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Russian tourist offered employee $1 million to cripple Tesla with malware:
Tesla's Nevada Gigafactory was the target of a concerted plot to cripple the company's network with malware, CEO Elon Musk confirmed on Thursday afternoon.
The plan's outline was divulged on Tuesday in a criminal complaint that accused a Russian man of offering $1 million to the employee of a Nevada company, identified only as "Company A," in exchange for the employee infecting the company's network. The employee reported the offer to Tesla and later worked with the FBI in a sting that involved him covertly recording face-to-face meetings discussing the proposal.
"The purpose of the conspiracy was to recruit an employee of a company to surreptitiously transmit malware provided by the coconspirators into the company's computer system, exfiltrate data from the company's network, and threaten to disclose the data online unless the company paid the coconspirators' ransom demand," prosecutors wrote in the complaint.
Was the Russian working for Ivan Vanko?
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Runaway1956 on Saturday August 29 2020, @04:34AM (9 children)
That's a pretty big incentive. Musk and company are lucky the spy chose the wrong person to recruit.
Of course, the chances of being caught were probably reasonably high. Computer forensics have caught a lot of wannabe "hackers", not to mention kiddy diddlers and other criminals. I presume Trump maintains reasonably high security standards.
(Score: 1, Redundant) by Runaway1956 on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:18AM (1 child)
Trump, oh-kay - reading too many pages at the same time, LOL
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:16PM
Curses! You corrected yourself before I could mock you.
(Score: 2) by jasassin on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:42AM (5 children)
Humorous!
Then you had to go all childish, and make a cliche political jab. Uncouth and sad.
If the Russian government wanted IP from Tesla, they'd already have it... i.e. the perpetrator is a Russian nutjob, or this is a farce.
Maybe it's my redesigned tinfoil hat.
jasassin@gmail.com GPG Key ID: 0xE6462C68A9A3DB5A
(Score: 5, Insightful) by pkrasimirov on Saturday August 29 2020, @06:25AM (2 children)
My guess it is really not a Russian-government attack, rather Russian-criminal. I mean Russian private-sector criminal.
(Score: -1, Troll) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @10:46AM
To be more presize, Jew residing at former Soviet block private enterprize criminal.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @12:36PM
Probably contracted by someone at the UAW...
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Saturday August 29 2020, @02:48PM (1 child)
I gather from Runaway's followup comment that he accidentally typed "Trump" when he had intended to type "Musk". So please replace "Trump" with "Musk" and see how it works for you.
Good point. I posit: maybe Russian govt. (or whoever is supposedly behind this) already has the IP they want and this whole tourist / spy thing is a smokescreen.
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Saturday August 29 2020, @02:50PM
Now it's my turn- I meant "propose", not "posit". Hitting "submit" when in a rush is never good...
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Saturday August 29 2020, @07:47AM
That's *so* unfair. Musk should have had him insert the malware into a honeynet, let it exfiltrate some fake data, and laugh at them when they try to collect the money. At least he should have given the guy a solid chunk of change for coming forward -- It's not like he can't afford it.
(Score: 2) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:14AM (15 children)
Who stands to profit from hurting Tesla most in Russia? Kalashnikov [autocar.co.uk] of course!
I just can't understand companies who are not willing to compete on the merits of their products alone. I mean surely they have what it takes to give Tesla a run for their money. Why resort to such dirty tactics?
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:43AM
Isn't SpaceX eating the Russian's space launch program for lunch?
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:44AM (2 children)
It's all about morals and ethics and what values you were raised with and hold. To some, "compete" has no rules or boundaries. "All's fair in love and war."
The other day I was watching a Russian driving (crash) video that has subtitles and a crash involved a rare car that was produced by a Russian car startup that didn't make it. One of his comments was that there have been many failed car startups in Russia. I don't know much else, but that kind of environment leads to desperation.
Hopefully Tesla, and everyone really, will take notice and try to be prepared for such attacks in the future.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Saturday August 29 2020, @03:28PM (1 child)
"It's all about morals and ethics and what values you were raised with and hold. To some, "compete" has no rules or boundaries."
Sounds like Microsoft!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by RS3 on Sunday August 30 2020, @03:56AM
Someone should write the book: "What the world would be like if everyone behaved with Microsoftian ethics".
Oh, wait, nevermind.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:49AM (1 child)
> Why resort to such dirty tactics?
Some folks think winning is everything. It's tough to compete. It's easier to cheat.
---
In fact, that's why I hate people so much.
---
OBTW, is anybody tired of winning yet?
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Saturday August 29 2020, @03:30PM
Insightful AND funny at the same time!
And so saddening as well. Job well done!
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 3, Insightful) by pkrasimirov on Saturday August 29 2020, @06:27AM
> Why resort to such dirty tactics?
Habits.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @09:22AM (2 children)
Kalashnikov got some press a couple of years ago for their retro-styled electric prototype. Just looked and there hasn't been any news since. Either they quit (starting a car production line is very expensive) or have gone dark while trying to move the project forward?
At least some of the press suggested they had a very compact inverter, that makes me think they don't need Tesla technology, at least not on the power electronics side. Perhaps they are lacking battery tech? But batteries can be purchased, no real need to make your own until production volumes are high.
(Score: 2, Disagree) by Rosco P. Coltrane on Saturday August 29 2020, @03:26PM (1 child)
Yes, that was a joke. Nobody got it. Oh well...
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @04:12PM
Hi there! It looks like you're trying to write a joke. Would you like help with that?
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:15PM (4 children)
I just can't understand companies who are not willing to compete on the merits of their products alone. I mean surely they have what it takes to give Tesla a run for their money. Why resort to such dirty tactics?
How many successful Russian car companies do you know of? I can't think of a single one. If Russia can't make any car companies that are competitive on the global market like Toyota, Honda, VW, etc., then how are they going to compete in the EV market?
In fact, what products does Russia make that are competitive on the global market at all? Again, I can't think of a single one. The only thing I know Russia is successful at exporting is oil and gas. They used to be good at space launch hardware, but now SpaceX and some other companies have rendered them unneeded.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @07:42PM
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @09:31PM
Um...maybe Vodka?
(Score: 2) by engblom on Saturday August 29 2020, @09:47PM (1 child)
While it is not as expensive as cars, they are successful in making razor blades. The market is dominated by Russian made blades. Even Gillette blades are made in the St Petersburg factory. I am shaving with Sputnik branded Russian made double edge blades coming from that factory.
When it comes to clothing, few shell clothes beats the Russian "gorka" suits. I live in a Western country but I buy those suits because they are good for their price.
Because of how Russia is led and how many countries are not doing business with Russia because of their politics you do not see the same much products from there as it could be otherwise. I am not defending their politics, I just think it is unfair to say that they are not making competitive products at all.
(Score: 2) by Grishnakh on Saturday August 29 2020, @10:46PM
That's funny, I actually use Russian-made "Astra" double-edge blades too. I didn't really think of it as some kind of major industry though (most people don't use double-edged blades these days, and I didn't know about Gillette) so I didn't mention it.
As for suits, who still wears those?
I don't think it's unfair to say they aren't making competitive products at all. How many Russian products are for sale in other countries (especially North America, Europe, and Japan/Korea)? Almost none. It's entirely fair to say this, because it's true, and if their politics are a big reason for this, well that's their own fault, isn't it? If you want to be a major trading partner with rich countries, you have to play nice with them. If you're an asshole, they won't want to trade with you, and look at what lack of trade has done to North Korea and Iran. It's really no different from people operating at a personal level: if a neighborhood shopkeeper is an asshole, people won't want to buy from him any more, and he goes out of business (while griping about how "unfair" it is).
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:42AM
Interestingly a techcrunch article [techcrunch.com] claims the malware was to be ransomware.
(Score: 3, Disagree) by sorokin on Saturday August 29 2020, @09:32AM (5 children)
I'm absolutely sick of the fact that normally western media avoid mentioning the nationality of the criminals unless they are Russian. Would the similar headline, but about "Israeli tourists" be fine? BTW Russian is not only nationality, but also ethnicity. Is it normal reporting by saying "Jewish tourists"?
I remember how German media tried very hard to conceal the ethnicity of criminals who were from the middle east. But when it's Russian: "It's Russian! Russian! Russian! Russian!" I remember when I saw a headline from one major western (British) media company that refers to Russia as "Putin's Russia". Russia is not "Putin's". What about "Trump's America"? "Merkel's Germany"? "Macron's France"?
I really dislike this selectivity.
(Score: 4, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @09:46AM
I call bs. Counter examples are all over, here's the first one I hit,
https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2017/02/24/brooklyn-bridge-climber-arrest/ [cbslocal.com]
"Sources: Israeli Tourist Arrested For Climbing Brooklyn Bridge"
Putin has already had two 8-year runs in power, Russia has been looking like "Putin's Russia" for awhile now.
(Score: 3, Touché) by The Vocal Minority on Saturday August 29 2020, @12:44PM
Spotted the Russian troll :P
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 29 2020, @02:42PM
Excellent observation; you're right. I think it all comes from the liberal media trying to convince people that Trump colluded with Russia to somehow influence / fix the 2016 election, and of course that the Russians are still at it. Any negative aspersions they can cast on Russia just bolsters their story, which they hope will steer votes away from Trump.
There is the ongoing fear of Russian military and their commander the unpredictable shirtless ego monster Putin.
As a moderate USAian, I don't have any bias regarding Russians. If anything I find them interesting- art, music, dance, culture in general, (okay, smoking hot women), crazy driving videos, the fact that so many have dashcams to protect themselves due to the legal and cultural climate there.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Grishnakh on Saturday August 29 2020, @05:20PM (1 child)
This is all BS.
Russia absolutely is "Putin's Russia": Putin is effectively the dictator there. He's been in power 16 years now and has had the constitution amended (much like in Turkey) so he can stay in power indefinitely.
And yes, America is currently "Trump's America", though to a lesser extent because there's no sign (yet) that Trump will exceed the term limits. But America did elect Trump, and it's quite possible they'll re-elect him later this year, so I think it's perfectly valid to say "Trump's America".
No one says "Merkel's Germany" because Germany is doing well and isn't run into the ground by either a autocratic despot or a bumbling fool. People don't come up with terms like "Putin's Russia" or "Trump's America" when a country is run by people who are at least halfway competent.
(Score: 2) by sorokin on Sunday August 30 2020, @08:25AM
Different words can be used to describe the same thing. Saying "Putin's Russia" means that the reporting is not done in good faith. Adding it to the headline means that the writer/editor deliberately strayed from neutral reporting.
The linguistic exercises on whether a country is "its president's" look completely pointless for me. One can say this, one can avoid saying this. Again it all depends on the intent of the speaker.
(Score: 2) by legont on Saturday August 29 2020, @10:47AM (1 child)
Do you think Musk would pay the ransom if the plot was to succeed? Should he?
"Wealth is the relentless enemy of understanding" - John Kenneth Galbraith.
(Score: 3, Touché) by pkrasimirov on Saturday August 29 2020, @01:05PM
No but he'd definitely tweet about it.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by PinkyGigglebrain on Sunday August 30 2020, @12:24AM
OK, so the first and only employee that was approached by foreign interests to do this was so noble and honest that they reported it immediately and there is nothing further to worry about.
Yeah, right. And Bill Gates is going to donate all his money to UNICEF and move to a small cabin deep in the Yukon to become a hermit.
I do hope Tesla is doing a VERY through code review/audit of their networks and firmware because you can bet that this wasn't the only attempt to get into Tesla's code.
"Beware those who would deny you Knowledge, For in their hearts they dream themselves your Master."