IRS Hacked … Says Thieves Stole Tax Info From 100,000 Taxpayers

In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. Scratch that … IRS HACKED.

Reason number one why I would never use the IRS electronic filing system. The IRS is admitting that they were hacked and the E-thieves stole the tax information of over 100,000 taxpayers. According to reports, the hackers used the website app service called “Get Transcript”to gain access. The IRS states that the hackers used this app to download forms full of personal information between February and May of 2015.

It’s only a matter of time before the IRS blames this on their budget that was cut.

ABC News:

Sophisticated criminals used an online service run by the IRS to access personal tax information from more than 100,000 taxpayers, part of an elaborate scheme to steal identities and claim fraudulent tax refunds, the IRS said Tuesday.

The thieves accessed a system called “Get Transcript,” where taxpayers can get tax returns and other filings from previous years. In order to access the information, the thieves cleared a security screen that required knowledge about the taxpayer, including Social Security number, date of birth, tax filing status and street address, the IRS said.

“We’re confident that these are not amateurs,” said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. “These actually are organized crime syndicates that not only we but everybody in the financial industry are dealing with.”

Koskinen wouldn’t say whether investigators believe the criminals are based overseas — or where they obtained enough personal information about the taxpayers to access their returns. The IRS has launched a criminal investigation. The agency’s inspector general is also investigating.

Russian Hackers Breached Barack Obama’s White House Email Account

Barack Obama, YOU GOT MAIL HACKED.

The New York Times is reporting that the that Russians have breached President Barack Obama’s White House email account. The claims are that they hackers accessed the White House and State Department’s unclassified computer system. Wouldn’t it be interesting to read some of those gems?

Maybe they were trying to find Hillary Clinton’s emails too.

Some of President Obama’s email correspondence was swept up by Russian hackers last year in a breach of the White House’s unclassified computer system that was far more intrusive and worrisome than has been publicly acknowledged, according to senior American officials briefed on the investigation.

The hackers, who also got deeply into the State Department’s unclassified system, do not appear to have penetrated closely guarded servers that control the message traffic from Mr. Obama’s BlackBerry, which he or an aide carries constantly.

But they obtained access to the email archives of people inside the White House, and perhaps some outside, with whom Mr. Obama regularly communicated. From those accounts, they reached emails that the president had sent and received, according to officials briefed on the investigation.

White House officials said that no classified networks had been compromised, and that the hackers had collected no classified information. Many senior officials have two computers in their offices, one operating on a highly secure classified network and another connected to the outside world for unclassified communications.

But officials have conceded that the unclassified system routinely contains much information that is considered highly sensitive: schedules, email exchanges with ambassadors and diplomats, discussions of pending personnel moves and legislation, and, inevitably, some debate about policy.

ISIS (Islamic State) Calls For the Death of 100 United States Military Personnel Who They Posted Names & Addresses Online

HOW’S THAT JV TERRORIST GROUP WORKING OUT FOR YOU BARACK OBAMA?

The Islamic State has called for the death of American military personnel as they have reportedly posted the names, addresses and photos of 100 American military service members online and called upon its “brothers residing in America” to kill them.  The self-identified “Islamic State Hacking Division” claimed to have obtained the information by hacking into military servers, databases and emails.  They are claiming the individuals named had participated in efforts to defeat it in Syria, Iraq, Yemen and elsewhere.

Pic Hat Tip: Legal Insurrection

Islamic State has posted online what it says are the names, U.S. addresses and photos of 100 American military service members, and called upon its “brothers residing in America” to kill them.

The Pentagon said after the information was posted on the Internet that it was investigating the matter. “I can’t confirm the validity of the information, but we are looking into it,” a U.S. defense official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said on Saturday.

“We always encourage our personnel to exercise appropriate OPSEC (operations security) and force protection procedures,” the official added.

In the posting, a group referring to itself as the “Islamic State Hacking Division” wrote in English that it had hacked several military servers, databases and emails and made public the information on 100 members of the U.S. military so that “lone wolf” attackers can kill them.

NY Times – ISIS Urges Sympathizers to Kill U.S. Service Members It Identifies on Website.

Defense Department and F.B.I. officials said that they were aware of the website and were investigating the posting.

It does not appear that the information had been hacked from government servers. One Defense Department official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said that most of the information could be found in public records, residential address search sites and social media.

The officials said the list appears to be drawn from personnel who have appeared in news articles about airstrikes on the militant group.

Some of the names also appear to be drawn from the Defense Department’s own official reports on the campaign against the Islamic State, also known as ISIS and ISIL.

“With the huge amount of data we have from various different servers and databases, we have decided to leak 100 addresses so that our brothers in America can deal with you,” the Islamic State’s so-called Hacking Division said in the web posting.

It added: “And now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for?”

The disclosure by the Islamic State highlights some of the challenges facing the military in balancing how it performs two essential functions: protecting its personnel while providing the American public with information.

UPDATE I: ‘Behead them in their own homes’: ISIS publishes ‘kill list’ online of names, photos and addresses of 100 US military members.

The ISHD said it wants ‘lone wolf’ attackers to go after the military members and ‘kill them wherever you find them’.

The list did appear to match up with information which was available online, TheBlaze reported.

The posting read: ‘With the huge amount of data we have from various different servers and databases, we have decided to leak 100 addresses so that our brothers in America can deal with you.

‘And now we have made it easy for you by giving you addresses, all you need to do is take the final step, so what are you waiting for?

‘Kill them in their own lands, behead them in their own homes, stab them to death as they walk their streets thinking that they are safe.’

Hollywood Producer Scott Rudin Apologizes For Racially Insensitive Comments that Surfaced in Hacked E-mail Exchange With Sony Pictures Entertainment Chairman Amy Pascal

LIBERAL DOUBLE STANDARD? IF THESE TWO WERE REPUBLICANS “RACIALLY INSENSITIVE” WOULD HAVE BEEN CHANGED TO “RACIST” … 

Oops, Wanna get away? It would appear that the cyber-attack on Sony has left many “hacked-off” and embarrassed. Hollywood producer Scott Rudin has issued a public apology for the racially insensitive comments he made of hacked private e-mails between him and Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Amy Pascal. Just an apology, you mean the PC police and MSM did not go after their jobs?  Amy Pascal apologizes for her emails as well.

Producer Scott Rudin has issued a public apology for the racially insensitive comments that surfaced last night in an exchange of hacked private e-mails between him and Sony Pictures Entertainment chairman Amy Pascal. Joking references they made to black-themed films that President Barack Obama might like were not meant for public consumption, but they are hard to defend in the harsh light of a public forum, without context. Rudin made the point in this morning’s New York Times about this hacking breach was a criminal act, when he was asked about other hacked e-mails between the producer and Pascal referencing the movie on Apple’s Steve Jobs. Here, Rudin said he simply wanted to apologize.

The hacked emails in question came before Pascal attended a breakfast in November 2013 in Hollywood with Barack Obama and other big Hollywood names hosted by DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg.

“What should I ask the president at this stupid Jeffrey breakfast?” Pascal wrote.

“Would he like to finance some movies.” Rudin responded.

“I doubt it. Should I ask him if he liked DJANGO?” Pascal wrote.

Rudin replied, “12 YEARS,” before Pascal and he suggested other films created by and starring African Americans, “Or the butler. Or think like a man? [sic]”

“Ride-along. I bet he likes Kevin Hart,” Rudin wrote.

UPDATE I: Al Sharpton released a statement comparing Amy Pascal to disgraced L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Hours after Rev. Al Sharpton released a statement comparing her to disgraced L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Sony Pictures co-chair Amy Pascal revealed in a Q&A interview with Deadline’s Mike Fleming, Jr. that she has spoken to Sharpton on the phone, saying, “I know I screwed up.”

Sharpton’s condemnation of Pascal came after an email exchange between the Sony exec and movie producer Scott Rudin leaked as part of the larger cyber-attack on Sony Pictures from a possibly-North Korean-connected group. In the conversation, Pascal and Rudin joked about the types of movies President Barack Obama likes, with clear racial overtones.

GW Students Unaware of 9/11 Anniversary, Or Journalist’s Names Beheaded by ISIS … But Are Able to Name Celebrities Involved in Nude Photo Scandal

SAD, JUST PLAIN SAD … SO MUCH FOR A COLLEGE EDUCATION THESE DAYS.

The Young America’s Foundation released a VIDEO on Wednesday, a day before the 13th anniversary of 9-11, where George Washington students were asked whether they were aware of the significance of the date and whether they knew the names of the two American journalists who were recently beheaded by the terrorist group ISIS. Pathetically, for the most part, they had no idea. Oh but fear not for the future America, most all could name the celebrities involved in the recent nude pic hacking scandal.

Other than the two co-eds in the beginning of the VIDEO who seem to have a clue and up on current affairs and know their history, perhaps the best answer of anyone in this VIDEO was when asked by the YAF spokeswoman  Ashley Pratte asked about President Obama’s strategy for dealing with ISIS. One girl responded, ”Does he have one?”

The results of the study:

• 29 of 30 (97%) students could could name a celebrity involved in the nude hacking scandal.
• 4 of 30 (13%) could name either of the American journalists, James Foley or Steven Sotloff.
• 6 in 30 (20%) knew this week was the anniversary of 9-11. What’s even more tragic is not only have these kids forgotten, they may never have known.

Maybe we have finally figured out how to get the youth vote … just have all the candidates in their political ads be in their birthday suits?