[LINK] US Government and Bank of America hired HBGary to systematically attack wikileaks.

[Kim Holburn]

More from the anonymous leaks

http://www.thetechherald.com/article.php/201106/6798/Data-intelligence-firms-proposed-a-systematic-attack-against-WikiLeaks

> Data intelligence firms proposed a systematic attack against WikiLeaks
> 
> by Steve Ragan - Feb 9 2011, 11:38
> 
> After a tip from Crowdleaks.org, The Tech Herald has learned that HBGary Federal, as well as two other data intelligence firms, worked to develop a strategic plan of attack against WikiLeaks. The plan included pressing a journalist in order to disrupt his support of the organization, cyber attacks, disinformation, and other potential proactive tactics.
> 
> 
> Data intelligence firms proposed a systematic attack against WikiLeaks. 
> 
> The tip from Crowdleaks.org is directly related to the highly public attack on HBGary, after Anonymous responded to research performed by HBGary Federal COO, Aaron Barr. Part of Anonymous' response included releasing more than 50,000 internal emails to the public. For more information, the initial coverage is here.
> 
> What was pointed out by Crowdleaks is a proposal titled "The WikiLeaks Threat" and an email chain between three data intelligence firms. The proposal was quickly developed by Palantir Technologies, HBGary Federal, and Berico Technologies, after a request from Hunton and Williams, a law firm that currently counts Bank of America as a client.
> 
> The law firm had a meeting with Bank of America on December 3. To prepare, the firm emailed Palantir and the others asking for "…five to six slides on Wikileaks - who they are, how they operate and how this group may help this bank."


> Hunton and Williams were recommended to Bank of America's general council by the Department of Justice, according to the email chain viewed by The Tech Herald. The law firm was using the meeting to pitch Bank of America on retaining them for an internal investigation surrounding WikiLeaks.
> 
> "They basically want to sue them to put an injunction on releasing any data," an email between the three data intelligence firms said. "They want to present to the bank a team capable of doing a comprehensive investigation into the data leak."
> 
> Hunton and Williams would act as outside counsel on retainer, while Palantir would take care of network and insider threat investigations. For their part, Berico Technologies and HBGary Federal would analyze WikiLeaks.
> 
> "Apparently if they can show that WikiLeaks is hosting data in certain countries it will make prosecution easier," the email added. 

...

> The proposal starts with an overview of WikiLeaks, including some history and employee statistics. From there it moves into a profile of Julian Assange and an organizational chart. The chart lists several people, including volunteers and actual staff.
> 
> One of those listed as a volunteer, Salon.com columnist, Glenn Greenwald, was singled out by the proposal. Greenwald, previously a constitutional law and civil rights litigator in New York, has been a vocal supporter of Bradley Manning, who is alleged to have given diplomatic cables and other government information to WikiLeaks. He has yet to be charged in the matter.
> 
> Greenwald became a household name in December when he reported on the "inhumane conditions" of Bradley Manning's confinement at the Marine brig in Quantico, Virginia. Since that report, Greenwald has reported on WikiLeaks and Manning several times.
> 
> "Glenn was critical in the Amazon to OVH transition," the proposal says, referencing the hosting switch WikiLeaks was forced to make after political pressure caused Amazon to drop their domain.

...

> Some of the things mentioned as potential proactive tactics include feeding the fuel between the feuding groups, disinformation, creating messages around actions to sabotage or discredit the opposing organization, and submitting fake documents to WikiLeaks and then calling out the error.
> 
> "Create concern over the security of the infrastructure. Create exposure stories. If the process is believed to not be secure they are done. Cyber attacks against the infrastructure to get data on document submitters. This would kill the project. Since the servers are now in Sweden and France putting a team together to get access is more straightforward."





-- 
Kim Holburn
IT Network & Security Consultant
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