VOA慢速英语--微软:俄罗斯黑客在选举前攻击美国网站

Microsoft: Russian Hackers² Targeted US Websites Before Elections

Software maker³ Microsoft says that hackers linked to Russia’s government tried to launch computer attacks on United States websites. The websites belonged to the U.S. Senate and to some conservative American research groups known as think tanks.

Microsoft warned that Russia is expanding its attacks before U.S. congressional elections in November.

The world’s biggest software company said late on Monday that last week it took control of six web domains⁵ that hackers had created to look like websites belonging to the Senate and the think tanks. Users who visited the false websites were asked to enter information to log in to them.

Microsoft’s action is its latest effort to stop what it says are Russian government hacking⁶ attempts. The company said it has shut down 84 false websites in 12 court-approved actions over the past two years.

The attacks are believed to have come from APT28, a group under the Russian military intelligence agency GRU. It is believed to be the same group that interfered⁷ with the 2016 U.S. election. Microsoft did not blame the group directly, but named them in their statement.

Microsoft President Brad Smith wrote about the hacking incident in a blog post. He said he was concerned that the hacking attempts are a “security risk” to American political parties as they near the 2018 election.

Microsoft said it had no evidence that the hackers had been able to use any of the login information before the sites were removed from the web.

This kind of attack is known as “spear fishing.” Spear fishing describes an operation in which hackers trick people into entering their username and password into a false site in order to steal their login information.

Gaining login information would permit the hackers to get emails, contact lists and other information of important individuals.

Reuters news service reported that Russia rejected the Microsoft accusations⁸ and said there was no evidence to support them.

“We don’t know what hackers they are talking about,” Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. “Who exactly are they talking about?” He added that Microsoft did not show any real evidence to support their accusations.

Russia has denied that it used hackers to effect U.S. elections and political opinion.

The targets, Microsoft said, included the International Republican Institute. Its Republican members include Senator John McCain of Arizona.

The Hudson Institute, another target, has held discussions on cyber security, Microsoft noted⁹. It also explored the rise of government corruption¹⁰ and theft in Russia, and has been critical of the Russian government.

Other false domains were used to look like real websites used by the U.S. Senate and Microsoft’s Office software, the company said.

Microsoft’s report came as tensions between Russia and the U.S have grown.

In July, a U.S. federal grand jury charged 12 Russian intelligence officers with hacking into the computer networks of Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party in 2016.

I’m Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

hacker¹ – n. person who secretly gets access to a computer system in order to get information, cause damage, etc.

cyber – adj. referring to a computer

Think tank – n. an organization that consists of a group of people who think of new ideas on a particular subject or who give advice about what should be done

Web domain⁴ – n. an actual presence on the Internet, such as a web page.

log in - v. to use coded words to enter a website

1 hacker   

n.能盗用或偷改电脑中信息的人，电脑黑客

参考例句：

• The computer hacker wrote that he was from Russia.这个计算机黑客自称他来自俄罗斯。
• This site was attacked by a hacker last week.上周这个网站被黑客攻击了。

2 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

3 maker   

n.制造者，制造商

参考例句：

• He is a trouble maker，You must be distant with him.他是个捣蛋鬼，你不要跟他在一起。
• A cabinet maker must be a master craftsman.家具木工必须是技艺高超的手艺人。

4 domain   

n.(活动等)领域，范围；领地，势力范围

参考例句：

• This information should be in the public domain.这一消息应该为公众所知。
• This question comes into the domain of philosophy.这一问题属于哲学范畴。

5 domains   

n.范围( domain的名词复数 )；领域；版图；地产

参考例句：

• The theory of thermodynamics links the macroscopic and submicroscopic domains. 热力学把宏观世界同亚微观世界联系起来。 来自辞典例句
• All three flow domains are indicated by shading. 所有三个流动区域都是用阴影部分表示的。 来自辞典例句

6 hacking   

n.非法访问计算机系统和数据库的活动

参考例句：

• The patient with emphysema is hacking all day. 这个肺气肿病人整天不断地干咳。
• We undertook the task of hacking our way through the jungle. 我们负责在丛林中开路。

7 interfered   

v.干预( interfere的过去式和过去分词 )；调停；妨碍；干涉

参考例句：

• Complete absorption in sports interfered with his studies. 专注于运动妨碍了他的学业。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I am not going to be interfered with. 我不想别人干扰我的事情。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 accusations   

n.指责( accusation的名词复数 )；指控；控告；（被告发、控告的）罪名

参考例句：

• There were accusations of plagiarism. 曾有过关于剽窃的指控。
• He remained unruffled by their accusations. 对于他们的指控他处之泰然。

9 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

10 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。