From Birch Gold Group
One thing is certain, 2020 isn’t over yet.
In what could be called one of the major gaffes of the year, The U.S. Department of the Treasury was hacked, and the hack could have been carried out by foreign entities.
One person even told the Washington Post, “This is looking very, very bad.”
Reuters shed light on what will likely be a developing situation, including the possible foreign involvement:
A sophisticated hacking group backed by a foreign government stole information from the U.S. Treasury Department and a U.S. agency responsible for deciding policy around the internet and telecommunications, according to people familiar with the matter.
That, unfortunately, is only the beginning of this story…
Reporting on the incident, Robert Wenzel described a scene of panic in the U.S. government: “Officials were scrambling over the weekend to assess the extent of the intrusions and implement effective countermeasures, but initial signs suggested the breach was long-running and significant, the Post adds.”
A long-running and significant breach in the U.S. Treasury security infrastructure will likely generate ripple effects, especially if foreign actors were involved.
Well-known security expert Brian Krebs summarized the potential for both widespread and long-term impacts stemming from this single breach:
Communications at the U.S. Treasury and Commerce Departments were reportedly compromised by a supply chain attack on SolarWinds, a security vendor that helps the federal government and a range of Fortune 500 companies monitor the health of their IT networks. Given the breadth of the company’s customer base, experts say the incident may be just the first of many such disclosures.
Over 90% of the Fortune 500 Affected?
A visit to the SolarWinds website reveals some of the carnage from the hack, including a list of 425 companies in the Fortune 500 that could also have been affected in some way.
In addition to major corporations, Krebs reported the security breach at the Treasury might only be the “tip of the iceberg.”
That’s because SolarWinds also serves other parts of the U.S. government like:
- all five branches of the U.S. military
- all five of the top five U.S. accounting firms
- the Pentagon
- the State Department
- the National Security Agency
- the Department of Justice
- the White House
No matter what you think about this still-developing situation, it simply can’t be good.
Microsoft Reveals How Hack’s Impacts Could Reach Consumers
The Guardian also reported on the incident, and identified a potentially chilling effect on consumers of a major Microsoft product: “The hack involves the NTIA’s office software, Microsoft’s Office 365. Staff emails at the agency were monitored by the hackers for months, sources said.”
Of course, we won’t know if the breach has affected consumers for quite some time, as there are many unanswered questions. The investigation is still in its early stages.
Microsoft did publish a blog post addressing the hack, stating: “We believe this is nation-state activity at significant scale, aimed at both the government and private sector.”
If the private sector is part of the target in a malicious attack like this, then anything is possible. The private sector includes banks, insurance companies, stock exchanges, stockbrokers, basically everyone we do business with.
We don’t want to alarm you but we do want to suggest in the politest possible way it would be a good idea to take any precautions you feel necessary.
Especially those precautions that can help to protect your money.
Maybe It’s Time to Balance Out Your Digital Portfolio
If most of your retirement nest egg can be accessed digitally, then perhaps it’s time to consider re-balancing your risks. (Of course, your bank and your retirement account websites will SAY they’re perfectly safe – just like the Treasury Department did.)
It might make sense to add physical assets like gold or silver to your savings. Precious metals can’t be “hacked” because they aren’t digital, aren’t online, and aren’t stored in any computer.
With global tensions spiking, thousands of Americans are moving their IRA or 401(k) into an IRA backed by physical gold. Now, thanks to a little-known IRS Tax Law, you can too. Learn how with a free info kit on gold from Birch Gold Group. It reveals how physical precious metals can protect your savings, and how to open a Gold IRA. Click here to get your free Info Kit on Gold.
It is my sincere desire to provide readers of this site with the best unbiased information available, and a forum where it can be discussed openly, as our Founders intended. But it is not easy nor inexpensive to do so, especially when those who wish to prevent us from making the truth known, attack us without mercy on all fronts on a daily basis. So each time you visit the site, I would ask that you consider the value that you receive and have received from The Burning Platform and the community of which you are a vital part. I can't do it all alone, and I need your help and support to keep it alive. Please consider contributing an amount commensurate to the value that you receive from this site and community, or even by becoming a sustaining supporter through periodic contributions. [Burning Platform LLC - PO Box 1520 Kulpsville, PA 19443] or Paypal
-----------------------------------------------------
To donate via Stripe, click here.
-----------------------------------------------------
Use promo code ILMF2, and save up to 66% on all MyPillow purchases. (The Burning Platform benefits when you use this promo code.)
The time is coming when last phase the global reset, switcheroo, scam (insert preferred name here) will be put into effect. And that will be done by means of some kind of simultaneous and nearly universal disabling of access to every important data base and repository of important digital information. When access (of an entirely new sort) is restored, we will find that the old digital records have been altered as needed and directed. We will further find that this new base of “data” is the legal base from which ownership of, access to, and ability to dispose of every significant asset on the face of the earth. We will also be told that the units of value by which those assets are officially valued has been changed, if needed, to suit the new base referred to above. As in the NFL, the decision of the replay officials will be final. No, you will not get credit for that touchdown.
So this “hack” is just another operation, a step along to path to stealing everything they want. All the reporting which indicates that the CIA, or NASDAQ, or KGB, or USFED, or Mossad, or BIS. or anyone else of note is surprised or opposed is a lie. They are all in on it. Test here, poke there, try this, try that. Making sure that when they launch the operation, they have every base covered. When they are ready, they will let us all know, and all at once.
Not tomorrow, but not too awful long either.
They will wait until Trump pulls the rabbit out of the hat in the election, and then tie the event to his doing such.