More Thoughts on the DNC Hack

Jack Goldsmith
Tuesday, July 26, 2016, 10:31 AM

Earlier today I wrote the following tweets, collected here in one place, in reaction to the DNC hack.

1/ In assessing the DNC hack, remember that USG is no innocent when it comes to infiltrating foreign computer networks.

2/ The cyber-attack on Iranian nuclear centrifuges was one of the most consequential in history.

3/ USG openly & aggressively supports technologies that weaken foreign gov’t control over networks.

4/ The Snowden docs reveal that the U.S. penetrates an unfathomable number of networks worldwide.

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Earlier today I wrote the following tweets, collected here in one place, in reaction to the DNC hack.

1/ In assessing the DNC hack, remember that USG is no innocent when it comes to infiltrating foreign computer networks.

2/ The cyber-attack on Iranian nuclear centrifuges was one of the most consequential in history.

3/ USG openly & aggressively supports technologies that weaken foreign gov’t control over networks.

4/ The Snowden docs reveal that the U.S. penetrates an unfathomable number of networks worldwide.

5/ These are but some of many reasons why the USG is widely viewed as most aggressive nation for cyber ops.

6/ It’s also well known that US has in past used covert ops to influence foreign elections.

7/ Current U.S. cyber-espionage almost certainly extends to political organizations in adversary states.

8/ The difference w the Russian DNC op, if true, is that Kremlin published the stolen data. Otherwise it’s ordinary state espionage.

9/ The point is not that US is hypocritical if it complains about Kremlin op in USG/DNC networks.

10/ Nor is the point to defend Russia (or whoever is responsible), obviously.

11/ The point is that USG plays rough in cyberspace, and should expect others to do so as well.

12/ And yet USG seems perpetually unprepared. DNC hack is tiny tip of iceberg of possible electoral disruptions via cyber.


Jack Goldsmith is the Learned Hand Professor at Harvard Law School, co-founder of Lawfare, and a Non-Resident Senior Fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. Before coming to Harvard, Professor Goldsmith served as Assistant Attorney General, Office of Legal Counsel from 2003-2004, and Special Counsel to the Department of Defense from 2002-2003.

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