Hacks - Part II

Chapter 5 -  14

This are the chapters in which Donna explicitly addresses the DNC computer breaches, although she cloaks most of her discussion of it in "I'd talk about this, but it's a national security issue, and the FBI could send me to jail for talking about it." She implies that the DNC is wholly blameless, that Russia is definitely involved, and that Trump's nefarious supporters had facilitated the breach.

One glaring error Donna makes is to trust Crowdstrike. The firm, with Ukranian ties, was exactly the wrong company to put in charge of keeping foreigners from accessing their data.

Surprisingly, Donna has no curiosity about the activities of Wikileaks. She is not eager to explore who is behind the info breaches, and what organizations might benefit. What is clear is that the concept of sequestering data through disconnecting it from networked systems never seems to occur to her or anyone else.

It's an easy step - physically remove the critical computers from exterior networks. You can set up a small network that exists only between those harboring data, while isolating them from intrusion (so-called air-gapped systems). No, they aren't as useful - you lose the ability to get quick access to data - but they do protect them from being hacked.

My eyebrows rose at the claim made in her book about why the DNC didn't turn over the servers:

If you unplug the server to bring it to the FBI, disconnecting it erases part of the server's memory.

Huh?

Honey, before unplugging it, just shut it down properly, and the information contained in RAM will be written to a file where it DOESN'T disappear, but can be accessed later.

FYI.

Another hot topic in these chapters are the underhanded means in which Robbie Mook and his allies worked to keep the national DNC offices broke. The campaign had way more money than it needed, so it was more of a power play than a financial necessity to hang onto the cash. Reading this, I was surprised that Donna didn't play the useful card of saying "either give me the money I need, or there will be stories about the DNC not supporting Black women".

Shattered, the book by the pro-HRC operatives about the campaign, echoed this power struggle analysis. Truly, the Democrats have lost much by allowing the Clintons and Obamas to control the party; not only financial malfeasance, but loss of power by the state organizations.

For the Clintons, the state parties only exist to raise cash for the Clintons.

At the end of Chapter 13, engineers and computer experts are brought in to the DNC to work their wizardry. Naturally, the two people chosen are from Facebook and Google - TOTALLY trustworthy and non-Leftist.

Chapter 14 - Pussy tape, Wikileaks, the St. Louis debate. Donna feels vindicated, yet oppressed by the comments from Trump supporters (alleged). In this and following chapters, she writes of concerns about potential attackers - yet, no attackers, other than online trolls (not proven to be anything other than fakes designed to make her look embattled).

Chapter 15 - "Oh, My! I simply cannot understand why I'm accused of giving HRC the questions in CNN's March debate."

Remaining Chapters - Russia, Russia, Russia! I have a feeling that this election is NOT going to work out like everyone expects - which, being an old pol, I tried to tell them, but HRC's staff never listened. Did I mention they failed to transfer money to the DNC? Not that I'm SAYING there were crooks there, but...

How I SUFFERED for this review!