Morning rundown: Ransomware attack on U.S. Marshals; federal TikTok ban

KARAH RUCKER: TOP STORIES ON THIS TUESDAY – THE WHITE HOUSE ORDERS ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO PURGE TIKTOK FROM FEDERAL DEVICES. A U.S. CITIZEN IS KILLED IN THE WEST BANK AS THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT RAGES ON.

BUT FIRST – A RANSOMWARE ATTACK HAS COMPROMISED “SENSITIVE U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE DATA”.

THIS IS STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS. UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS.

U.S. MARSHALS’ SENSITIVE DATA COMPROMISED

THE U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE IS INVESTIGATING A MAJOR RANSOMWARE ATTACK THAT HAS COMPROMISED SOME OF ITS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION, INCLUDING LAW ENFORCEMENT MATERIALS, PERSONAL INFORMATION OF EMPLOYEES, AND POTENTIAL TARGETS OF FEDERAL INVESTIGATIONS.

THE FEDERAL AGENCY REPORTED THE DATA BREACH WAS DISCOVERED ON FEBRUARY 17TH.

THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT HAS LABELED THE CYBERATTACK AS A “MAJOR INCIDENT” – PROMPTING THE U-S MARSHALS SERVICE TO INVOLVE CONGRESS.

THE AGENCY IS STILL INVESTIGATING AND WORKING TO MITIGATE POTENTIAL RISKS THAT COULD COME FROM THE RANSOMWARE ATTACK.

THE FEDERAL SYSTEM THAT WAS HACKED WAS NOT CONNECTED TO ANY LARGER FEDERAL NETWORK.

TIKTOK BAN ON ALL FEDERAL DEVICES

IN AN EFFORT TO KEEP U.S. DATA SAFE – THE WHITE HOUSE HAS ORDERED ALL GOVERNMENT AGENCIES TO DELETE AND BAN CHINESE-OWNED “TIK-TOK” FROM ALL FEDERAL DEVICES. THEY’VE GOT 30 DAYS TO PURGE THE POPULAR APP FROM ITS SYSTEMS.

THE BAN, ORDERED BY CONGRESS LATE LAST YEAR, FOLLOWS SIMILAR ACTIONS FROM CANADA, THE EU, TAIWAN AND MORE THAN HALF OF THE STATES IN THE U.S.

ALL FEDERAL AGENCIES MUST REMOVE TIKTOK FROM GOVERNMENT-ISSUED PHONES AND BLOCK IT FROM BEING ACCESSED ON THE INTERNET.

ACCORDING TO THE WHITE HOUSE — THE BAN IS OUT OF PRECAUTION FOLLOWING SECURITY CONCERNS — WHICH BYTE-DANCE — THE OWNER OF TIKTOK — HAS DENOUNCED AS MISINFORMATION — DENYING THE COMPANY SPIED ON AMERICANS.

THE ANNOUNCEMENT COMES AT A TIME NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS WITH CHINA ARE HEIGHTENED FOLLOWING THIS MONTH’S CHINESE SPY BALLOON DISCOVERY.

BUTTIGIEG’S USE OF JETS TO BE AUDITED

THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION’S INTERNAL WATCHDOG WILL BE REVIEWING THE USE OF GOVERNMENT JETS BY ITS TOP OFFICIAL – TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG. ALONG WITH HIS PREDECESSOR IN THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. AND BUTTIGIEG IS WELCOMING THE AUDIT.

THE INSPECTOR GENERAL PLANS TO “CONDUCT AN AUDIT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY HAS COMPLIED WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS, POLICIES, AND PROCEDURES” RELATED TO TRAVEL ON THE DEPARTMENT’S AIRCRAFT.

THE AUDIT WAS REQUESTED BY SENATOR MARCO RUBIO OF FLORIDA – WHO ASKED THE WATCHDOG ABOUT A FOX NEWS ARTICLE THAT REPORTED BUTTIGIEG TOOK 18 FLIGHTS ON QUOTE “TAXPAYER-FUNDED PRIVATE JETS.”

THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT SAID THOSE 18 FLIGHTS WERE ON FEDERAL PLANES OVER SEVEN TRIPS. 

BUTTIGIEG RESPONDED TO THE NEWS OF THE AUDIT SAYING IT WOULD HELP QUOTE “DEBUNK MISLEADING NARRATIVES.”

U.S. CITIZEN KILLED IN WEST BANK UNREST

Ned Price | State Department Spokesperson: “The United States is extremely concerned by the events of this weekend and the continuing violence in Israel and the West Bank. As we noted yesterday, we condemn the horrific killing of two Israeli brothers near Nablus and the killing today of an Israeli near Jericho, who we understand was also an American citizen.”

A U.S. CITIZEN IS ONE OF THE LATEST VICTIMS OF THE VIOLENCE IN THE WEST BANK BETWEEN ISRAELIS AND PALESTINIANS. ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES SAID ATTACKERS OPENED FIRE ON ISRAELI VEHICLES ON THREE OCCASIONS MONDAY, AND LATER SET THEIR OWN VEHICLES ON FIRE.

THERE WAS AN EXCHANGE OF FIRE WITH POLICE BEFORE THE ATTACKERS FLED ACCORDING TO THE IDF.

ACCORDING TO THE TIMES OF ISRAEL – THE 27-YEAR-OLD ISRAELI-AMERICAN WAS VISITING TO ATTEND A WEDDING WHEN HE WAS KILLED.

THE DEADLY ATTACK FOLLOWED A SERIES OF ATTACKS AND OUTBURSTS FROM ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN RESIDENTS ON SUNDAY.

A PALESTINIAN REPORTEDLY SHOT AND KILLED TWO SETTLERS OF ISRAEL.

IN RESPONSE, ISRAELIS LIT PALESTINIAN HOMES AND CARS ON FIRE IN PROTEST.

FOR THE LATEST IN THE ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN CONFLICT — GO TO OUR WEBSITE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS DOT COM.

NORTH KOREA ADDRESSES NEED FOR GRAIN

NORTH KOREA’S KIM JONG UN IS ASKING THE COUNTRY TO UNIFY BEHIND HIS LEADERSHIP IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE COUNTRY’S GRAIN PRODUCTION AMID WORRIES OF FOOD INSECURITY.

FOREIGN EXPERTS SAY NORTH KOREA IS EXPERIENCING A SERIOUS SHORTFALL OF FOOD IN THE AFTERMATH OF COVID-19 BORDER RESTRICTIONS AND A REPORTED PUSH FOR GREATER STATE-CONTROL OVER GRAIN SUPPLY.

THE EXPERTS SAY THEY’VE SEEN NO SIGNS OF MASS DEATHS FROM FAMINE – LIKE HOW NORTH KOREA HAD IN THE 90’S WHEN HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS DIED IN A FOOD CRISIS.

ACCORDING TO SOUTH KOREAN ASSESSMENTS – NORTH KOREA IS PRODUCING 4.5 MILLION TONS OF GRAIN PER YEAR WHEN THEY WOULD NEED 5.5 MILLION TONS TO FEED ITS 25 MILLION PEOPLE PER YEAR.

MUSK RECLAIMS RICHEST PERSON TITLE

AFTER BEING DETHRONED FOR THE PAST TWO MONTHS – ELON MUSK IS TAKING BACK HIS CROWN AS RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD – ACCORDING TO BLOOMBERG.

THE TESLA CEO – AMONG MANY OTHER TITLES – WAS SURPASSED IN DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR BY BERNARD ARNAULT – THE CEO OF FRENCH LUXURY BRAND L-V-M-H.

BUT AS OF MONDAY AFTER MARKETS CLOSED – WITH THE HELP OF TESLA’S STOCK SURGING THIS YEAR – MUSK HAS A NET WORTH OF 187 BILLION TO ARNAULT’S 185 BILLION.

WHILE MUSK CAN CELEBRATE THE TITLE OF RICHEST PERSON IN THE WORLD – MUSK ALSO HOLDS ANOTHER NOT-SO-GREAT RECORD. LAST YEAR HE BECAME THE FIRST PERSON TO EVER LOSE 200 BILLION DOLLARS IN WEALTH – AFTER HIS NET WORTH WENT FROM 340 BILLION TO 137 BILLION – BETWEEN NOVEMBER OF 2021 AND DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES ON THIS TUESDAY MORNING.

THANKS FOR WATCHING THE DAILY RUNDOWN WITH STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’RE ON A MISSION TO BRING BACK TRUSTWORTHY JOURNALISM BY ONLY SERVING YOU — NOT AN AGENDA. 

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW MORNING.

UNTIL THEN, I’M KARAH RUCKER…HAVE A GREAT DAY.