on to the payment of the bill.  All needed to keep parts flowing so things get done.  But, what does it mean to Joe Bagadonuts?  I don't think we can be sure.

I recommend the book Plain Words.  One thing I remember is that a sentence shouldn't exceed 20 words.  It takes a very good writer to write an intelligible sentence over 20 words.  Good advice.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Exposing Your Opponents

For John, BLUF:  Democrat operatives taking the low road.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Ex-aide pleads guilty in Senate hacking case

From Politico, via Yahoo News, by Reporter Josh Gerstein, 30 July 2019.

Here is the lede plus one:

A former Senate staffer has pleaded guilty to aiding computer hacking and evidence tampering attempts for helping a fired co-worker enter a Senate office at night and wiping down computers so the colleague wouldn’t be caught.

Samantha Davis, 24, a former staff assistant to Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), appeared in U.S. District Court just a few blocks from the Capitol on Tuesday afternoon to admit to two misdemeanorss for her role in events that culminated in the release of personal information of Republican senators backing the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.

In this part of the case it may be more evidence of why some scientists think the human brain isn't fully mature until age 24.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Computer Driven Cars as a Danger

For John, BLUF:  Sure, it will be safer and more efficient, until someone hacks the program.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Driverless Cars Could Become WMDs

Here is the sub-headline:

Autonomous vehicles are giant security risk and the white hats need to get there before the black hats do.

From The Weekly Standard, by Mr Zach Aysan, 9 October 2018.

Here is the lede plus two:

Eight months ago I published my concerns about how autonomous vehicles could be weaponized at scale via cyber-attack.  (For those who missed it, here’s the gist:  Due to the all-or-nothing nature of certain classes of cyber-attack, self-driving cars and other autonomous systems can be utilized by hostile actors to create a coordinated mass attack.)  It’s time for an update.

At a closed-door Q&A session at the software hacking conference DEF CON, Elon Musk said that a fleetwide attack was Tesla’s “nightmare scenario” and announced that they were going to open-source their security modules so that automakers could work together to secure a safe self-driving future.  (He later announced the security open source initiative on Twitter.)  Musk’s announcement is a great start, and I’m encouraged, since an open source initiative is the single most important step to securing autonomous vehicles.  But there have been other developments as well.

At an offensive cybersecurity conference earlier this year, former GCHQ information security specialist, Matt Tait, presented the keynote.  (Lawyers know Tait as a Lawfare contributor and hackers know him as @pwnallthethings. It’s fun and strange when worlds collide.)  One of Tait’s concluding remarks was that there are now numerous strategic threats to the world from a mass cyber-attack.  Military planners call nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction strategic threats because they impact military planning at the level that concern the national defence strategy.  Tait used the specific example of a hijacked Windows update since it could wipe out complex logistics chains, or the power grid.  The same type of strategic threat exists for autonomous devices as well.  Tait then implored his fellow cybersecurity researchers to be careful with the consequences of their actions.  To illustrate this, he displayed a mushroom cloud as the slide’s background image.

I don't see a major threat during rush hour, but just before or just after rush hour, with lots of cars moving at speed, there could be thousands dead.  Another 9/11, only more so.  The reason is that once you hack all the cars on I-495 around Lowell you have probably hacked all the self-driving cars from Portland, Maine, to Washington, DC, and beyond.  At that point it is only a question of how fast you can get out your signal before someone hits the kill switch.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Giving Away Your Secrets

For John, BLUF:  I suspect the to many Democrats on Capital Hill computers and the internet are just magic and they need magicians to operate their systems.  Anyone will do.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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44 Dems, Including Wasserman Schultz, Exempted Pakistani IT Aides From Background Checks

This is via Hot Mike, by Ms Liz Sheld, 2 April 2018.

The original article was in The Daily Caller, by Reporter Luke Rosiak, 1 April 2018.  Unfortunately, it wasn't an April Fools Day Joke.

Here are two key paragraphs:

Every one of the 44 House Democrats who hired Pakistan-born IT aides who later allegedly made “unauthorized access” to congressional data appears to have chosen to exempt them from background checks, according to congressional documents.

All of them appear to have waived background checks on Imran Awan and his family members, even though the family of server administrators could collectively read all the emails and files of 1 in 5 House Democrats, and despite background checks being recommended for such positions, according to an inspector general’s report. The House security policy requires offices to fill out a form attesting that they’ve initiated background checks, but it also includes a loophole allowing them to simply say that another member vouched for them.

And you wonder why they don't seem hot on illegal immigration?  They don't care.  It is all one great big party and since we are a land of immigration, what could possibly go wrong?

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Hope Springs Eternal

TRIGGER WARNINGS:  In which I suggest that Professors at Harvard often speak through their hat.

For John, BLUF:  The Left, the Clintonistas, just cannot let go of the defeat of Mrs Clinton by Mr Trump.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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HOW HILLARY CLINTON STILL CAN, AND SHOULD, BECOME PRESIDENT AFTER THE TRUMP-RUSSIA INVESTIGATION

From Newsweek, by Ms Julia Glum, on 16 October 2017.

From the third paragraph:

Harvard University professor Lawrence Lessig offered a Clinton path to the presidency on Medium, putting forward a series of "if/then" scenarios that lead to House Speaker Paul Ryan handing the White House keys to Clinton.

Here is the Professor's proposed path:

If number 1:  If Trump is definitively found to have colluded directly with Russia, he would be forced to resign or be impeached.

If number 2:  If Trump is removed, Vice President Mike Pence would become president.

If number 3:  If Pence becomes president, he should resign too, given that he benefited from the same help from Mother Russia.

If number 4:  If Pence resigns before appointing a vice president, Ryan would become president.

If number 5:  If Ryan becomes president, he should do the right thing and choose Clinton for vice president. Then he should resign.

"The answer seems unavoidable: He should nominate the person defeated by the treason of his own party, and then step aside and let her become the president," Lessig writes. "Without doubt, if Ryan did the right thing, that would be the most extraordinary event in the history of America since the Confederate Army fired on Fort Sumter. But unlike that, this event would build the union, not divide it."

But, the first "IF" is the hard one, although "IF" Number 3 is also a huge leap.  The reason I say the first "IF" is the hard one is because it isn't clear there is a connection between the Trump Campaign and Putin and Putin's Russia.  The use of "Should" in the headline is a leap that probably won't reach the other side.  Oops.

Perhaps more important is the question of if Mrs Clinton and the Clinton Campaign had greater "ties" to the Russians than the putative Trump Campaign ties.

And, if all of Professor Lessig's scenario comes to fruition we would be stuck with Mrs Clinton as President.  The Government Official who, through her Libya Policy, gave us Benghazi, and then tried to cover it up.  Keep that in the back of your mind when you think about nKorea.

UPDATE:  Here is the Blog Post by Law Professor Ann Althouse.

UPDATE:  Professor Lessig just said, on The Tucker Carlson show that it hasn't been proven that Russian interference was connected to Mr Trump.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

DWS and Imran Awan

For John, BLUF:  Is the "Russian" hacking of the DNC just a cover for deeper stuff?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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US House Democrat IT Scammers

Stuff you have probably never heard of.

Some speculation and some links from Law Professor Glenn Harlan Reynolds.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

DNC Non-Hack

For John, BLUF:  Interesting look at events last year..  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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A New Report Raises Big Questions About Last Year’s DNC Hack

Sub-headline:

Former NSA experts say it wasn’t a hack at all, but a leak—an inside job by someone with access to the DNC’s system.

This was published yesterday, 9 August 2017, in The Nation by Mr Patrick Lawrence.

Not everyone thinks it was the Russians who spilled the beans at the DNC.  Here is a view from what is an acknowledged Progressive source, The Nation.

Here is the start:

It is now a year since the Democratic National Committee’s mail system was compromised—a year since events in the spring and early summer of 2016 were identified as remote hacks and, in short order, attributed to Russians acting in behalf of Donald Trump.  A great edifice has been erected during this time.  President Trump, members of his family, and numerous people around him stand accused of various corruptions and extensive collusion with Russians.  Half a dozen simultaneous investigations proceed into these matters.  Last week news broke that Special Counsel Robert Mueller had convened a grand jury, which issued its first subpoenas on August 3.  Allegations of treason are common; prominent political figures and many media cultivate a case for impeachment.

The president’s ability to conduct foreign policy, notably but not only with regard to Russia, is now crippled.  Forced into a corner and having no choice, Trump just signed legislation imposing severe new sanctions on Russia and European companies working with it on pipeline projects vital to Russia’s energy sector.  Striking this close to the core of another nation’s economy is customarily considered an act of war, we must not forget.  In retaliation, Moscow has announced that the United States must cut its embassy staff by roughly two-thirds.  All sides agree that relations between the United States and Russia are now as fragile as they were during some of the Cold War’s worst moments.  To suggest that military conflict between two nuclear powers inches ever closer can no longer be dismissed as hyperbole.

All this was set in motion when the DNC’s mail server was first violated in the spring of 2016 and by subsequent assertions that Russians were behind that “hack” and another such operation, also described as a Russian hack, on July 5.  These are the foundation stones of the edifice just outlined.  The evolution of public discourse in the year since is worthy of scholarly study:  Possibilities became allegations, and these became probabilities.  Then the probabilities turned into certainties, and these evolved into what are now taken to be established truths.  By my reckoning, it required a few days to a few weeks to advance from each of these stages to the next.  This was accomplished via the indefensibly corrupt manipulations of language repeated incessantly in our leading media.

Hat tip to the Rob Eno.

Regards  —  Cliff

Democrats Re-Assessing?

For John, BLUF:  Not mentioned is that some Democrats could be knee deep in relationships with the Russians.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Democrats fear Russia probe blowback

The sub-headline:

'We need to talk about what people think about when they wake up in the morning, and it’s not Russia,' said one strategist.

The source is Politico and the author is Reporter David Siders, 5 August 2017.

Democrats are increasingly conflicted about how forcefully to press the issue of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.

Fearful of alienating voters who appear more concerned about the economy and health care, Democrats campaigning in districts across the country are de-emphasizing Russia in their rhetoric — and some are warning that a persistent focus on the Russia investigation could backfire.

And here is a comment from the ex-husbsnd of Ms Kimberly Guilfoyle:

California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, who’s running for governor, was even more direct in a recent appearance on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” The Russia investigation, he said, “doesn’t do anything for Democrats at all … It’s a loser.”

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

More on Mr Awan's Family

For John, BLUF:  On the face of this, it doesn't look good.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Democratic IT Staffer Arrested On Fraud Charge Has Family Links To SoCal Lawmakers

This is from CBS Los Angeles, on 27 July 2017.

Family members of a staffer for the former Democratic National Committee chair who was arrested this week while attempting to leave the U.S. for Pakistan once worked for several Southern California congressional offices.

As we know, IT Specialist Imran Awan was fired this last Tuesday by Florida Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz, after being arrested Monday at Dulles International Airport and then pleading not guilty to a bank fraud charge.

Nr Awan’s attorney, Chris Gowen, called the bank fraud count a “modest real estate matter” and the arrest is motivated by anti-Muslim bigotry.

Further in the story we learn:

Hina Alvi, the wife of Imran Awan, also worked for Schultz and was fired Feb. 2 by Rep. Karen Bass’ office, records show. A second brother, Jamal Awan, was fired by Rep. Pete Aguilar (D-Redlands) on that same day. Records show he was then terminated days later on Feb. 9 by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside).

Does the mean that these firings were motivated by "anti-Muslim bigotry?

And why were they so much earlier than Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz cutting lose Mr Imran Awn?

Maybe we will learn more on 21 August, when, according to Lawyer Gowen, an arraignment is scheduled.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Law Prof and Blogger Ann Althouse on DHS 7 October 2016 Announcement

For John, BLUF:  Either way, Putin wins.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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"Ann, I finally found the Department of Homeland Security statement that has given so much wind to the press Russia Collusion business."

"I'm having a hard time understanding the words, and was hoping you could help to elucidate them, as you are so good at doing," asks Dante in last night's "Open-All-Night Restaurant." Here's the full text:

Yes, it is really fairly thin gruel.  But, it is what Special Counsel Robert Mueller is working with.

Go to the link and read the short discussion from Professor Althouse.

Hat tip to Ann Althouse.

Regards  —  Cliff

DWS Silent re Awan

For John, BLUF:  I just hope there wasn't hanky-panky involved.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Wasserman Schultz Avoiding Reporters Since Awan Arrest

From The Daily Caller and Reporter Kerry Picket, on 28 July 2017.

Here is the lede:

WASHINGTON — Embattled Democratic Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz has avoided facing any media since her law enforcement arrested her former IT staffer Imran Awan Tuesday on bank fraud charges.

Of course she is.  There are no good answers as to what has been going on regarding Mr Awan and Rep Wasserman Schultz's handling of it.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

How Deep Does "Awangate" Go?

For John, BLUF:  This would be an awkward time to start another Special Counsel, drilling in the opposite direction.  But…  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Imran Awan Case Needs Special Counsel 100X More than Russiagate

This is from PJ Media, by Writer Roger L Simon, Wednesday, 26 July 2017.

This is about former House Democratic Party IT person Imran Awan.  The Wikipedia Article takes the approach of his defense attorney, this is all about nothing.

However, Mr Roger Simon disagrees.  A few paragraphs down his article we have these two paragraphs:

For years, Imran Awan had access to the secret data and correspondence of many House committees, including foreign affairs.  What did he do with it?  As I said, that's the worst case scenario (I guess).  But I don't want to bury my own lede in a welter of ledes, so here it is:

Jeff Sessions should immediately appoint a special counsel in this case whose tentacles are so vast they reach the highest levels of our government.  The FBI, working unsupervised, has already been tainted by its heavily-criticized investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails, an investigation that actually may turn out to be related to this one.  It cannot be trusted to do this by themselves.  We need a special counsel.

And don't forget "the mysterious death of Seth Rich". Sure, all the conspiracy theories have been "debunked", but now might be a good time to dust them off and maybe add the Pakistani ISI to the mix.

When the ISI is involved one can never be sure who is being betrayed.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Something is Rotten in DC

For John, BLUF:  Was DWS Hacked by Everybody?  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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MSM Ignores Loss of Data of Democrat Congresspersons

This blurb was posted at InstaPundit this morning (27 July 2017) by Mr Ed Driscoll:

JOURNALISM IS ABOUT COVERING IMPORTANT STORIES. WITH A PILLOW, UNTIL THEY STOP MOVING:♠  Total CNN and MSNBC Blackout of Arrest of IT Guy Continues; Print Media Mentions the Story — with Hilarious Understatement.

Just think of the media as Democrat operatives with lavalieres, and it all makes sense.

The Link is to The Ace of Spades.

A Link from The Ace of Spades to The Daily Caller provides this information:

Chris Gowen, Imran Awan’s lawyer, is a long-time campaigner for former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and a member of an attorney team that brought a fraudulent lawsuit against energy giant Chevron.

…

Politico reported the criminal probe concerned “serious, potentially illegal, violations on the House IT network.”

Gowen described Awan’s arrest as “clearly a right-wing media-driven prosecution by a United States Attorney’s Office that wants to prosecute people for working while Muslim.”

…

His official bio on the firm’s web site notes that he “left the Public Defender’s office to work for former President William Jefferson Clinton and then-Senator Hillary Clinton. Chris was a fact checker for President Clinton’s memoir, My Life.”

“He also served as a traveling aid for President Clinton’s national and international trips. Chris finished his tenure with the Clintons by directing the advance operations for then-Senator Hillary Clinton during her 2008 presidential campaign.”

Is the Trump/Russia meme just a classic example of misdirection, of maskirovka?  That would be the ultimate Russian Hack.

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

♠  The Pillow reference is to a Tweet by the Iowa Hawk, Mr Dave Burge, back on 9 May 2013.

For John, BLUF:  I am thinking the role of Julian Assange is being mischaracterized by some as a puppet, but that no one has the guts to offer him immunity to testify.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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Mueller Tries To Turn Manafort

From Reuters, by Reporters Julia Edwards Ainsley and John Walcott, Saturday, 22 July 2017.

Here are two aphorisms to keep in mind during this period of Post-election campaigning:

From Lavrentiy Beria (NKVD Chief):

Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.

From Ralph Waldo Emerson (about Dr Oliver Wendell Holmes writing about Plato, but still, sound advice):

When you strike at a king, you must kill him.

I have a friend who wrote about the mission of the Special Prosecutor:  "Confirm 98% of America who believes Putin has something on Trump whether political or financial or blackmail or nefarious dealings."  But, this isn't Watergate.  I am thinking out across the fruited plain are millions who will think this is a lynching.  The legal standard Mr Mueller faces is one thing.  The political is another.  What satisfies Democrats may not satisfy Republicans and Middle America Independents.

Hat tip to the Drudge Report for the news article.

Regards  —  Cliff

Fake News, Retracted

For John, BLUF:  Legions of Fact checkers, doing nothing.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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CLARIFICATION:  TRUMP-RUSSIA STORIES

There is no byline, as is to be expected in cases like this.  There is a dateline, Friday, 30 June at 5:32 PM EDT.

So, instead of all 17 Intelligence Agencies agreeing, a National Intelligence Estimate (NIE), so to speak, it was just four of the 17.

That works out to 23.52 percent.  Two thirty five is not a good batting average.  Someone should be sent down to the Minors.

And USA Today doubled down back in October, with this headline:

Hillary is correct: 17 intelligence agencies really did say Russia was behind hacking

So, both Mrs Clinton and USA Today had it wrong.

By the way, don't look to Snopes for the straight skinny:

Fake news was a prominent part of the 2016 election cycle, and Americans got a crash course in the ways that foreign powers use propaganda to tamper in elections when the U.S. intelligence community revealed their consensus belief that Russian government hackers interfered in the months leading up to November 2016 to help President Donald Trump secure a victory.

Emphasis Mine

Hat tip to the InstaPundit.

Regards  —  Cliff

Who Was Hacking Who?

For John, BLUF:  I think you are right that they are reading everyone's mail.  Nothing to see here; just move along.

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A friend of mine, commenting on the news toward the back of the A Section, said:

So, it now seems that, for much of the 2016 Election season, it was DHS that was trying to hack into STATE level voting systems. Especially those that opposed the Obama Admnistratin's attempt to exert federal control over state voting regulations and mechanisms.

That would be the US Department of Homeland Security.  I am sure they were just trying to help.

Isn't that reassuring?

And where is the outrage?

Regards  —  Cliff