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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: 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.
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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).