"While organizations in the United States received the largest share of attacks, targeted victims span at least 24 countries. At least a quarter of the targeted organizations were involved in international development, humanitarian, and human rights work. Nobelium, originating from Russia, is the same actor behind the attacks on SolarWinds customers in 2020. These attacks appear to be a continuation of multiple efforts by Nobelium to target government agencies involved in foreign policy as part of intelligence gathering efforts," Microsoft explained. Microsoft believes the attacks are notable for three reasons. "First, when coupled with the attack on SolarWinds, it's clear that part of Nobelium's playbook is to gain access to trusted technology providers and infect their customers. By piggybacking on software updates and now mass email providers, Nobelium increases the chances of collateral damage in espionage operations and undermines trust in the technology ecosystem," Microsoft argued. "Second, perhaps unsurprisingly, Nobelium's activities and that of similar actors tend to track with issues of concern to the country from which they are operating. This time Nobelium targeted many humanitarian and human rights organizations. At the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Russian actor Strontium targeted healthcare organizations involved in vaccines. In 2019, Strontium targeted sporting and anti-doping organizations. And we've previously disclosed activity by Strontium and other actors targeting major elections in the U.S. and elsewhere," Microsoft explained. "This is yet another example of how cyberattacks have become the tool of choice for a growing number of nation-states to accomplish a wide variety of political objectives, with the focus of these attacks by Nobelium on human rights and humanitarian organizations." "Third, nation-state cyberattacks aren't slowing. We need clear rules governing nation-state conduct in cyberspace and clear expectations of the consequences for violation of those rules. We must continue to rally around progress made by the Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace, and more widely adopt the recommendations of the Cybersecurity Tech Accord, and the CyberPeace Institute. But, we need to do more. Microsoft will continue to work with willing governments and the private sector to advance the cause of digital peace," Microsoft vowed.<doc-sep>Monday evening, lawyer Michael Avenatti spoke with CNN's Chris Cuomo about the latest revelations about Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and allegations of sexual assault. Avenatti said that he has more witnesses that can "show and tell" that Kavanaugh also sexually assaulted them as well. During an interview with Fox News, Kavanaugh defended himself against the allegations by claiming he was a "virgin" while in high school. Avenatti told Cuomo that he was not buying this excuse and called it "demonstrably false." "I just think it's absolutely unbelievable. And I think the American people are smarter than this. You cannot reconcile the individual on Fox News with the individual that was joined at the hip with Mark Judge throughout the years at issue," Avenatti said. "You just can't. I don't believe that America is going to believe what Brett Kavanaugh just stated on Fox News. So, what exactly is he saying? Is he saying that he did not have sexual intercourse?" he continued. Avenatti went on, "Are we going to get into a definition of sexual intercourse. Does that mean he performed oral sex or had oral sex performed on him? Does that mean any host of any other sexual activities occurred? Or does he want America to believe that the only thing that he did until well into his college years was effectively kissed or French kissed a woman? Is that what he wants America to believe?" Watch the video below via CNN.<doc-sep>
Lynne Brookes, a classmate of Brett Kavanaugh‘s at Yale University, tore into the Supreme Court nominee in an interview on CNN over his performance at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday. Brookes — a self-identified Republican and the college roommate of Debbie Ramirez, the woman who accused Kavanaugh of exposing himself to her at a dorm party — spoke out in an interview with Chris Cuomo Thursday night. Brookes told Cuomo she and “a number” of her Yale colleagues were “extremely disappointed in Kavanaugh’s characterization of himself and the way that he evaded his excessive drinking questions.” “There is no doubt in my mind that while at Yale he was a big partier, often drank to excess,” she said. “And there had to be a number of nights where he does not remember. In fact, I was witness to the night that he got tapped into that fraternity, and he was stumbling drunk in a ridiculous costume saying really dumb things. And I can almost guarantee that there’s no way that he remembers that night.” Brookes added that her old classmates were texting and emailing about how Kavanaugh was lying before the Senate Judiciary Committee in his hearing. “I drank to excess many nights with Brett Kavanaugh,” she said. Brookes also recalled a time she claimed Kavanaugh and a friend barged into a room where a “guy and girl had gone off together, and embarrass that woman.” “The girl was mortified,” Brookes said. At the end of the interview, Brookes accused Kavanaugh of “blatant lying.” Watch above, via CNN. [image via screengrab] Have a tip we should know? [email protected]