Russian cyber attack hits US government agencies: June 16 rundown

KARAH RUCKER: COMING UP – DATA BELONGING TO HUNDREDS OF COMPANIES IS AT RISK. A GLOBAL CYBER ATTACK HAS TARGETED U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

WHICH ONES ARE REPORTING A HIT FROM THE RANSOMWARE.

AND – DEADLY TORNADOES IN THE TEXAS PANHANDLE. THE DEVASTATION LEFT BEHIND AS A STRING OF SEVERE WEATHER STRETCHES ACROSS THE SOUTH.

THE RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

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THANKS FOR JOINING US. I’M MAHMOUD BENNETT.

U.S. AGENCIES HIT IN GLOBAL CYBER ATTACK

A GLOBAL CYBER-ATTACK HAS HIT SEVERAL U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCIES.

U.S. OFFICIALS SAY A RUSSIA-LINKED RANSOMWARE GROUP IS TO BLAME.

HERE IS HOW IT HAPPENED. ACCORDING TO NATIONAL SECURITY —

THE RANSOMWARE GROUP COMPROMISED A “VULNERABILITY” IN A WIDELY USED SOFTWARE. THAT SOFTWARE MAKES IT CONVENIENT FOR GOVERNMENTS AND BUSINESS TO MOVE LARGE FILES.

THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, MULTIPLE JOHN’S HOPKINS HOSPITALS, THE UNIVERSITY SYSTEM OF GEORGIA, BRITISH AIRWAYS, AND MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATIONS ARE SOME OF THE IMPACTED AGENCIES – ALTHOUGH OFFICIALS GUESS IT COULD BE “SEVERAL HUNDRED” COMPANIES AFFECTED.

ACCORDING TO U.S. CYBER-SECURITY OFFICIALS – NO FEDERAL DATA HAS BEEN LEAKED SO FAR IN THE HACK.

THE RUSSIA RANSOMWARE GROUP SUSPECTED OF BEING BEHIND THE ATTACK IS KNOWN TO DEMAND MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR RANSOMS. AND WHILE OFTEN TIMES STOLEN, SENSITIVE DATA IS USED FOR EXTORTION – NONE OF THE AGENCIES HAVE REPORTED DEMANDS FOR MONEY.

TEIXEIRA INDICTED OVER DISCORD LEAKS

JACK TEIXEIRA — THE MASSACHUSETTS AIR NATIONAL GUARDSMAN ACCUSED OF LEAKING HIGHLY CLASSIFIED MILITARY DOCUMENTS ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA APP DISCORD — HAS NOW BEEN INDICTED. HE’S FACING SIX COUNTS OF WILLFUL RETENTION AND TRANSMISSION OF NATIONAL DEFENSE INFORMATION.

EACH COUNT CARRIES A MAXIMUM SENTENCE OF 10 YEARS IN PRISON.

THE LEAKED DOCUMENTS CONTAINED INFORMATION ABOUT THE WAR IN UKRAINE — AS WELL AS OTHER TOP NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES. LAST MONTH — A JUDGE ORDERED TEIXEIRA TO REMAIN IN JAIL AS HE AWAITS TRIAL — DEEMING HIM A RISK TO FLEE THE COUNTRY OR OBSTRUCT JUSTICE.

TORNADO KILLS 3 IN TEXAS PANHANDLE TOWN

A SERIES OF SPRING STORMS CAME DOWN HARD ON THE SOUTH THURSDAY —

AT LEAST 3 PEOPLE HAVE DIED AND ABOUT ONE HUNDRED PEOPLE ARE INJURED AFTER A TORNADO CAME BARRELING THROUGH THE TEXAS PANHANDLE.

THIS TORNADO HAS DEVASTATED SMALL TOWN “PERRYTON TEXAS”. TRAILER HOUSES DESTROYED, COMMUNICATION TOWERS TORN DOWN, AND AND DOZENS OF PEOPLE INJURED FROM THE HIGH-SPEED WINDS AND THROWN DEBRIS.

TO ANOTHER PANHANDLE – PENSACOLA, FLORIDA SAW ITS SHARE OF DEVASTATION CAUSED BY A SERIES OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. AT LEAST ONE PERSON DIED AFTER A TREE FELL ON TOP OF THEIR HOME.

THE LATEST ROUND OF SEVERE WEATHER FOLLOWS TORNADOES THAT TOUCHED DOWN IN ALABAMA EARLIER THIS WEEK.

U.S. SUBMARINE ARRIVES IN SOUTH KOREA

BRAND NEW VIDEO THIS MORNING. YOU’RE LOOKING AT THE U-S-S MICHIGAN — A NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINE CAPABLE OF CARRYING ABOUT 150 TOMAHAWK MISSILES — AS IT ARRIVED IN SOUTH KOREAN WATERS TODAY. THE ARRIVAL — THE FIRST OF ITS KIND IN 6 YEARS. IT’S PART OF A RECENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE U-S AND SOUTH KOREA TO INCREASE THE U-S’S PRESENCE ALONG THE KOREAN PENINSULA.

NOW THAT THE U-S-S MICHIGAN IS THERE — THE TWO COUNTRIES’ NAVIES WILL CONDUCT DRILLS MEANT TO BOOST THEIR SPECIAL OPERATIONS CAPABILITIES.

THE ARRIVAL COMES JUST A DAY AFTER U-S AND SOUTH KOREAN TROOPS CONDUCTED LARGE-SCALE JOINT LIVE-FIRE DRILLS AT A FIRING RANGE IN SOUTH KOREA.

THE POINT OF ALL THIS IS TO COUNTERACT THE GROWING THREAT OF NORTH KOREA’S ADVANCING NUCLEAR PROGRAM. THE NORTH LAUNCHED TWO SHORT-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILES OFF ITS EAST COAST THURSDAY — IN PROTEST OF THE LIVE-FIRE DRILLS.

Matthew Miller | State Department Spokesperson: “These launches are a clear violation of multiple U.N. Security Council resolutions, and they demonstrate the threat of DPRK unlawful weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs pose to the region, to international peace and security, and to the global nonproliferation regime.”

TICKETMASTER, SEATGEEK AGREE TO END HIDDEN FEES

TICKETMASTER AND SEAT GEEK HAVE  ANNOUNCED THEY WILL NO LONGER HAVE HIDDEN FEES WHEN YOU GO TO BOOK TICKETS FOR YOUR EVENT. THIS MEANS THE FULL COSTS OF TICKETS WILL SOON BE VISIBLE TO CUSTOMERS UP FRONT.

THEIR ANNOUNCEMENT CAME THE SAME DAY PRESIDENT BIDEN HOSTED EXECUTIVES FROM THOSE COMPANIES AND OTHERS TO TOUT THE ADMINISTRATION’S WORK CRACKING DOWN ON SO-CALLED “JUNK FEES” 

WHICH ARE COSTS THAT COME AS A SURPRISE TO THE CUSTOMER.

ACCORDING TO THE “GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE” – HIDDEN FEES CAUSE THE PRICE OF AN EVENT TICKET ONLINE TO INCREASE BY **27 PERCENT** ON AVERAGE.

POPE FRANCIS RELEASED FROM HOSPITAL

POPE FRANCIS HAS BEEN DISCHARGED FROM THE HOSPITAL – NINE DAYS AFTER HE UNDERWENT SURGERY TO REPAIR A HERNIA IN HIS ABDOMEN. THE CHIEF SURGEON SAYS HE WILL BE A STRONGER POPE FOR IT – NO LONGER EXPERIENCING SUCH DISCOMFORT FROM THE AILMENT.

THE 86-YEAR-OLD POPE WAS GREETED WITH A WAVE OF SUPPORTERS OUTSIDE THE HOSPITAL – WISHING HIM WELL IN HIS RECOVERY. THE CHIEF SURGEON SAYS THE OPERATION WAS SUCCESSFUL AND THAT FRANCIS IS WELL.

THE POPE TRADITIONALLY TAKES THE FULL MONTH OF JULY OFF FROM TRAVEL AND PUBLIC APPEARANCES. WHILE FRANCIS STILL PLANS TO ATTEND SUNDAY BLESSINGS, HE WILL HAVE NEXT MONTH TO REST BEFORE HE TRAVELS TO PORTUGAL IN AUGUST.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES. THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THE RUNDOWN.

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

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WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK! UNTIL THEN I’M MAHMOUD BENNETT.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!