National Security

National

USAID Hack: Former NSA Official Calls U.S. Cyber Insecurity A 'Chronic Disease'

4:54pm May 30, 2021

NPR's Michel Martin speaks with Glenn Gerstell, the former general counsel for the National Security Agency, about the recent cyberattack that Microsoft says targeted government agencies.

National

What We Know About The Russian Phishing Hack

7:43am May 29, 2021

by Dina Temple-Raston

Experts blame Russian hackers for the latest attack — this one targeting humanitarian agencies. What can the Biden administration do to protect U.S. agencies from these supply chain hacks?

Microsoft says the same group that breached the software company SolarWinds seems to have launched another hack, this time using phishing attacks on a number of human rights agencies, including the U.S. Agency for International Development.

National

What Microsoft Officials Know About Russia's Phishing Hack Targeting USAID

7:04pm May 28, 2021

by Dina Temple-Raston

The Russian group that attacked SolarWinds focused on another government supplier in its latest hack: an email marketing company used by the U.S. Agency for International Development, Microsoft said.

Queue Listen Now

Russian Hackers Hit The U.S. Yet Again — A Security Expert Details How To Respond

5:12pm May 28, 2021

NPR's Ailsa Chang chats with Chris Painter, an expert in cybersecurity, about Russia's recent hack into an email account for the U.S. Agency for International Development.

Hackers used the U.S. Agency for International Development's email marketing account to send messages that looked legitimate — but links in the email exposed recipients to malicious software, Microsoft says.

What We Know About The Apparent Russian Hack Exploiting A U.S. Aid Agency

5:02pm May 28, 2021

Screenshots of the malicious email show that it purports to be a special alert from the government. "Donald Trump has published new documents on election fraud," the message declares.

Senate Republicans Have Blocked Jan. 6 Commission

4:28pm May 28, 2021

by Claudia Grisales

Senate Republicans blocked a plan to move forward on legislation Friday to establish a commission to investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol.

Queue Listen Now

National

Head Of Cybersecurity Firm That Detected USAID Hack Explains What Happened

12:35pm May 28, 2021

A group linked to Russian intelligence got into an email account used by USAID. Rachel Martin talks to Steven Adair, who runs the cybersecurity firm that detected the attack.

Queue Listen Now