WHO HAS THE UNBRIDLED ABILITY TO CONDUCT CYBER-CRIMES?
by Sharon Rondeau
(Feb. 14, 2018) — A Hawaii resident who provided research assistance to the power of attorney (POA) for a disabled U.S. Army soldier two years ago reported late last week that he is now receiving assistance from a local agency for cyber-attacks he has experienced since that time.
The Hawaii advocate believes the attacks, surveillance and stalking he has experienced are a direct result of the research he conducted on behalf of the soldier and his attempts to expose corruption in connection with the case.
In July 2016, the POA herself reported that her Yahoo! email account was “hacked” and that she suspected, given the Hawaii advocate’s subsequent difficulties, that her address book was searched and his email address obtained through the breach.
The POA claimed that she knows who the perpetrators are.
In January of last year, she reported an electronic breach of the soldier’s bank account of more than $50,000 stolen over a period of five weeks while he was confined to the psychiatric ward of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC) against his will.
She also told The Post & Email and local law enforcement that people in dark vehicles with tinted windows sat for hours outside of her home on multiple occasions for a period of months in 2016 as she was in the midst of fiercely advocating for the soldier’s well-being.
In late July of that year, the Hawaii resident began experiencing interference with his Internet connection and one device after another in a case which appears to this writer to be similar to that of former CBS journalist Sharyl Attkisson, who now has a multi-million-dollar federal lawsuit filed against the DOJ, FBI, U.S. Postal Service and other defendants.
In an update posted earlier this week on her case, Attkisson said that computer intrusions on the part of the government such as those she experienced are now commonplace.
On July 26, 2016, the Obama White House issued Presidential Policy Directive 41, which laid out new directives to the FBI and other federal agencies in fighting cyber-crimes. Following the publication of the new policy, the FBI wrote:
The principles raised in PPD-41 that will guide the federal government’s response to cyber incidents closely align with the FBI’s values and priorities already in place when dealing with cyber incidents. The Bureau already believes that:
- Prevention and management of cyber incidents is a shared responsibility among the government, private sector, and individuals;
- All incidents should be approached through a united federal government strategy that best uses the skills, authorities, and resources of each agency;
- The response will be based on an assessment of the risks posed to U.S. security, safety, and prosperity, and will focus on enabling the restoration and recovery of the affected entity; and
- The government will respect the privacy, civil liberties, and the business needs of victims of cyber incidents.
On the same day, the FBI reported that it has “Specially trained cyber squads at FBI headquarters and in each of our 56 field offices, staffed with ‘agents and analysts who protect against investigate computer intrusions, theft of intellectual property and personal information, child pornography and exploitation, and online fraud.’”
In addition, a “National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force” was established in 2008.
After experiencing disabling of his equipment and other interference with his communications, the Hawaii resident contacted the Honolulu Police Department, to whom he submitted at least 30 police reports; the City and County of Honolulu Department of the Prosecuting Attorney, with whom he met twice; the U.S. Justice Department for the District of Hawaii, and the Kapolei office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), which he visited on five occasions to no avail.
The Post & Email has followed up with the HPD, the Prosecuting Attorney, and the FBI but received nothing in writing other than an electronic acknowledgment of our FOIA request through the FBI’s website.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has published an online brochure with instructions to individuals, businesses, and law enforcement on how to report cyber-crimes and to whom.
The Hawaii resident has reported having spent tens of thousands of dollars in an attempt to maintain his business and restore communication with his family and friends, both on and off the Internet. He previously forwarded reports from computer technicians who confirmed that foreign programs were planted in brand-new equipment on multiple occasions and that his bank account was the target of an attempted breach.
The perpetrators are believed to have access to highly-sophisticated methods by which to carry out their crimes, which the Hawaii resident has described as “relentless.”
Last week he told The Post & Email that after so many months of inaction, he is grateful for the law-enforcement entity’s assistance.