Former CBS correspondent Sharyl Attkisson accused the Department of Justice (DOJ) of monkeying around with her hard drive while her computer was in their possession. She tweeted on Thursday, “What would you think if I told you the hard drive of one of my personal computers was secretly switched out w/another while in custody of the Justice Dept. Inspector General– before they gave it back to me?”
https://twitter.com/SharylAttkisson/status/969055430398939137
You may recall that Attkisson’s computer was hacked back in 2012 while she was working for CBS and reporting on the Benghazi scandal. CBS News spokeswoman Sonya McNair said at the time that a cybersecurity firm hired by CBS News “has determined through forensic analysis” that “Attkisson’s computer was accessed by an unauthorized, external, unknown party on multiple occasions in late 2012.”
“Evidence suggests this party performed all access remotely using Attkisson’s accounts,” McNair said. “While no malicious code was found, forensic analysis revealed an intruder had executed commands that appeared to involve search and exfiltration of data. This party also used sophisticated methods to remove all possible indications of unauthorized activity, and alter system times to cause further confusion. CBS News is taking steps to identify the responsible party and their method of access.”
In her memoir, Attkisson recalled that a source connected to a government agency implicated “a sophisticated entity that used commercial, nonattributable spyware that’s proprietary to a government agency: either the CIA, FBI, the Defense Intelligence Agency or the National Security Agency” in the breach.
She’s suing the Justice Department, accusing the Obama administration of illegally surveilling her computers, and seeking $35 million in damages. An excerpt from an affidavit in the case claims:
In several subsequent tweets, Atkisson revealed more details about the DOJ’s handling of her computer while it was in her possession.
“I asked them to look at one of them some years ago after the govt intrusion,” she tweeted. “Not the main one but one of my personal computers involved to see if they might come up with more info. Instead, they… withheld the report from me, did a lot of weird stuff.” Attkisson says that her team of forensic experts discovered the replaced hard drive and they have “the forensic record and chain of custody documents” in their possession.
Attkisson wrote on her blog last August:
This is what happens to journalists.
Her employerwouldn’t back her, fellow media wouldnt back her, nor the other reporters that just wanted to get out the truth about that administrations activities.
The FBI/DOJ probly run SpinRite and other tools on it multiple times, then shredded the drive.
America’s best President, ’82 SOTU, “… the government IS the problem!”!?!@#$!^!&
Conservatives has always believed it to be a “Metaphysical Truth” that the FBI, IRS and CIA did much more harm than good. The last 2 yers even some “moderates” are starting to believe!