dChan
Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 12:18 p.m. No.61240   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1269 >>1294 >>1298

One password allowed hackers to disrupt Colonial Pipeline, CEO tells senators

 

The head of Colonial Pipeline told U.S. senators on Tuesday that hackers who launched last month's cyber attack against the company and disrupted fuel supplies to the U.S. Southeast were able to get into the system by stealing a single password.

 

Colonial Pipeline Chief Executive Joseph Blount told a U.S. Senate committee that the attack occurred using a legacy Virtual Private Network (VPN) system that did not have multifactor authentication in place. That means it could be accessed through a password without a second step such as a text message, a common security safeguard in more recent software. "In the case of this particular legacy VPN, it only had single-factor authentication," Blount said. "It was a complicated password, I want to be clear on that. It was not a Colonial123-type password."

 

The panel was convened to examine threats to critical U.S. infrastructure and the Colonial attack, which shut key conduits delivering fuel from Gulf Coast refineries to major East Coast markets. Cyberattacks also hit U.S. meatpacking plants owned by JBS (JBSS3.SA), showing the breadth of infrastructure facing cyber threats. The Colonial Pipeline hack demonstrated that much of the company's infrastructure remains highly vulnerable and the government and companies must work harder to prevent future hacks, senators said during the hearing.

 

Security experts call the use of a single-factor login system a sign of poor cybersecurity "hygiene." They recommend two-factor authentication, which requires a secondary measure like a mobile text or hardware token, and most major companies require this across all internal applications. Senators questioned Blount about the company's preparations and the timeline for responding to the ransomware attack, which shut the line for days and led to a spike in gasoline prices, panic buying and localized fuel shortages. read more "I'm alarmed this breach ever occurred in the first place," said Senator Gary Peters, the committee's chairman. "Make no mistake: if we do not step up our cyber security readiness, the consequences will be severe."

 

The FBI attributed the hack to a gang called DarkSide. Some senators suggested Colonial had not sufficiently consulted with the U.S. government before paying the ransom against federal guidelines. Blount said he made the decision to pay ransom and to keep the payment as confidential as possible because of concern for security. "It was our understanding that the decision was solely ours to make about whether to pay the ransom," he said. Blount said Colonial did not have a plan in place to prevent a ransomware attack, but did have an emergency response plan. The company notified the FBI within hours.

 

Blount said Colonial has invested over $200 million over the last five years in its IT systems. When pressed to answer how much Colonial has spent to keep its pipeline cyber secure, Blount repeated that amount. A company spokesperson later clarified the $200 million was for IT overall, which includes cyber security. On Friday, U.S. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco urged companies to tell federal authorities whether they paid ransom to cyberattackers, information that can help investigators. Blount said even after getting the key from the hackers, the company is still recovering from the attack and is bringing back seven finance systems that have been offline since May 7. read more. On Monday, the Justice Department said it had recovered some $2.3 million in cryptocurrency ransom paid by Colonial Pipeline. Colonial Pipeline previously had said it paid the hackers nearly $5 million to regain access. The value of the cryptocurrency bitcoin has dropped to below $35,000 in recent weeks after hitting a high of $63,000 in April. As a result, the government recovered about 60 of the 75 bitcoin paid, but the value has dropped, falling short of the total dollar amount Colonial paid.

 

Bitcoin seizures are rare, but authorities have stepped up their expertise in tracking the flow of digital money as ransomware has become a growing national security threat and put a further strain on relations between the United States and Russia, where many of the gangs are based.

https://www.reuters.com/business/colonial-pipeline-ceo-tells-senate-cyber-defenses-were-compromised-ahead-hack-2021-06-08/

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 1:48 p.m. No.61263   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1269 >>1294 >>1298

State Department Lifts Travel Restrictions For Dozens Of Countries

 

Just as Ontario finally lifted some of its COVID-19-inspired travel restrictions, the US Department of State announced plans to revise its travel advisory for dozens of countries, including its neighbors, Canada and Mexico. While the border between American and Canada may remain closed until September, the State Department's decision to lower its travel advisory to a Level 3 from a Level 4 could have major implications for tourism around the world.

 

Back in April, the US rated about 150 countries out of 209 as "Level 4: Do Not Travel." Today that number has fallen to about 125 at the highest advisory level.

 

As restrictions start to ease, air travel, a popular gauge of travel linked to tourism, has started to rebound, As of the end of May, the TSA announced that it had screened nearly 2MM air travelers - the highest number since the pandemic began. News of Washington's plans to abandon the travel curbs sent airline shares climbing, with Hawaiian Airlines and Air Canada both seeing notable gains. Washington isn't the only North American nation easing travel advisories. Yesterday, Canadian PM Justin Trudeau was reportedly planning to lift travel restrictions for people who could prove they have been vaccinated

 

According to the Department of State, the department said it was updating the advisories after the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed the methodology for its travel health notices. The government was reportedly preparing plans to loosen the current 14-day isolation period for border-crossers who’ve had two vaccine doses, according to the people, speaking on condition they not be identified. Travelers entering Canada would still be tested for the virus and may be required to quarantine for a shorter period. Notably, these advisories aren't mandatory, but they do help airlines set their own restrictions for travel. Other countries often reciprocate for American citizens based on the State Department's advisories.

 

The decision, which will certainly be welcomed by America's European rivals, who have already opened the drawbridge to allow vaccinated Americans to travel to the Continent (so long as they leave COVID at home). This latest move comes just days before President Joe Biden is set to visit the UK for a Group of 7 meeting while Vice President Kamala Harris visits Mexico. Airlines and some nations have complained that current travel restrictions to the US are out of step with rising vaccination rates and the reduced threat of contracting Covid-19, and many limits on U.S. travelers remain in place. Pressure has been growing on the Canadian and U.S. governments to relax restrictions that have been in place since March of last year, dramatically reducing land and air traffic between the two countries. A pact that limits non-essential travel is due for renewal on June 21. The restrictions have hit the nation’s tourism and airline sectors particularly hard: according to one estimate the measures cost those industries about C$20 billion ($16.5 billion) in revenue last year. Pre-pandemic, Canadians made on average more than 1MM same-day car trips into the US every month. That’s down to just over 100K per month over the last 12 months.

 

Trudeau has mentioned a 75% vaccination rate as a key threshold when asked about potentially reopening the border. More than 60% of Canadians have received a first dose with about 8% fully vaccinated, according to data tracked by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. In the U.S., 51.6% have had their first shot and 42.1% have had two, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker. Active cases in both countries have plunged.

https://www.zerohedge.com/economics/state-department-lifts-travel-restrictions-dozens-countries

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 2 p.m. No.61266   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1269 >>1294 >>1298

China’s $862 Billion of Dollar Bonds Face Key Restructuring Test

 

A first-of-its-kind debt restructuring in China’s $862 billion market for corporate dollar bonds is underscoring risks global money managers face from complex pledges underpinning many of those securities.

 

Peking University Founder Group Corp., a business arm of the elite academic institution, won approval from creditors late last month for a debt resolution proposal. It marks the first major case where a Chinese state-linked firm addressed its onshore creditors and offshore bondholders in a single restructuring plan. But the amount of money that those broad groups of investors may expect to recover differ. Much of that comes down to a structure called keepwell deeds used in over half of the company’s $3 billion of dollar bonds. That’s essentially a gentleman’s agreement that commits to maintaining an issuer’s solvency while stopping short of making any payment guarantee. Fund managers from New York to Hong Kong are watching the Founder case, which could set a precedent for how such structures are handled when borrowers stumble. About $109 billion of Chinese offshore bonds outstanding, or around 13% of the total, have keepwells. They’re facing scrutiny as authorities let more firms fail, to encourage the market to price risk better. Turmoil at China Huarong Asset Management Co. has added to concerns, as most of its dollar debt has such provisions.

 

Founder Group is one of only several state-linked Chinese firms to have defaulted in the offshore bond market since late 2019 when Tewoo Group Co. became the first such major defaulter in two decades. The two groups of investors in Founder aren’t on the same footing though. Some offshore creditors have gone to court to demand payment, and others have fewer options for repayment than onshore creditors. Peking Founder and the restructuring administrator didn’t respond to requests for comment. Of Founder’s about $3 billion of offshore notes, five securities with face value totaling $1.7 billion carry keepwells. The company’s administrator last August rejected recognition of investor claims on the keepwell notes. Since then, some of the investors, left out of the restructuring plan, have initiated legal action offshore to seek better recoveries.

 

Two claims seeking at least $1.82 billion were filed last month in a Hong Kong court against Founder Group for alleged failure to make good on keepwell securities. Meanwhile, investors are also seeking to liquidate unit Founder Group (Hong Kong) to which another unit called Nuoxi Capital granted nine loans, according to a court filing. Nuoxi Capital is the entity that issued a number of the keepwell notes. Winning court backing on such bonds wouldn’t be without precedent. In November 2020, a court in Shanghai recognized a previous Hong Kong court’s ruling that validated the keepwell agreement attached to CEFC Shanghai International Group Ltd.’s euro-denominated securities. Of course it would be easier to avoid court cases in the first place. And the holders of the offshore notes that have guarantees rather than keepwells may get to avoid that trouble.

 

These notes have been recognized by the administrator and allocated the same payout ranking as onshore unsecured creditors, unlike the keepwells. The bonds are all guaranteed by Founder Group or unit Peking University Resources Group. While that hasn’t kept the bonds from trading at distressed levels, the market is at least pricing them above the keepwells. Still, even the holders of these bonds have fewer repayment options than onshore creditors. The domestic investors can opt for a cash only option, a combination of cash and debt to equity swap, or debt retainment in addition to cash payment.

 

In contrast, the holders of offshore guaranteed bonds can only go with the cash-only settlement via a trustee, Bank of New York Mellon, according to notices to such holders.

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/china-s-862-billion-of-dollar-bonds-face-key-restructuring-test-1.1614371

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 2:21 p.m. No.61269   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1270 >>1274

#284

>>61225 MJ12 Telegram: "Proof that the military is in charge...5 different POTUS' same routine except Not AF1 Joe-soc.media

>>61226 Who’s the San Diego judge upending California’s gun laws?-todayheadline.co

>>61227 Georgia, Alaska, and Colorado to tour the AZ election audit today.-soc media

>>61232, >>61255, >>61258, >>61259, >>61268 pf report(s)

>>61240 Muh VPN news: One password allowed hackers to disrupt Colonial Pipeline, CEO tells senators-reuters

>>61245 US On Track To Miss Biden's July 4 Vaccination Target As Demand Plunges-zh

>>61252, >>61251 Dr Roger Hodkinson – “When the history of this madness is written, reputations will be slaughtered and there will be blood in the gutter"-fos-sa.org + MJ12 telegram "Fauci is 'a dead man walking"-soc. media

>>61263 State Department Lifts Travel Restrictions For Dozens Of Countries-zh

>>61264, >>61265 based anon tells the troof: "MESSAGE TO ALL PRO BLACK PEOPLE PT.4-5"-soc.media

>>61266 China’s $862 Billion of Dollar Bonds Face Key Restructuring Test-bnnB'Berg

>>61267 China’s Act Of War, Interview With Patrick Byrne CD media via telegram

 

good time to drop 'dis

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 2:33 p.m. No.61273   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1274 >>1294 >>1298

Americans made $4B in bitcoin profits in 2020 – more than any other country, analysis shows

 

Data is based on deposits, withdrawals, and web traffic from various cryptocurrency exchanges. The year 2020 may be remembered as the year bitcoin went mainstream.

 

A new study from Chainanalysis shows that Americans pocketed a whopping $4.1 billion in bitcoin profits last year – more than any other country. China was second, with more than $1 billion in bitcoin profits, followed closely by Japan and the United Kingdom. Russia, Germany, France, and Spain, each profited about half a billion in bitcoin. Published Monday, the study notes that it’s impossible to know for sure where the parties of bitcoin transactions are located due to the decentralized nature of the platform. Still, the researchers were able to get a good estimate using transaction data from the services Chainanalysis tracks. This includes deposits, withdrawals, and web traffic from various cryptocurrency exchanges. The data showed that despite lockdown orders and high unemployment in 2020, Americans poured more money into bitcoin than in years prior due in part to the pandemic,

 

Investors in all countries tracked in the report saw the biggest gains after Bitcoin’s price increased from more than $11,000 in mid-October to just below $30,000 by the end of December. By that time, many American investors had sold off their crypto assets. But the price continued to steadily climb through April, during which it hit an all-time high of $65,000 before falling back down.

 

As of Tuesday, the price of bitcoin was hovering near $30,000. Its decline has been blamed on the government’s ability to recover some $4.4 million in bitcoin ransom paid to hackers who attacked the Colonial Pipeline.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/americans-made-4b-bitcoin-profits-2020-analysis

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 3:22 p.m. No.61278   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1294 >>1298

Trudope milkin' it

RCAF CFC1 Challenger 60 on ground at London Int'l Ontario from Ottawa-landed about 10-15 minutes ago

 

London assault that killed four Muslim family members a 'terrorist attack': Trudeau

https://www.cp24.com/news/london-assault-that-killed-four-muslim-family-members-a-terrorist-attack-trudeau-1.5461801

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 3:32 p.m. No.61282   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1283

>>61281

that not good.

something similar here a few years ago.

Found n'bor passed out and he died a few hours later.

dis the one who thought I wuz a spy..shhhhh don't tell no ones

Other n'bor was ripping him off and tried to do same when ded.

Pretty messy with the po-po too.

decent entertainment for a few weeks

kek

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 3:45 p.m. No.61286   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1294 >>1298

AVLON73 USAF C-40C departed Brownsville, TX and mentioned because of SAM580 arrival here earlier >>61200 pb

Arrived from Scott AFB, IL earlier

>>61172 pb

BERRY12 USAF Rivet Joint that was off Nicaragua/El Salvador Pacific coast continues back to Lincoln NE

Anonymous ID: 56e32e June 8, 2021, 4:16 p.m. No.61287   🗄️.is đź”—kun   >>1288 >>1294 >>1298

Boeing's new Air Force One jets could arrive late, cost more

 

Jetmaker is expected to seek more than $500 million in additional government funding.

 

Boeing Co. has estimated the new Air Force One jets it is building may arrive a year late and cost taxpayers more than planned, a top Pentagon official said. The aerospace giant has proposed handing over the two new presidential jets by the end of 2025, a year later than planned, acting Assistant Air Force Secretary Darlene Costello said on Tuesday during testimony before a House panel.

 

Boeing struck a $3.9 billion deal to replace the aging 747s, which are known as Air Force One when the commander-in-chief is on board, with then-President Donald Trump in 2018. Boeing is expected to seek more than $500 million in additional government funding for the two modified 747 jumbo jets because of an increase in costs related to the Covid-19 pandemic and a supplier's bankruptcy, according to people familiar with the matter.

 

An Air Force spokesman said Boeing hasn't formally requested additional funding. Ms. Costello said Boeing has told the Air Force it intended to submit such a request. Boeing declined to comment. "This is a disappointment to all of us," said Rep. Joe Courtney, a Connecticut Democrat who is chairman of a House Armed Services subcommittee. The delay, which would be a first for the Air Force One replacement program since the 2018 deal, comes as Boeing has faced setbacks in its commercial, space and other defense work in recent years. In May, the plane maker halted deliveries of its popular 787 Dreamliner so it could respond to questions from U.S. air-safety regulators. Pentagon officials are weighing Boeing's proposal regarding the Air Force One program and plan to update the delivery schedule for the heavily modified 747-8 jumbo jets later this year, Ms. Costello said. A delay in the new jets could mean the president's current two modified 747s, which Boeing delivered when George H.W. Bush was president, stay in service longer than planned. Boeing booked a $318 million charge related to the jets in the first quarter, citing the impact of the pandemic and problems with a supplier, GDC Technics LLC. Boeing also took a $168 million charge last year.

 

GDC Technics had been hired to outfit the interiors of the planes, which are officially known as VC-25Bs. The Fort Worth, Texas-based company is among a handful that specialize in outfitting interiors of executive aircraft for VIPs and heads of state. Boeing sued the supplier in April, claiming it missed deadlines on the project. The supplier, which filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, countered in court documents that the delays were Boeing's fault.

 

A GDC Technics spokeswoman didn't immediately respond to a request for comment

https://www.foxbusiness.com/industrials/boeings-new-air-force-one-jets-could-arrive-late-cost-more