In this episode of Intrusions in Depth, host Josh Stepp explores the intriguing theory that Phineas Fisher may be linked to Russian intelligence. Inspired by a listener's email and drawing on various data points and historical incidents, Josh delves into the possibility of Phineas Fisher being a Russian asset, comparing their tactics to those of known cybercriminals and government operatives.
Main Topics:
1. History of Cyber Operations and Notable Cases
* Examination of various APT (Advanced Persistent Threat) groups and their activities, including Fancy Bear (APT 28) and the Lazarus Group.
* Discussion on how cybercriminals often evade capture due to operating out of countries that do not cooperate with international law enforcement.
2. Chaos Agent: Maksym Igor Popov
* Detailed account of Popov's activities, including his dual role as an informant and a hacker.
* Comparisons between Popov's tactics and those of Phineas Fisher, highlighting the use of disinformation and false flag operations.
3. Analysis of the AKP Attack and WikiLeaks Involvement
* Examination of the AKP email dump and its timing with the Turkish coup attempt.
* Discussion on the use of a specific IP address linked to Russian cyber activities and its implications for the theory.
4. Potential Connections and Speculative Points
* Analysis of various indicators that could suggest a link between Phineas Fisher and Russian interests.
* Consideration of the broader geopolitical context and the use of hacking as a tool for political influence.
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Links and Resources:
* https://nkwt.blogspot.com/p/informazioni.html
* https://www.vice.com/en/article/what-went-wrong-with-the-turkey-data-dump/
* https://emma.best/2019/03/20/the-russian-contractor-who-infiltrated-anonymous/
* https://www.techtarget.com/searchsecurity/news/252518151/Iranian-APT-Cobalt-Illusion-launching-ransomware-attacks
* https://www.bankinfosecurity.com/isoon-leak-shows-links-to-chinese-apt-groups-a-24713
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeremy_Hammond
* https://www.darknet.org.uk/2016/04/phishing-frenzy-e-mail-phishing-framework/
* https://www.history.com/news/whitey-bulger-fbi-informant
* https://archive.is/REs0G
* https://web.archive.org/web/20160418221027/https://twitter.com/gammagrouppr
* https://archive.org/details/MaksymIgorPopov/POPOV%2C+Maksym+Igor/HILBERT/popov-flashes-cash.mp4
* https://www.wired.com/2016/05/maksym-igor-popov-fbi/
* https://emma.best/2018/11/15/sealed-files-allege-assange-and-wikileaks-solicited-hacks-against-governments-politicians-and-corporations/
* https://steemit.com/politics/@tvorhet/why-has-nobody-questioned-the-provenance-of-phineas-fisher
* https://threatconnect.com/resource/webinar-guccifer-2-0-the-dnc-hack-and-fancy-bears-oh-my/
* https://medium.com/@securityaffairs/evidence-on-hacks-of-the-us-state-election-systems-suggest-russian-origin-682e4f016e0e
* https://securityaffairs.com/50754/uncategorized/state-election-systems-hacked.html
* https://latesthackingnews.com/2016/09/06/us-state-election-system-hacks-connected-ukraine-power-grid-attacks/
* https://news.softpedia.com/news/us-state-election-system-hacks-connected-to-ukraine-power-grid-attacks-508011.shtml
* https://securityaffairs.com/49575/hacktivism/phineas-fisher-erdogan-emails.html
* ThreatConnect Image of connections:
Credits:
* Host: Josh Stepp
* Produced by: Josh Stepp
Thank you for tuning in to Intrusions in Depth. Stay informed, stay safe, and see you in the next episode!
