4 ms·

I really wish this article would have mentioned the fake domain names used and include some screenshots or at least have asked MS for that information. I'm als

I really wish this article would have mentioned the fake domain names used and include some screenshots or at least have asked MS for that information. I'm also curious if these sites were hosted on MS clouds, then there might be some traffic data, etc. I wish they would also include that. Lastly, I'm not sure how MS made the connection to Russia. Did they shared some data, IP, etc. with US government to verify this? Does MS have the kind of cybersecurity forensic to independently determine the source? This reads more like fluff at this point.

kateido 8y ago
Yeah I am really wondering about Microsofts sudden interest for Russia. I don't know how they are tracking these, maybe they have some kind remote backdoor to the OS to verify its russian intelligence?
- SmellyGeekBoy 8y ago
  The original story involves Azure, Office 365, and domain registrations, nothing to do with their desktop OS.
thatfunkymunki 8y ago
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/we-are-taking-new-steps-against-broadening-threats-to-democracy/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/we-are-... has a list of some of the domains in question
- soundwave106 8y ago
  ...and although this doesn't show the nitty gritty details, that certainly explains why Microsoft is interested in this sort of thing. Four fake sites do look like government or think tank domains. But the other two reference OneDrive and SharePoint. Not exactly surprising that Microsoft would get involved with tracking those!
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
YorkshireSeason 8y ago
Here are the domains in question: my-iri.org hudsonorg-my-sharepoint.com senate.group adfs-senate.services adfs-senate.email office365-onedrive.com To be honest, that's a pretty meagre finding. I'm not worried about democracy, given that list ... Note also that the article says: The technology is free of charge to candidates, campaigns and related political institutions using Office 365. The related article [1] even states Microsoft AccountGuard is offered free of charge. Organizations must be using Office 365 to register. One might wonder if there might be a marketing angle to all this ... [1] https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/protecting-democracy-with-microsoft-accountguard/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/protect...
mistermann 8y ago
> Lastly, I'm not sure how MS made the connection to Russia. Did they shared some data, IP, etc. with US government to verify this? Does MS have the kind of cybersecurity forensic to independently determine the source? It's scary how few people are asking this question, particularly on sites like HN, and I've yet to come across anyone who's explained the method by which Russian involvement can be concluded definitively. Maybe the answer is out there, but I've never come across it.

kateido 8y ago

Yeah I am really wondering about Microsofts sudden interest for Russia. I don't know how they are tracking these, maybe they have some kind remote backdoor to the OS to verify its russian intelligence?

SmellyGeekBoy 8y ago
The original story involves Azure, Office 365, and domain registrations, nothing to do with their desktop OS.

thatfunkymunki 8y ago

https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/we-are-taking-new-steps-against-broadening-threats-to-democracy/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/we-are-... has a list of some of the domains in question

soundwave106 8y ago
...and although this doesn't show the nitty gritty details, that certainly explains why Microsoft is interested in this sort of thing. Four fake sites do look like government or think tank domains. But the other two reference OneDrive and SharePoint. Not exactly surprising that Microsoft would get involved with tracking those!
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]

YorkshireSeason 8y ago

Here are the domains in question: my-iri.org hudsonorg-my-sharepoint.com senate.group adfs-senate.services adfs-senate.email office365-onedrive.com To be honest, that's a pretty meagre finding. I'm not worried about democracy, given that list ... Note also that the article says: The technology is free of charge to candidates, campaigns and related political institutions using Office 365. The related article [1] even states Microsoft AccountGuard is offered free of charge. Organizations must be using Office 365 to register. One might wonder if there might be a marketing angle to all this ... [1] https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/protecting-democracy-with-microsoft-accountguard/ https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2018/08/20/protect...

mistermann 8y ago

> Lastly, I'm not sure how MS made the connection to Russia. Did they shared some data, IP, etc. with US government to verify this? Does MS have the kind of cybersecurity forensic to independently determine the source? It's scary how few people are asking this question, particularly on sites like HN, and I've yet to come across anyone who's explained the method by which Russian involvement can be concluded definitively. Maybe the answer is out there, but I've never come across it.