thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--President Trump Raises $250 Million Since Election Day

Donald J. Trump will exit the White House as a private citizen next month perched atop a pile of campaign cash unheard-of for an outgoing president , and with few legal limits on how he can spend it .
Deflated by a loss he has yet to acknowledge , Trump has cushioned the blow by coaxing huge sums of money from his loyal supporters — often under dubious pretenses — raising roughly $ 250 million since Election Day along with the national party .
More than $ 60 million of that sum has gone to a new political action committee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ matter , which Trump will control after he leaves office .
Those funds , which far exceed what previous outgoing presidents had at their disposal , provide him with tremendous flexibility for his post-presidential ambitions : He could use the money to quell rebel factions within the party , reward loyalists , fund his travels and rallies , hire staff , pay legal bills and even lay the groundwork for a far-from-certain 2024 run .
The postelection blitz of fundraising has cemented Trump ’ s position as an unrivaled force and the preeminent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in defeat .
His largest single day for online donations actually came after Election Day — raising almost $ 750,000 per hour Nov. 6 .
So did his second-biggest day .
And his third .
“ Right now , he is the Republican Party , ” said John McLaughlin , a Republican pollster who worked on Trump ’ s reelection campaign .
“ The party knows that virtually every dollar they ’ ve raised in the last four years , it ’ s because of Donald Trump.
” During the campaign , many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and digital ad buys , were routed through a secretive LLC called American Made Media Consultants .
That allowed the Trump campaign and its joint committee with the national party to effectively shield many details of its spending , including who was being paid and how much .
More than $ 700 million has gone through the LLC since the beginning of 2019 .
What no one knew was that the LLC represented yet another intermingling of Trump ’ s political , financial and familial interests .
New documents reviewed by The New @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump ’ s daughter-in-law and a senior campaign adviser , served on the board — and was named on drafts of the incorporation papers .
So was John Pence , the nephew of Vice President Mike Pence and a senior Trump adviser .
Tim Murtaugh , a spokesman for Trump , said both Lara Trump and John Pence resigned from the board in October 2019 .
“ There was never any ethical or legal reason why they could not serve on the board in the first place , ’ ’ he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being on the board .
American Made Media Consultants was the subject of a complaint to the Federal Election Commission this year that accused it of “ laundering ” funds to obscure the ultimate beneficiary of Trump campaign spending .
Filings show the vast majority of funds were spent after Lara Trump resigned from the board .
The complaint is pending .
For Trump , the quarter-billion dollars he and the party raised over six weeks is enough to pay off all of his remaining campaign bills and to fund his fruitless legal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of dollars .
Trump ’ s plans , however , remain extremely fluid .
His refusal to accept Joe Biden ’ s victory has stunted internal political planning , aides say , with some advisers in his shrinking circle of confidants hesitant to even approach him about setting a course of action for 2021 and beyond .
Those who have spoken with Trump say he appears shrunken , and over his job ; this detachment is reflected in a Twitter feed that remains stubbornly more focused on unfounded allegations of fraud than on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Trump has talked about running again in 2024 — but he also may not .
He has created this new PAC , but a different political entity could still be in the works , people involved in the discussions said .
Talk of counterprogramming Biden ’ s inauguration with a splashy event or an announcement of his own is currently on hold .
Trump had been tentatively planning to go to Georgia on Saturday , according to a senior Republican official , to support the two Republicans in Senate runoff races there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the state ’ s Republican governor and secretary of state for accepting the election result and simply doesn ’ t want to make the trip .
There is some discussion about him going after the Christmas holiday .
Still , the Trump political apparatus has taken advantage of the grassroots energy and excitement over the two runoffs to juice its own fundraising .
Email and text solicitations have pitched Trump supporters to give to a “ Georgia Election Fund , ” even though no funds go directly to either Republican senator on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Instead , the fine print shows 75 % of the donations to the Georgia fund go to Trump ’ s new PAC , called Save America , with 25 % to the Republican National Committee .
After weeks of shouting “ FRAUD ” to supporters in emails and asking them to back an “ Election Defense Fund ” ( which also sent 75 % of donations to his new PAC ) , the Trump operation has subtly shifted its tone and focus , returning to more sustainable preelection themes , like hawking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the RNC did spend about $ 15 million combined in legal costs and other spending related to disputing the election between Oct. 15 and Nov. 23 , according to federal records .
Even some of his biggest postelection spending that his campaign labeled recount-related was routed through the LLC that Lara Trump served on the board of , including $ 2.2 million for “ SMS advertising , ” better known as text messaging .
For a sense of scale of just how much money Donald Trump will have at his disposal , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 60 million-plus haul — and counting — is about as much money as he spent to win his party ’ s presidential nomination in 2016 .
Some campaign finance experts have speculated that Trump might try to use the excess of cash in his new PAC , formally known as a leadership PAC , to pay for his own personal future legal quagmires as he faces investigations once he leaves office .
( A senior Trump adviser said they don ’ t expect the money to be used for personal legal needs .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ slush fund , ” said Meredith McGehee , executive director of Issue One , a group that supports increased political transparency .
“ There are very , very , very few limits on what he can ’ t spend money on.
” In the last five years , Trump has never shied from spending hundreds of thousands of dollars from his contributors on his private businesses , a practice he could continue or expand while out of office .
Just since mid-October , the Trump Victory Committee , a joint account operated with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 710,000 to the Trump Hotel Collection , while his reelection account has continued to pay more than $ 37,000 per month to rent space in Trump Tower .
It is not clear where his post-presidential operation will be based or who will run it , although several advisers expect it will be in Florida , where he is planning to move .
But as a former president , Trump will be allocated a certain amount of taxpayer money for staff and office space for life after leaving the White House , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which aides from the West Wing will accompany him .
His senior political advisers — Bill Stepien , Justin Clark and Jason Miller , among others — are among those who may stay involved with him politically .
While Trump ’ s post-presidency remains largely shapeless , he has demonstrated his desire to exert his control on national politics , especially among Republicans .
He has already endorsed Ronna McDaniel , a close ally , to serve another term as chair of the RNC .
He has floated primary challenges to Republicans , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Georgia , who have crossed him by rejecting his baseless theories of election fraud .
He has even asked aides how he can retain control of the party if he isn ’ t a candidate .
One person close to Trump said that he has sounded less certain about declaring he ’ s running in 2024 than he had just two weeks ago .
That uncertainty is causing anxiety for a number of advisers and aides to the president , some of whom might join other campaigns but are stuck in limbo until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for president would trigger tighter rules on Trump ’ s political spending and added financial disclosures , including of Trump ’ s personal finances , that simply operating a PAC would not .
Trump ’ s future ambitions have also created a cloud over who exactly will control some of the most valuable assets from the 2020 campaign , including Trump ’ s lengthy list of supporters from whom he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars .
Both the RNC and Trump are entitled to some of this valuable voter data , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ data are underway but expected to last months .
“ There ’ s no bully pulpit as large as the presidency , but nevertheless , President Trump is likely to play a significant role in the future of the Republican Party , ” said Whit Ayres , a Republican pollster .
“ It ’ s very difficult to imagine him following the same pattern as George W. Bush , Barack Obama and other presidents have followed in keeping their mouths shut and letting the new president try to govern .
”

Donald J. Trump will exit the White House as a private citizen next month perched atop a pile of campaign cash unheard-of for an outgoing president, and with few legal limits on how he can spend it.
Deflated by a loss he has yet to acknowledge, Trump has cushioned the blow by coaxing huge sums of money from his loyal supporters — often under dubious pretenses — raising roughly $250 million since Election Day along with the national party.
More than $60 million of that sum has gone to a new political action committee, according to people familiar with the matter, which Trump will control after he leaves office. Those funds, which far exceed what previous outgoing presidents had at their disposal, provide him with tremendous flexibility for his post-presidential ambitions: He could use the money to quell rebel factions within the party, reward loyalists, fund his travels and rallies, hire staff, pay legal bills and even lay the groundwork for a far-from-certain 2024 run.
The postelection blitz of fundraising has cemented Trump’s position as an unrivaled force and the preeminent fundraiser of the Republican Party, even in defeat. His largest single day for online donations actually came after Election Day — raising almost $750,000 per hour Nov. 6. So did his second-biggest day. And his third.
“Right now, he is the Republican Party,” said John McLaughlin, a Republican pollster who worked on Trump’s reelection campaign. “The party knows that virtually every dollar they’ve raised in the last four years, it’s because of Donald Trump.”
During the campaign, many of the large expenditures, like television and digital ad buys, were routed through a secretive LLC called American Made Media Consultants. That allowed the Trump campaign and its joint committee with the national party to effectively shield many details of its spending, including who was being paid and how much. More than $700 million has gone through the LLC since the beginning of 2019.
What no one knew was that the LLC represented yet another intermingling of Trump’s political, financial and familial interests. New documents reviewed by The New York Times show that Lara Trump, Trump’s daughter-in-law and a senior campaign adviser, served on the board — and was named on drafts of the incorporation papers. So was John Pence, the nephew of Vice President Mike Pence and a senior Trump adviser.
Tim Murtaugh, a spokesman for Trump, said both Lara Trump and John Pence resigned from the board in October 2019. “There was never any ethical or legal reason why they could not serve on the board in the first place,’’ he said. He added that neither was paid for being on the board.
American Made Media Consultants was the subject of a complaint to the Federal Election Commission this year that accused it of “laundering” funds to obscure the ultimate beneficiary of Trump campaign spending. Filings show the vast majority of funds were spent after Lara Trump resigned from the board. The complaint is pending.
For Trump, the quarter-billion dollars he and the party raised over six weeks is enough to pay off all of his remaining campaign bills and to fund his fruitless legal challenges and still leave tens of millions of dollars.
Trump’s plans, however, remain extremely fluid. His refusal to accept Joe Biden’s victory has stunted internal political planning, aides say, with some advisers in his shrinking circle of confidants hesitant to even approach him about setting a course of action for 2021 and beyond.
Those who have spoken with Trump say he appears shrunken, and over his job; this detachment is reflected in a Twitter feed that remains stubbornly more focused on unfounded allegations of fraud than on the death toll from the raging pandemic.
Trump has talked about running again in 2024 — but he also may not. He has created this new PAC, but a different political entity could still be in the works, people involved in the discussions said. Talk of counterprogramming Biden’s inauguration with a splashy event or an announcement of his own is currently on hold.
Trump had been tentatively planning to go to Georgia on Saturday, according to a senior Republican official, to support the two Republicans in Senate runoff races there. But he is still angry at the state’s Republican governor and secretary of state for accepting the election result and simply doesn’t want to make the trip. There is some discussion about him going after the Christmas holiday.
Still, the Trump political apparatus has taken advantage of the grassroots energy and excitement over the two runoffs to juice its own fundraising. Email and text solicitations have pitched Trump supporters to give to a “Georgia Election Fund,” even though no funds go directly to either Republican senator on the ballot, irritating some Senate GOP strategists.
Instead, the fine print shows 75% of the donations to the Georgia fund go to Trump’s new PAC, called Save America, with 25% to the Republican National Committee.
After weeks of shouting “FRAUD” to supporters in emails and asking them to back an “Election Defense Fund” (which also sent 75% of donations to his new PAC), the Trump operation has subtly shifted its tone and focus, returning to more sustainable preelection themes, like hawking signed hats and opposing socialism.
Trump and the RNC did spend about $15 million combined in legal costs and other spending related to disputing the election between Oct. 15 and Nov. 23, according to federal records.
Even some of his biggest postelection spending that his campaign labeled recount-related was routed through the LLC that Lara Trump served on the board of, including $2.2 million for “SMS advertising,” better known as text messaging.
For a sense of scale of just how much money Donald Trump will have at his disposal, the new Trump PAC’s $60 million-plus haul — and counting — is about as much money as he spent to win his party’s presidential nomination in 2016.
Some campaign finance experts have speculated that Trump might try to use the excess of cash in his new PAC, formally known as a leadership PAC, to pay for his own personal future legal quagmires as he faces investigations once he leaves office. (A senior Trump adviser said they don’t expect the money to be used for personal legal needs.)
“A leadership PAC is a slush fund,” said Meredith McGehee, executive director of Issue One, a group that supports increased political transparency. “There are very, very, very few limits on what he can’t spend money on.”
In the last five years, Trump has never shied from spending hundreds of thousands of dollars from his contributors on his private businesses, a practice he could continue or expand while out of office.
Just since mid-October, the Trump Victory Committee, a joint account operated with the RNC, has paid more than $710,000 to the Trump Hotel Collection, while his reelection account has continued to pay more than $37,000 per month to rent space in Trump Tower.
It is not clear where his post-presidential operation will be based or who will run it, although several advisers expect it will be in Florida, where he is planning to move.
But as a former president, Trump will be allocated a certain amount of taxpayer money for staff and office space for life after leaving the White House, and he is beginning to have discussions about which aides from the West Wing will accompany him.
His senior political advisers — Bill Stepien, Justin Clark and Jason Miller, among others — are among those who may stay involved with him politically.
While Trump’s post-presidency remains largely shapeless, he has demonstrated his desire to exert his control on national politics, especially among Republicans.
He has already endorsed Ronna McDaniel, a close ally, to serve another term as chair of the RNC. He has floated primary challenges to Republicans, such as Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, who have crossed him by rejecting his baseless theories of election fraud. He has even asked aides how he can retain control of the party if he isn’t a candidate.
One person close to Trump said that he has sounded less certain about declaring he’s running in 2024 than he had just two weeks ago. That uncertainty is causing anxiety for a number of advisers and aides to the president, some of whom might join other campaigns but are stuck in limbo until Trump makes up his mind. Announcing for president would trigger tighter rules on Trump’s political spending and added financial disclosures, including of Trump’s personal finances, that simply operating a PAC would not.
Trump’s future ambitions have also created a cloud over who exactly will control some of the most valuable assets from the 2020 campaign, including Trump’s lengthy list of supporters from whom he has raised hundreds of millions of dollars. Both the RNC and Trump are entitled to some of this valuable voter data, and efforts at “decoupling” the data are underway but expected to last months.
“There’s no bully pulpit as large as the presidency, but nevertheless, President Trump is likely to play a significant role in the future of the Republican Party,” said Whit Ayres, a Republican pollster. “It’s very difficult to imagine him following the same pattern as George W. Bush, Barack Obama and other presidents have followed in keeping their mouths shut and letting the new president try to govern.”


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--Baltimore Man Homeless Due to Liberal Lockdown Lunacy

COVID-19 costs a Baltimore man his job and home: 'Homelessness can come to anybody'
Robert Collier, one of many who are unemployed and homeless in Baltimore City..JPG


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--Parents Lose Lawsuit Over Destruction of Son’s Porn Stash

GRAND HAVEN , Mich. ( AP ) — A man who sued his parents for getting rid of his pornography collection has won a lawsuit in western Michigan and can seek compensation .
U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney ruled in favor of David Werking , who said his parents had no right to throw out his collection .
He lived at their Grand Haven home for 10 months after a divorce before moving to Muncie , Indiana .
Werking said boxes of films and magazines worth an estimated $ 29,000 were missing .
“ There is no question that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Maloney said Monday .
“ Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property.
” Werking ’ s parents said they had a right to act as his landlords .
“ Defendants do not cite to any statute or caselaw to support their assertion that landlords can destroy property that they dislike , ” the judge said .
Maloney told both sides to file briefs on the financial value of the collection .
“ The court does not intend to hold an evidentiary hearing , ” he said .
Copyright 2020 The @ @ @ @ @ @ @

GRAND HAVEN, Mich. (AP) — A man who sued his parents for getting rid of his pornography collection has won a lawsuit in western Michigan and can seek compensation.
U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney ruled in favor of David Werking, who said his parents had no right to throw out his collection. He lived at their Grand Haven home for 10 months after a divorce before moving to Muncie, Indiana.
Werking said boxes of films and magazines worth an estimated $29,000 were missing.
“There is no question that the destroyed property was David’s property,” Maloney said Monday. “Defendants repeatedly admitted that they destroyed the property.”
Werking’s parents said they had a right to act as his landlords.
“Defendants do not cite to any statute or caselaw to support their assertion that landlords can destroy property that they dislike,” the judge said.
Maloney told both sides to file briefs on the financial value of the collection.
“The court does not intend to hold an evidentiary hearing,” he said.
Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, Born in 1933, Claims She Hasn’t Considered Retiring: ‘I Don’t Fee

Democrat Senator Dianne Feinstein, Born in 1933, Claims She Hasn’t Considered Retiring: ‘I Don’t Feel My Cognitive Abilities Have Diminished’

U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said this week she has n't thought about retiring before her term ends in 2024 and defended herself against criticism of her job performance and questions about her age .
`` I don ’ t feel my cognitive abilities have diminished , '' Feinstein told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Thursday .
`` Do I forget something sometimes ?
Quite possibly . ''
At 87 , Feinstein is the Senate 's oldest member .
She won reelection for another six-year term in 2018 , defeating Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The debate over Feinstein 's approach to politics renewed this fall during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett .
Several news outlets have also reported on questions about Feinstein 's memory and mental faculty given her age .
Her term runs through 2024 , but some observers have raised the possibility of her retiring early , giving Democratic Gov .
Gavin Newsom a chance to appoint a successor .
He 's currently weighing who to appoint to fill the rest of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris ' term , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she has n't considered retiring early .
`` We do get things done and we do pass bills .
You do get older , that ’ s true .
But I have been productive , '' she told the Times .
Feinstein recently stepped down from her position as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee after facing criticism for her handling of Barrett 's confirmation hearings just weeks before the November election .
Some Democrats wanted Feinstein to be more aggressive in efforts to stop Barrett 's confirmation , though there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ control of the chamber .
When Feinstein declared the proceeding `` one of the best set of hearings I 've participated in '' and hugged committee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham , a Republican in the middle of a tough reelection battle , calls for her to step aside poured in from some Democratic groups .
`` I shook his hand and he gave me a hug and I got holy hell , '' Feinstein told the Times .
She said it 's `` not good '' if she ca n't have a good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican .
`` I think civility and bipartisanship mean something , '' she said .
Feinstein , who was first elected to the Senate in 1992 , has long espoused the benefits of bipartisanship and the limits of activism .
During her 2018 race , she declared herself in the `` center of the political spectrum '' and argued the power to make change comes through elections .
Her supporters in the race pointed to her seniority in the Senate as an asset that would benefit her home state .
She acknowledged she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , '' but said she is still getting things done due to a combination of the respect people have for her , her bipartisan track record and her effective and smart staff .

article
U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California said this week she hasn't thought about retiring before her term ends in 2024 and defended herself against criticism of her job performance and questions about her age.
"I don’t feel my cognitive abilities have diminished," Feinstein told the Los Angeles Times in an interview published Thursday. "Do I forget something sometimes? Quite possibly."
At 87, Feinstein is the Senate's oldest member. She won reelection for another six-year term in 2018, defeating Democratic challenger Kevin de Leon, who ran on a more liberal platform. The debate over Feinstein's approach to politics renewed this fall during the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Several news outlets have also reported on questions about Feinstein's memory and mental faculty given her age. Her term runs through 2024, but some observers have raised the possibility of her retiring early, giving Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom a chance to appoint a successor. He's currently weighing who to appoint to fill the rest of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris' term, which runs through 2022.
She said she hasn't considered retiring early.
"We do get things done and we do pass bills. You do get older, that’s true. But I have been productive," she told the Times.
Feinstein recently stepped down from her position as the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee after facing criticism for her handling of Barrett's confirmation hearings just weeks before the November election. Some Democrats wanted Feinstein to be more aggressive in efforts to stop Barrett's confirmation, though there was little the party could do without control of the chamber.
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 15: Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) (R) and Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-SC) (L) hug as the confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett come to a close on Capitol Hill on October 15, 2020 in W Expand
When Feinstein declared the proceeding "one of the best set of hearings I've participated in" and hugged committee chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican in the middle of a tough reelection battle, calls for her to step aside poured in from some Democratic groups.
Graham won another term weeks later.
"I shook his hand and he gave me a hug and I got holy hell," Feinstein told the Times. She said it's "not good" if she can't have a good relationship with someone because they are a Republican.
"I think civility and bipartisanship mean something," she said.
Feinstein, who was first elected to the Senate in 1992, has long espoused the benefits of bipartisanship and the limits of activism. During her 2018 race, she declared herself in the "center of the political spectrum" and argued the power to make change comes through elections.
Her supporters in the race pointed to her seniority in the Senate as an asset that would benefit her home state.
She acknowledged she's "taken a few arrows lately," but said she is still getting things done due to a combination of the respect people have for her, her bipartisan track record and her effective and smart staff.


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--Dog Hit by Car, Shot Over 70 Times Finds Forever Home for the Holidays

Tammi , a 9-month-old retriever , has found her forever family after having a very rough start to life .
The adorable dog was brought to the San Antonio Humane Society last month after suffering through some horrific injuries .
`` Upon examination , SAHS veterinarians believed Tammi was hit by a car and was shot with a shotgun .
Her X-rays revealed more than 70 shotgun pellets in her body , '' they wrote on Facebook .
The pup underwent surgery to repair her pelvis and restore her mobility .
She was then sent to a foster home for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , care , and rest , Tammi has improved , although she still needs some rehab to help strengthen her muscles .
But what she really wanted was a loving home in time for Christmas .
MORE NEWS : 10-year-old dog adopted after spending 1,134 days in shelter Shortly after her story was shared , a family stepped right up to welcome Tammi into their home .
`` She 's been so great .
She 's adjusted so well , '' Tammi 's new mom said in a statement .
`` She was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soon as she walked through our doors , she was different .
She was really excited , and I think she 's enjoying us as much as we 've needed her . ''

article
Tammi, a 9-month-old retriever, has found her forever family after having a very rough start to life.
The adorable dog was brought to the San Antonio Humane Society last month after suffering through some horrific injuries.
"Upon examination, SAHS veterinarians believed Tammi was hit by a car and was shot with a shotgun. Her X-rays revealed more than 70 shotgun pellets in her body," they wrote on Facebook.
MORE NEWS: 70-year-old crocodile spotted in Punta Gorda backyard
(San Antonio Humane Society)
(San Antonio Humane Society)
The pup underwent surgery to repair her pelvis and restore her mobility. She was then sent to a foster home for recovery.
After a month of love, care, and rest, Tammi has improved, although she still needs some rehab to help strengthen her muscles. But what she really wanted was a loving home in time for Christmas.
MORE NEWS: 10-year-old dog adopted after spending 1,134 days in shelter
(San Antonio Humane Society)
(San Antonio Humane Society)
Shortly after her story was shared, a family stepped right up to welcome Tammi into their home.
"She's been so great. She's adjusted so well," Tammi's new mom said in a statement. "She was shy at the shelter, but as soon as she walked through our doors, she was different. She was really excited, and I think she's enjoying us as much as we've needed her."


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--WOW: Driven Out of Business by Democrat Big Gretch, Michigan Toy Store Owner Donates Everything to C

WOW: Driven Out of Business by Democrat Big Gretch, Michigan Toy Store Owner Donates Everything to Charity for Kids Battling Cancer

A small business owner lost her business due to the COVID-19 pandemic but turned her misfortune into joy for the Bottomless Toy Chest at Canterbury Village .
Marie Liburdi owned Teaching Toys and has lost two businesses during the pandemic .
But the small business owner decided to donate her store 's inventory after seeing a segment on FOX 2 about a toy drive at Canterbury Village benefiting The Bottomless Toy Chest .
The organization delivers toys throughout the year to pediatric cancer patients .
`` It 's financial devastation for many small businesses , '' Liburdi said .
`` @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where kids ca n't come in and touch and play and try and use materials … Covid and germs , it 's just a no-win situation . ''
Mickey Guisewite , executive director of The Bottomless Toy Chest , founded the charity after her now-grown son overcame his pediatric cancer .
`` Our mission is to help empower children through the magic of toys , '' Guisewite said .
`` After he finished treatment , I mean , really , this just started as a toy drive . ''
After the closure of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inventory to The Bottomless Toy Chest .
`` To get these toys at this time is really going to help us not only be able to continue our program but to expand it , '' Guisewite said .
The amount of toys donated from this store adds up to thousands , but the owner says it 's not about profits .
For more information about the collection for The Bottomless Toy Chest at the Collection at Canterbury Village Holiday Stroll :

A small business owner lost her business due to the COVID-19 pandemic but turned her misfortune into joy for the Bottomless Toy Chest at Canterbury Village.
Marie Liburdi owned Teaching Toys and has lost two businesses during the pandemic. But the small business owner decided to donate her store's inventory after seeing a segment on FOX 2 about a toy drive at Canterbury Village benefiting The Bottomless Toy Chest. The organization delivers toys throughout the year to pediatric cancer patients.
"It's financial devastation for many small businesses," Liburdi said. "I don't know one toy store where kids can't come in and touch and play and try and use materials … Covid and germs, it's just a no-win situation."
Marie Liburdi
Mickey Guisewite, executive director of The Bottomless Toy Chest, founded the charity after her now-grown son overcame his pediatric cancer.
"Our mission is to help empower children through the magic of toys," Guisewite said. "After he finished treatment, I mean, really, this just started as a toy drive."
After the closure of her business, Liburdi donated the remaining inventory to The Bottomless Toy Chest.
"To get these toys at this time is really going to help us not only be able to continue our program but to expand it," Guisewite said.
The amount of toys donated from this store adds up to thousands, but the owner says it's not about profits.
For more information about the collection for The Bottomless Toy Chest at the Collection at Canterbury Village Holiday Stroll:
https://www.canterburyholidaystroll.com/
https://www.facebook.com/CanterburyHolidayStroll/


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--THE ONLY GOOD COMMIE IS A DEAD COMMIE T-Shirt Available NOW!

As the old saying goes ...
The Only Good Commie ... is a Dead Commie !

Every piece of our merchandise is made with your values in mind. And a patriotic spirit lives within ALL of our customers, so wear your patriotism proudly.


thelibertydaily--2020-12-19--11 Democrats Busted for Violating Their Own Lockdown Edicts

It ’ s rules for thee , but not for me in California .
While Gov .
Gavin Newsom ’ s widespread and restrictive COVID mandates have bankrupted businesses across the Golden State , Newsom had no compulsion against partying it up with a group of his elite friends at The French Laundry in Napa Valley , where dinner starts at $ 350 a person and reservations are made weeks – if not months – in advance .
Newsom was photographed eating indoors at the swanky eatery with his buddies to ring in his friend 's 50th birthday , despite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of his state while advising his residents not to risk spreading COVID by eating out .
Breed , who ’ s shut down businesses and restaurants across her city and kept tens of thousands of students out of school for months , was caught dining with a group at The French Laundry just one night after California Gov .
Gavin Newsom was seen at the same high-end eatery .
Why ?
Because a socialite was having a birthday party .
Several weeks ago , Kuehl was caught dining outdoors at an Italian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hours after voting during an LA County Supervisors meeting to…ban outdoor dining .
During the vote , Kuehl expressed concern that restaurant wait staff could be at risk of catching COVID from maskless customers dining outdoors .
But apparently , that concern for others wasn ’ t enough to stop her from doing that very thing .
Just four days after tweeting to her fellow Rhode Islanders to “ stay home ” except for essential travel , Raimondo was photographed hanging out – indoors and sans face mask – in a wine bar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tyrannical COVID restrictions on her constituents , her husband was busy trying to jump in line to have his boat put in the water ahead of those who ’ d been waiting patiently for his wife to lift her ban on boating .
While still banning churches from meeting for worship – even outdoors – Bowser was caught violating her own guidance against travel when she visited Delaware to attend a celebration party for President-elect Joe Biden .
And , like most of the political elite , she was exempt from having to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as her office said the trip to attend the party was `` essential business . ''
The early days of the COVID pandemic saw governors across the country scrambling to lock down their states , and Pritzker was no exception .
But despite shutting down restaurants and businesses and telling his residents not to work or travel except for essential reasons , that didn ’ t halt the massive construction being done on Pritzker ’ s farm expansion – which , conveniently , was just across the border in Wisconsin .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a PSA telling his city ’ s residents not to travel for the holidays to stop the spread of the coronavirus .
The only problem ?
He filmed it in Cabo , where he ’ d flown on a private jet to host a 20-person wedding for his daughter .
Except for the time she encouraged people to visit San Francisco ’ s Chinatown in the early days of the pandemic , Pelosi ’ s ben a big supporter of the left ’ s Doom and Gloom outlook on the coronavirus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bankrupted countless businesses and deprived millions of Americans of their livelihoods .
Of course , that didn ’ t stop her from getting her hair cut at a salon that had been mandated closed to other patrons .
She later blamed the salon owner .
Schumer has been a vocal propoent of masks , and mask mandates .
Until , of course , he wants to shout into a crowd to celebrate Joe Biden ’ s win over President Donald Trump .
Like many other city officials , Stoney ’ s been pretty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurants , bars and other commercial establishments in Richmond , Virginia , putting thousands of residents out of work and jeopardizing countless small businesses .
After shutting down businesses early in the pandemic , Stoney later announced an extension of the shutdown literally hours before city businesses and restaurants were set to reopen for the first time in weeks , forcing many business owners to abandon their expensive re-opening plans and costing some of them the last of their savings .
Days later , when it came time to support Black Lives Matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force to back up the massive crowd ( which , technically , had been banned by Stoney 's office due to group size ) – and he did so largely without a mask while screaming into a bullhorn .

California Gov. Gavin Newsom.
It’s rules for thee, but not for me in California. While Gov. Gavin Newsom’s widespread and restrictive COVID mandates have bankrupted businesses across the Golden State, Newsom had no compulsion against partying it up with a group of his elite friends at The French Laundry in Napa Valley, where dinner starts at $350 a person and reservations are made weeks – if not months – in advance.
Newsom was photographed eating indoors at the swanky eatery with his buddies to ring in his friend's 50th birthday, despite having shut down indoor dining in many areas of his state while advising his residents not to risk spreading COVID by eating out.
San Francisco Mayor London Breed.
Breed, who’s shut down businesses and restaurants across her city and kept tens of thousands of students out of school for months, was caught dining with a group at The French Laundry just one night after California Gov. Gavin Newsom was seen at the same high-end eatery. Why? Because a socialite was having a birthday party.
LA County Supervisor Sheila Kuehl.
Several weeks ago, Kuehl was caught dining outdoors at an Italian restaurant not far from her home literally hours after voting during an LA County Supervisors meeting to…ban outdoor dining. During the vote, Kuehl expressed concern that restaurant wait staff could be at risk of catching COVID from maskless customers dining outdoors.
But apparently, that concern for others wasn’t enough to stop her from doing that very thing.
Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo.
Just four days after tweeting to her fellow Rhode Islanders to “stay home” except for essential travel, Raimondo was photographed hanging out – indoors and sans face mask – in a wine bar.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer & Co.
While Whitmer was busy doling out tyrannical COVID restrictions on her constituents, her husband was busy trying to jump in line to have his boat put in the water ahead of those who’d been waiting patiently for his wife to lift her ban on boating.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser.
While still banning churches from meeting for worship – even outdoors – Bowser was caught violating her own guidance against travel when she visited Delaware to attend a celebration party for President-elect Joe Biden.
And, like most of the political elite, she was exempt from having to take a COVID test during her trip, as her office said the trip to attend the party was "essential business."
Illinois Gov. JD Pritzker.
The early days of the COVID pandemic saw governors across the country scrambling to lock down their states, and Pritzker was no exception. But despite shutting down restaurants and businesses and telling his residents not to work or travel except for essential reasons, that didn’t halt the massive construction being done on Pritzker’s farm expansion – which, conveniently, was just across the border in Wisconsin.
Austin Mayor Steve Adler.
In late November, the Texas mayor filmed a PSA telling his city’s residents not to travel for the holidays to stop the spread of the coronavirus.
The only problem? He filmed it in Cabo, where he’d flown on a private jet to host a 20-person wedding for his daughter.
California Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
Except for the time she encouraged people to visit San Francisco’s Chinatown in the early days of the pandemic, Pelosi’s ben a big supporter of the left’s Doom and Gloom outlook on the coronavirus, and has vocally supported the shutdowns that have bankrupted countless businesses and deprived millions of Americans of their livelihoods.
Of course, that didn’t stop her from getting her hair cut at a salon that had been mandated closed to other patrons. She later blamed the salon owner.
New York Sen. Chuck Schumer.
Schumer has been a vocal propoent of masks, and mask mandates.
Until, of course, he wants to shout into a crowd to celebrate Joe Biden’s win over President Donald Trump.
Richmond Mayor Lavar Stoney.
Like many other city officials, Stoney’s been pretty heavy-handed when it comes to shutting down restaurants, bars and other commercial establishments in Richmond, Virginia, putting thousands of residents out of work and jeopardizing countless small businesses. After shutting down businesses early in the pandemic, Stoney later announced an extension of the shutdown literally hours before city businesses and restaurants were set to reopen for the first time in weeks, forcing many business owners to abandon their expensive re-opening plans and costing some of them the last of their savings.
Days later, when it came time to support Black Lives Matter protesters, Stoney was out in full force to back up the massive crowd (which, technically, had been banned by Stoney's office due to group size) – and he did so largely without a mask while screaming into a bullhorn.


thelibertydaily--2020-12-20--President Trump Takes Swipe at Cries of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ Hacking Likely Done by Chi-Coms Who

President Trump Takes Swipe at Cries of ‘Russia, Russia, Russia’ Hacking Likely Done by Chi-Coms Who Helped Rig Election

Donald Trump has hit out at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for blaming Russia for the huge cyber attack on the US .
Tagging Pompeo , the president tweeted Saturday that China was behind the unprecedented hack on US government agencies and private sector firms , after the Secretary of State said on Friday that the Kremlin was to blame .
'There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election , which is now obvious that I won big , making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA .
@ DNI_Ratcliffe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tagging Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe .
'There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election , which is now obvious that I won big , making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA .
@ DNI_Ratcliffe @ SecPompeo , ' he wrote on Saturday , in a public display that he disagreed with his two top officials .
While the nation 's cybersecurity agency has described the breach as a 'grave threat ' , Trump downplayed the hack which has compromised broad swathes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and has been described as the cyber equivalent of the attack on Pearl Harbor .
He brushed off its severity claiming it 'is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality ' and insisted that 'everything is well under control ' .
Trump also once again pushed unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the presidential election , saying without evidence that voting machines could have been hacked .
'The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality .
I have been fully briefed and everything is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
'Russia , Russia , Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is , for mostly financial reasons , petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China ( it may ! )
. '
Trump 's fresh attack on China comes as tensions have escalated between the two nations this year as the president has accused President Xi Jinping of a 'cover-up ' of the pandemic and insists on calling coronavirus 'the China virus ' .
Meanwhile , Trump has something of a close relationship with Russian President @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticizing his actions where other nations have .
Trump refused to accept findings of the Mueller report that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election , while his response to the recent poison attack on Putin 's opponent Alexey Navalny was that China is 'far worse . '
There have been no reports of any involvement of Beijing in the cyber attack and Trump provided no information or evidence as to why he thought China may be involved .
He continued in a follow-up post claiming without evidence that voting machines may have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' in the election .
Twitter marked this tweet with a warning stating that 'Election officials have certified Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. Presidential election . '
His comments come just hours after Pompeo became the first US official to publicly attribute the massive hacking campaign to Russia .
'There was a significant effort to use a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of US government systems , ' Pompeo told The Mark Levin Show on Friday .
'This was a very significant effort , and I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity . '
Even before Pompeo 's comments , Russia was thought to be behind the attack .
Several private security companies said the breach bears the hallmarks of a Kremlin operation .
Some have pointed at the Russian hacking cell dubbed 'Cozy Bear ' - though other experts argue that the tools and methods used in the new attack are different from any past breach , making attribution tricky .
On Saturday Republican Senator Marco Rubio also pointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'The methods used to carry out the cyberhack are consistent with Russian cyber operations . '
Russian President Vladimir Putin 's spokesman denied Kremlin involvement , and the Russian embassy said in a statement that the country 'does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain . '
Meanwhile , Ratcliffe on Wednesday issued a statement revealing that the breach on government agencies was 'significant . '
'This is a developing situation , and while we continue to work to understand the full extent of this campaign , we know this compromise has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ' he said .
Trump has remained quiet on the cyber attack until now .
He posted a Christmas card with Melania Trump Friday but again provided no comment on the hack .
Sources told CNN Saturday that the White House had prepared a statement blaming Russia for the attack and planned to release it Friday afternoon but were ordered not to .
The insiders said the statement said Russia was responsible but that the government could not yet rule out involvement from others .
They said they were not told why the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not go unnoticed with Democrats in Congress blasting Trump for failing to address the issue and demanding a harsh response on the perpetrators .
'Our nation is under assault .
This cyberattack could be the largest in our history .
We do n't yet know the extent of the damage , but we know that we were n't prepared & have our work cut out for us , ' tweeted Rep. Jason Crow , a Colorado Democrat Friday .
'We ca n't wait for leadership , we need it now .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Crow also likened the attack to Pearl Harbour in a follow-up tweet : 'The situation is developing , but the more I learn this could be our modern day , cyber equivalent of Pearl Harbor . '
In contrast to Trump , President-elect Joe Biden issued a statement Thursday about the attack where he vowed to make cybersecurity 'imperative ' when he takes office and said he would not 'stand idly by ' . '
I want to be clear : My administration will make cybersecurity a top priority at every level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with this breach a top priority from the moment we take office , ' Biden said in a statement .
'We will elevate cybersecurity as an imperative across the government , further strengthen partnerships with the private sector , and expand our investment in the infrastructure and people we need to defend against malicious cyberattacks . '
While Trump attempted to brush off the severity of the hack , his comments come direct opposition to the concerns raised by top administration officials , politicians , tech giants and cybersecurity experts .
The Cyber @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attack posed a 'grave risk ' to 'critical infrastructure ' in both the public and private sector , and at all levels of government .
'CISA has determined that this threat poses a grave risk to the Federal Government and state , local , tribal , and territorial governments as well as critical infrastructure entities and other private sector organizations , ' the agency said Thursday .
'CISA expects that removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations . '
The agency also warned the sophisticated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be difficult to undo .
Senator Chris Coons , a Delaware Democrat , described the hack as an act of war telling MSNBC : 'It 's pretty hard to distinguish this from an act of aggression that rises to the level of an attack that qualifies as war . '
The sprawling attack compromised multiple government agencies , as well as a growing list of companies and local governments across the country .
The two US agencies responsible for maintaining America 's nuclear weapons stockpile have already said they were compromised in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pentagon , FBI , Treasury and State Departments .
Other victims to fall foul of the attack include the Pima County , Arizona governmen and cable television company Cox Communications Inc , according to Reuters .
Microsoft said Friday it had already identified at least 40 government agencies and companies targeted by the hackers .
A heat map of infections released by the tech giant , which has helped respond to the breach , shows that those infiltrated by the hackers are spread out across the US with agencies , companies and think @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Texas among the hardest hit .
Microsoft has not revealed the names of those infiltrated by the hackers but said nearly half were tech companies .
The UK , Israel , Canada and the United Arab Emirates were also caught in the cross hairs .
The breach was executed back in March and went undetected for nearly nine months fuelling concerns over the full extent of intelligence and top-secret information that may have fallen into the wrong hands .
US officials on Friday revealed hackers had conducted a 'dry run ' of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year ago .
The hack involved a common software product made by Texas-based SolarWinds Corp , which is used by hundreds of thousands of organizations , ranging from government agencies to Microsoft and Fortune 500 companies .
The hackers are believed to have targeted the company 's network management software Orion back in October 2019 , five months before executing the full-scale breach in March .
A version of Orion was tampered with around that time , however it did not contain the secret network backdoor - which authorities are calling SUNBURST - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CISA .
A source told Yahoo News it appears that the hackers wanted to do a test run to make sure the attack would 'work and whether it would be detected . '
'They took their time .
They decided to not go out with an actual backdoor right away .
That signifies that they 're a little bit more disciplined and deliberate , ' the person added .
SolarWinds , which disclosed its unwitting role at the center of the global hack on Monday , said up to 18,000 of its users @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planted by the attackers .
The company , which has come under scrutiny after investors offloaded shares in the days leading up to the attack , said the attack was the work of an 'outside nation state . '
The true scale of who has been affected and what information has been stolen in the massive attack may never be known , officials and experts say .
Experts say there simply are not enough skilled threat-hunting teams to properly identify all the government and private-sector systems that may have been hacked , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 'burned to the ground ' and rebuilt from scratch .
'We must retaliate ' : Acting Intelligence Committee Chair Marco Rubio says the US should hit back with 'more than just sanctions ' after Pompeo confirms Russia WAS behind the cyber attack branded an 'act of war ' by senator Marco Rubio has demanded that the United States retaliate with more than sanctions for a massive cyber attack on the Pentagon , FBI and nuclear programs , which he said was likely carried out by Russia .
On Friday Mike Pompeo , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ U.S. official to publicly attribute a massive hacking campaign to Russia , after broad swathes of the federal government and private sector were revealed to be compromised .
Later on Friday night Rubio , the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee , urged a strong response .
'The methods used to carry out the cyberhack are consistent with Russian cyber operations , ' he tweeted .
'But it 's crucial we have complete certainty about who is behind this .
We ca n't afford to be wrong on attribution , because America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sanctions . '
The huge security breach , which is believed to have begun in the spring and gone undetected for months , is thought to have been so sophisticated that only a state-sponsored actor could pull it off .
The Russians are automatically the prime suspect for attacks of this scale and audacity and Pompeo said Friday the Kremlin was behind the attack .
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attack compromised federal agencies ' 'critical infrastructure ' in a manner that was hard to detect and will be difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the true size of the attack will be difficult .
The sprawling attack , which went undetected for nearly nine months , compromised the Departments of Homeland Security , Justice , Treasury , State and Energy , as well as a growing list of companies and local governments across the country .
Officials with the nation 's cybersecurity agency warn that the breach could be difficult to undo , saying the hackers 'demonstrated sophistication and complex tradecraft ' and that it was likely that they had built additional secret backdoors while active inside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had remained silent over the attack .
He was being briefed 'as needed , ' White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern told reporters on Friday .
National security adviser Robert O'Brien was leading interagency meetings daily , if not more often , he said .
'They 're working very hard on mitigation and making sure that our country is secure .
We will not get into too many details because we 're just not going to tell our adversaries what we do to combat these things , ' Morgenstern said .
The Democratic chairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the hack by the Trump administration issued a statement complaining that they 'were left with more questions than answers . '
'Administration officials were unwilling to share the full scope of the breach and identities of the victims , ' they said .
Morgenstern said earlier that disclosing such details only helps U.S. adversaries .
The long-term planning of the attack became clear on Friday , as officials said that the hackers appeared to have conducted a dry run over a year ago , testing their ability to insert malicious code into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which was later delivered to some 18,000 of the company 's customers .
Private security companies say that the breach bears the hallmarks of a Kremlin operation .
Some have pointed at the Russian hacking cell dubbed 'Cozy Bear ' -- though other experts argue that the tools and methods used in the new attack are different from any past breach , making attribution tricky .
'At the moment , there are no technical links with previous attacks , so it may be an entirely new actor , ' security firm Kaspersy said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the cybersecurity company that discovered the intrusion into U.S. agencies and was among the victims , has already tallied dozens of casualties .
It 's racing to identify more .
'We have a serious problem .
We do n't know what networks they are in , how deep they are , what access they have , what tools they left , ' said Bruce Schneier , a prominent security expert and Harvard fellow .
The only way to be sure a network is clean is 'to burn it down to the ground and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He compared the situation to learning that a serial killer has been inside your house , with his own key .
'You do n't know if he 's gone .
How do you get work done ?
You kind of just hope for the best , ' he said .
Many federal workers - and others in the private sector - now must presume that unclassified networks are teeming with spies .
Agencies will be more inclined to conduct sensitive government business on Signal , WhatsApp and other encrypted smartphone apps .
'We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a long ride , ' said Dmitri Alperovitch , co-founder and former chief technical officer of the leading cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike .
'Cleanup is just phase one .
Meanwhile , Microsoft President Brad Smith called the attack a 'moment of reckoning ' that 'illuminates the ways the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve and become even more dangerous . '
Microsoft , one of the thousands of companies to receive the malicious update , said it had notified more than 40 customers around the world whose networks were infiltrated by the hackers .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agencies , but security and other technology firms as well as think tanks and government contractors .
'The attack unfortunately represents a broad and successful espionage-based assault on both the confidential information of the U.S. Government and the tech tools used by firms to protect them , ' Smith wrote in a blog post .
'The coming months will present a critical test , not only for the United States but for other leading democracies and technology companies , ' he added .
How hackers managed to install a secret backdoor in software @ @ @ @ @ @ @ departments and companies The hack began as early as March this year when hackers snuck malicious code into recent versions of SolarWinds ' premier software product , Orion .
The popular software tool helps organizations monitor the performance of their computer networks and servers .
Hackers managed to install a secret network backdoor - which authorities are calling SUNBURST - into Orion 's software updates .
Its centralized monitoring looks for problems in an organization 's computer networks , which means that breaking in gave the attackers a 'God-view ' of those networks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hackers managed to infiltrate SolarWinds and go undetected for nine months .
During this time-frame , as many as 18,000 SolarWinds customers - including federal agencies and major companies - downloaded the compromised updates that contained the back door .
The software update became an instrument for hackers to steal information undetected for nine months .
Once installed on a network , the malware used a protocol designed to mimic legitimate SolarWinds traffic to communicate with a domain that has since been seized and shut down , the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ domain would often direct the malware to a new internet protocol ( IP ) address for command and control .
The attackers used rotating IPs and virtual private servers with IP addresses in the target 's home country to make detection of the traffic more difficult .
CISA said that once inside a network , the hackers focused on gathering information and frequently targeted the emails of IT and security staff to monitor any countermeasures .
The hackers are feared to have had access to government emails as far back as June .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ center of the biggest attack in American history Before this week , few people were aware of SolarWinds , the Austin-based software company providing vital computer network monitoring services to major corporations and government agencies worldwide .
But the revelation that elite cyber spies have spent months secretly exploiting SolarWinds ' software to peer into computer networks has put many of its highest-profile customers in national governments and Fortune 500 companies on high alert .
It 's also raising questions about whether company insiders knew of its security vulnerabilities as its biggest investors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ filing from December 7 - just days prior to the hack emerging -revealed that the company 's board had appointed a replacement CEO .
SolarWinds ' longtime CEO , Kevin Thompson , had months earlier indicated that he would be leaving at the end of the year as the company explored spinning off one of its divisions .
The SolarWinds board appointed his replacement , current PulseSecure CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna , on December 7 , according to the financial filing .
It was also on December 7 that the company 's two biggest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which control a majority stake in the publicly traded company , sold more than $ 280 million in stock to a Canadian public pension fund .
The two private equity firms in a joint statement said they 'were not aware of this potential cyberattack ' at the time they sold the stock .
Global alarm bells ring : How the hack was first discovered by a California cyber-security firm FireEye The breach of SolarWinds ' software was first discovered by one of its customers : The prominent cybersecurity firm FireEye .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a government contractor , noticed a suspicious log-in on its network around December 8 .
FireEye says the attackers stole some of its 'red team ' software , which mimics cyber-attacks to test the security of its clients ' computers .
Two lawmakers , who were briefed on the hack this week , told Politico that FireEye representatives said that one of their employees had apparently been duped into revealing their two-factor authentication security details .
Company officials have denied the account given by congressional staffers and said none of its employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the breach when hackers tried to register a new device on its systems , which tipped the company off to the wider cyber-attack .
Following an investigation , FireEye say they determined that SolarWinds ' Orion software had been hacked .
'We initially detected the incident because we saw a suspicious authentication to our VPN solution , ' a spokesperson has since said .
'The attacker was able to enroll a device into our multi-factor authentication solution , and that generates an alert which we then followed up on . '
They insist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the attack against FireEye .
Once it determined that there was a wider cyber-attack , a FireEye executive alerted SolarWinds on December 12 of the compromise .
After learning of the SolarWinds breach , the National Security Council held an emergency meeting at the White House on December 12 .
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI were brought in to investigate after some government agencies were confirmed to have been hacked .
At this time , people with knowledge of the meeting reported that hackers believed to be working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traffic at the US Treasury and Commerce departments .
Sources told Reuters that they feared the hacks uncovered so far may have been be the tip of the iceberg .
SolarWinds began alerting about 33,000 of its customers on December 13 that an 'outside nation state ' - widely suspected to be Russia - had injected malicious code into some updated versions of its premier product , Orion .
The company said in a statement that updates to its monitoring software released between March and June of this year may have been subverted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , targeted and manual supply chain attack by a nation state ' .
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive ordering federal agencies to 'disconnect or power down ' the SolarWinds Orion software due to the breach .
From US nuclear agencies and the FBI to Fortune 500 : Who is known to have been targeted by hackers so far The list of victims continues to grow from the cyberattack that is being described as the biggest hack in American history .
The two US agencies responsible for maintaining America @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the National Nuclear Security Administration - have already said they were compromised in the attack .
The attack also breached the Pentagon , FBI , Treasury and State Departments .
The DOE and the NNSA have warned Congress that their breached networks may include the Los Alamos National Laboratory , which conducts the government 's most sensitive and advanced nuclear research , Politico reported .
The US has an estimated 5,800 nuclear warheads , some of which are on missiles and bombs ready for launch from submarines , airplanes and land-based missiles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Most however are in storage , retired , or being decommissioned .
Their status is one of the government 's most closely-guarded secrets , as are efforts to create new weapons , which are part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory 's work .
Another attack was found in a field office of the Energy Department in Richland , Washington state , which Politico reported could have been an effort to gather information on how to disrupt the national electricity grid .
The sprawling attack also compromised broad swathes of the private @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Fortune 500 .
The true scale of who has been affected and what information has been stolen may never be known , officials and experts say .

Donald Trump has hit out at Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for blaming Russia for the huge cyber attack on the US.
Tagging Pompeo, the president tweeted Saturday that China was behind the unprecedented hack on US government agencies and private sector firms, after the Secretary of State said on Friday that the Kremlin was to blame.
'There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election, which is now obvious that I won big, making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA. @DNI_Ratcliffe @SecPompeo,' he wrote, also tagging Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe.
'There could also have been a hit on our ridiculous voting machines during the election, which is now obvious that I won big, making it an even more corrupted embarrassment for the USA. @DNI_Ratcliffe @SecPompeo,' he wrote on Saturday, in a public display that he disagreed with his two top officials.
While the nation's cybersecurity agency has described the breach as a 'grave threat', Trump downplayed the hack which has compromised broad swathes of the federal government and private sector and has been described as the cyber equivalent of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
He brushed off its severity claiming it 'is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality' and insisted that 'everything is well under control'.
Trump also once again pushed unfounded claims of widespread fraud in the presidential election, saying without evidence that voting machines could have been hacked.
Donald Trump has broken his silence over the huge suspected Russian cyber attack claiming that China could be behind the attack, despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly blaming Russia the day before
Trump tweeted claiming that China could be behind the attack, despite Secretary of State Mike Pompeo publicly blaming Russia the day before
GOVT AGENCIES KNOWN TO HAVE BEEN TARGETED BY HACKERS SO FAR Pentagon
Treasury
FBI
Department of State
Department of Homeland Security
Commerce Department
National Institutes of Health
Department of Energy
National Nuclear Security Administration
Los Alamos National Laboratory
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Office of Secure Transportation Advertisement
'The Cyber Hack is far greater in the Fake News Media than in actuality. I have been fully briefed and everything is well under control,' he tweeted.
'Russia, Russia, Russia is the priority chant when anything happens because Lamestream is, for mostly financial reasons, petrified of discussing the possibility that it may be China (it may!).'
Trump's fresh attack on China comes as tensions have escalated between the two nations this year as the president has accused President Xi Jinping of a 'cover-up' of the pandemic and insists on calling coronavirus 'the China virus'.
Meanwhile, Trump has something of a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has often refrained from criticizing his actions where other nations have.
Trump refused to accept findings of the Mueller report that Russia interfered in the 2016 presidential election, while his response to the recent poison attack on Putin's opponent Alexey Navalny was that China is 'far worse.'
There have been no reports of any involvement of Beijing in the cyber attack and Trump provided no information or evidence as to why he thought China may be involved.
He continued in a follow-up post claiming without evidence that voting machines may have been hacked and that he 'won big' in the election.
Twitter marked this tweet with a warning stating that 'Election officials have certified Joe Biden as the winner of the U.S. Presidential election.'
His comments come just hours after Pompeo became the first US official to publicly attribute the massive hacking campaign to Russia.
'There was a significant effort to use a piece of third-party software to essentially embed code inside of US government systems,' Pompeo told The Mark Levin Show on Friday.
'This was a very significant effort, and I think it's the case that now we can say pretty clearly that it was the Russians that engaged in this activity.'
Even before Pompeo's comments, Russia was thought to be behind the attack.
Donald Trump and China's President Xi Jinping. Trump hit out at China claiming the nation could be behind the attack
Pompeo (pictured with his wife Susan) became the first US official to publicly attribute the massive hacking campaign to Russia Friday
Several private security companies said the breach bears the hallmarks of a Kremlin operation.
Some have pointed at the Russian hacking cell dubbed 'Cozy Bear' - though other experts argue that the tools and methods used in the new attack are different from any past breach, making attribution tricky.
On Saturday Republican Senator Marco Rubio also pointed the finger at Russia tweeting that: 'The methods used to carry out the cyberhack are consistent with Russian cyber operations.'
Russian President Vladimir Putin's spokesman denied Kremlin involvement, and the Russian embassy said in a statement that the country 'does not conduct offensive operations in the cyber domain.'
Meanwhile, Ratcliffe on Wednesday issued a statement revealing that the breach on government agencies was 'significant.'
'This is a developing situation, and while we continue to work to understand the full extent of this campaign, we know this compromise has affected networks within the federal government,' he said.
Trump has remained quiet on the cyber attack until now. He posted a Christmas card with Melania Trump Friday but again provided no comment on the hack.
Sources told CNN Saturday that the White House had prepared a statement blaming Russia for the attack and planned to release it Friday afternoon but were ordered not to.
The insiders said the statement said Russia was responsible but that the government could not yet rule out involvement from others.
They said they were not told why the statement was not released.
His silence did not go unnoticed with Democrats in Congress blasting Trump for failing to address the issue and demanding a harsh response on the perpetrators.
'Our nation is under assault. This cyberattack could be the largest in our history. We don't yet know the extent of the damage, but we know that we weren't prepared & have our work cut out for us,' tweeted Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat Friday.
'We can't wait for leadership, we need it now. @realdonaldtrump, where are you?'
Crow also likened the attack to Pearl Harbour in a follow-up tweet: 'The situation is developing, but the more I learn this could be our modern day, cyber equivalent of Pearl Harbor.'
This heat map of infections created by Microsoft shows that those infiltrated by the hackers are spread out across the US
'Cozy Bear': The Russian hacker cell suspected in attack Russia denies involvement in the SUNBURST attack, but US officials say the nation is behind the 'Advanced Persistent Threat' (APT) that carried out the audacious breach. Sources say that one top suspect is APT29, the Kremlin-linked group also known as Cozy Bear. Cozy Bear is best known as the group said to be responsible for the 2016 breach of the Democratic National Committee's servers. Experts believe that Cozy Bear operates as part of one of Russia's intelligence agencies. Some doubt the attribution of SUNBURST to Cozy Bear, through, noting that the tools used in the attack have never been seen before. Advertisement
In contrast to Trump, President-elect Joe Biden issued a statement Thursday about the attack where he vowed to make cybersecurity 'imperative' when he takes office and said he would not 'stand idly by'.
'I want to be clear: My administration will make cybersecurity a top priority at every level of government - and we will make dealing with this breach a top priority from the moment we take office,' Biden said in a statement.
'We will elevate cybersecurity as an imperative across the government, further strengthen partnerships with the private sector, and expand our investment in the infrastructure and people we need to defend against malicious cyberattacks.'
While Trump attempted to brush off the severity of the hack, his comments come direct opposition to the concerns raised by top administration officials, politicians, tech giants and cybersecurity experts.
The Cyber security and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attack posed a 'grave risk' to 'critical infrastructure' in both the public and private sector, and at all levels of government.
'CISA has determined that this threat poses a grave risk to the Federal Government and state, local, tribal, and territorial governments as well as critical infrastructure entities and other private sector organizations,' the agency said Thursday.
A spokesman for Russian President Vladimir Putin denied Russia was behind the attack
'CISA expects that removing this threat actor from compromised environments will be highly complex and challenging for organizations.'
The agency also warned the sophisticated attack was hard to detect and will be difficult to undo.
Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, described the hack as an act of war telling MSNBC: 'It's pretty hard to distinguish this from an act of aggression that rises to the level of an attack that qualifies as war.'
The sprawling attack compromised multiple government agencies, as well as a growing list of companies and local governments across the country.
The two US agencies responsible for maintaining America's nuclear weapons stockpile have already said they were compromised in the attack.
The attack also breached the Pentagon, FBI, Treasury and State Departments.
Other victims to fall foul of the attack include the Pima County, Arizona governmen and cable television company Cox Communications Inc, according to Reuters.
'The situation is developing, but the more I learn this could be our modern day, cyber equivalent of Pearl Harbor,' said Rep. Jason Crow, a Colorado Democrat
Senator Chris Coons, a Delaware Democrat, said: 'It's pretty hard to distinguish this from an act of aggression that rises to the level of an attack that qualifies as war'
Microsoft said Friday it had already identified at least 40 government agencies and companies targeted by the hackers.
A heat map of infections released by the tech giant, which has helped respond to the breach, shows that those infiltrated by the hackers are spread out across the US with agencies, companies and think tanks in New York, Washington DC and Texas among the hardest hit.
Microsoft has not revealed the names of those infiltrated by the hackers but said nearly half were tech companies.
The UK, Israel, Canada and the United Arab Emirates were also caught in the cross hairs.
The breach was executed back in March and went undetected for nearly nine months fuelling concerns over the full extent of intelligence and top-secret information that may have fallen into the wrong hands.
US officials on Friday revealed hackers had conducted a 'dry run' of their massive cyber attack more than a year ago.
The hack involved a common software product made by Texas-based SolarWinds Corp, which is used by hundreds of thousands of organizations, ranging from government agencies to Microsoft and Fortune 500 companies.
Trump posted this Christmas card photo on Friday with First Lady Melania as he continued to stay silent on the cyber attack
The hackers are believed to have targeted the company's network management software Orion back in October 2019, five months before executing the full-scale breach in March.
A version of Orion was tampered with around that time, however it did not contain the secret network backdoor - which authorities are calling SUNBURST - at the time, according to the CISA.
A source told Yahoo News it appears that the hackers wanted to do a test run to make sure the attack would 'work and whether it would be detected.'
'They took their time. They decided to not go out with an actual backdoor right away. That signifies that they're a little bit more disciplined and deliberate,' the person added.
SolarWinds, which disclosed its unwitting role at the center of the global hack on Monday, said up to 18,000 of its users downloaded a compromised update containing malicious code planted by the attackers.
The company, which has come under scrutiny after investors offloaded shares in the days leading up to the attack, said the attack was the work of an 'outside nation state.'
The true scale of who has been affected and what information has been stolen in the massive attack may never be known, officials and experts say.
Experts say there simply are not enough skilled threat-hunting teams to properly identify all the government and private-sector systems that may have been hacked, and warn infected networks may have to be 'burned to the ground' and rebuilt from scratch.
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'We must retaliate': Acting Intelligence Committee Chair Marco Rubio says the US should hit back with 'more than just sanctions' after Pompeo confirms Russia WAS behind the cyber attack branded an 'act of war' by senator
Marco Rubio has demanded that the United States retaliate with more than sanctions for a massive cyber attack on the Pentagon, FBI and nuclear programs, which he said was likely carried out by Russia.
On Friday Mike Pompeo, the Secretary of State, became the first U.S. official to publicly attribute a massive hacking campaign to Russia, after broad swathes of the federal government and private sector were revealed to be compromised.
Later on Friday night Rubio, the acting chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, urged a strong response.
'The methods used to carry out the cyberhack are consistent with Russian cyber operations,' he tweeted.
'But it's crucial we have complete certainty about who is behind this. We can't afford to be wrong on attribution, because America must retaliate, and not just with sanctions.'
The huge security breach, which is believed to have begun in the spring and gone undetected for months, is thought to have been so sophisticated that only a state-sponsored actor could pull it off.
The Russians are automatically the prime suspect for attacks of this scale and audacity and Pompeo said Friday the Kremlin was behind the attack.
Marco Rubio on Friday night called for 'retaliation' beyond sanctions for the cyber attack
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said the attack compromised federal agencies' 'critical infrastructure' in a manner that was hard to detect and will be difficult to undo.
It means that calculating the true size of the attack will be difficult.
The sprawling attack, which went undetected for nearly nine months, compromised the Departments of Homeland Security, Justice, Treasury, State and Energy, as well as a growing list of companies and local governments across the country.
Officials with the nation's cybersecurity agency warn that the breach could be difficult to undo, saying the hackers 'demonstrated sophistication and complex tradecraft' and that it was likely that they had built additional secret backdoors while active inside the compromised networks.
Before Saturday Trump had remained silent over the attack. He was being briefed 'as needed,' White House spokesman Brian Morgenstern told reporters on Friday.
National security adviser Robert O'Brien was leading interagency meetings daily, if not more often, he said.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has become the first U.S. official to publicly attribute a massive hacking campaign to Russia. He is seen above with Putin in 2019
'They're working very hard on mitigation and making sure that our country is secure. We will not get into too many details because we're just not going to tell our adversaries what we do to combat these things,' Morgenstern said.
The Democratic chairs of four House committees given classified briefings on the hack by the Trump administration issued a statement complaining that they 'were left with more questions than answers.'
'Administration officials were unwilling to share the full scope of the breach and identities of the victims,' they said.
Morgenstern said earlier that disclosing such details only helps U.S. adversaries.
The long-term planning of the attack became clear on Friday, as officials said that the hackers appeared to have conducted a dry run over a year ago, testing their ability to insert malicious code into network management software from SolarWinds Corp, which was later delivered to some 18,000 of the company's customers.
Private security companies say that the breach bears the hallmarks of a Kremlin operation.
Some have pointed at the Russian hacking cell dubbed 'Cozy Bear' -- though other experts argue that the tools and methods used in the new attack are different from any past breach, making attribution tricky.
SolarWinds timeline: Company stocks and when they discovered attack March: Updated versions of SolarWinds premier product, Orion, are infiltrated by an 'outside nation state' SolarWinds customers who installed updates to their Orion software were unknowingly welcoming hidden malicious code that could give intruders the same view of their corporate network that in-house IT crews have November 18 and 19: Outgoing CEO Kevin Thompson sells $15m in shares December 7: Leading investors Silver Lake and Thoma Bravo sell $280m shares from SolarWinds December 7: CEO Kevin Thompson resigns. His transition had already been announced but no set date given December 8: FireEye announces hackers broke into its servers December 9: New CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna announced to take over from Thompson in 2021 December 11: FireEye claims it became aware that SolarWinds updates had been corrupted and contacted the company December 13: The infiltration of Orion becomes public The US issues an emergency warning, ordering government users to disconnect SolarWinds software which it said had been compromised by 'malicious actors' The Pentagon, the State Department and the National Institutes of Health, as well as the Treasury, Commerce and Homeland Security departments reveal they were targeted Advertisement
'At the moment, there are no technical links with previous attacks, so it may be an entirely new actor,' security firm Kaspersy said in a blog post.
FireEye, the cybersecurity company that discovered the intrusion into U.S. agencies and was among the victims, has already tallied dozens of casualties. It's racing to identify more.
'We have a serious problem. We don't know what networks they are in, how deep they are, what access they have, what tools they left,' said Bruce Schneier, a prominent security expert and Harvard fellow.
The only way to be sure a network is clean is 'to burn it down to the ground and rebuild it,' Schneier said.
He compared the situation to learning that a serial killer has been inside your house, with his own key. 'You don't know if he's gone. How do you get work done? You kind of just hope for the best,' he said.
Many federal workers - and others in the private sector - now must presume that unclassified networks are teeming with spies.
Agencies will be more inclined to conduct sensitive government business on Signal, WhatsApp and other encrypted smartphone apps.
'We should buckle up. This will be a long ride,' said Dmitri Alperovitch, co-founder and former chief technical officer of the leading cybersecurity firm CrowdStrike. 'Cleanup is just phase one.
Meanwhile, Microsoft President Brad Smith called the attack a 'moment of reckoning' that 'illuminates the ways the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve and become even more dangerous.'
Microsoft, one of the thousands of companies to receive the malicious update, said it had notified more than 40 customers around the world whose networks were infiltrated by the hackers.
The list of victims includes not only government agencies, but security and other technology firms as well as think tanks and government contractors.
'The attack unfortunately represents a broad and successful espionage-based assault on both the confidential information of the U.S. Government and the tech tools used by firms to protect them,' Smith wrote in a blog post.
'The coming months will present a critical test, not only for the United States but for other leading democracies and technology companies,' he added.
How hackers managed to install a secret backdoor in software used by hundreds of thousands of government departments and companies
The hack began as early as March this year when hackers snuck malicious code into recent versions of SolarWinds' premier software product, Orion.
The popular software tool helps organizations monitor the performance of their computer networks and servers.
Hackers managed to install a secret network backdoor - which authorities are calling SUNBURST - into Orion's software updates.
Its centralized monitoring looks for problems in an organization's computer networks, which means that breaking in gave the attackers a 'God-view' of those networks.
It is not yet clear how hackers managed to infiltrate SolarWinds and go undetected for nine months.
During this time-frame, as many as 18,000 SolarWinds customers - including federal agencies and major companies - downloaded the compromised updates that contained the back door.
The software update became an instrument for hackers to steal information undetected for nine months.
Once installed on a network, the malware used a protocol designed to mimic legitimate SolarWinds traffic to communicate with a domain that has since been seized and shut down, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has since revealed.
The initial contact domain would often direct the malware to a new internet protocol (IP) address for command and control. The attackers used rotating IPs and virtual private servers with IP addresses in the target's home country to make detection of the traffic more difficult.
CISA said that once inside a network, the hackers focused on gathering information and frequently targeted the emails of IT and security staff to monitor any countermeasures.
The hackers are feared to have had access to government emails as far back as June.
SolarWinds: The Texas company at the center of the biggest attack in American history
Before this week, few people were aware of SolarWinds, the Austin-based software company providing vital computer network monitoring services to major corporations and government agencies worldwide.
But the revelation that elite cyber spies have spent months secretly exploiting SolarWinds' software to peer into computer networks has put many of its highest-profile customers in national governments and Fortune 500 companies on high alert.
It's also raising questions about whether company insiders knew of its security vulnerabilities as its biggest investors sold off stock.
The hack began as early as March this year when hackers snuck malicious code into recent versions of SolarWinds' premier software product, Orion. The Austin-based software company provides vital computer network monitoring services to major corporations and government agencies worldwide
A SolarWinds SEC filing from December 7 - just days prior to the hack emerging -revealed that the company's board had appointed a replacement CEO.
SolarWinds' longtime CEO, Kevin Thompson, had months earlier indicated that he would be leaving at the end of the year as the company explored spinning off one of its divisions.
The SolarWinds board appointed his replacement, current PulseSecure CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna, on December 7, according to the financial filing.
It was also on December 7 that the company's two biggest investors, Silver Lake and Thoma Bravo, which control a majority stake in the publicly traded company, sold more than $280 million in stock to a Canadian public pension fund.
The two private equity firms in a joint statement said they 'were not aware of this potential cyberattack' at the time they sold the stock.
Global alarm bells ring: How the hack was first discovered by a California cyber-security firm FireEye
The breach of SolarWinds' software was first discovered by one of its customers: The prominent cybersecurity firm FireEye.
The California-based cyber security firm, which is also a government contractor, noticed a suspicious log-in on its network around December 8.
SolarWinds timeline: Company stocks and when they discovered attack March: Updated versions of SolarWinds premier product, Orion, are infiltrated by an 'outside nation state' SolarWinds customers who installed updates to their Orion software were unknowingly welcoming hidden malicious code that could give intruders the same view of their corporate network that in-house IT crews have November 18 and 19: Outgoing CEO Kevin Thompson sells $15m in shares December 7: Leading investors Silver Lake and Thoma Bravo sell $280m shares from SolarWinds December 7: CEO Kevin Thompson resigns. His transition had already been announced but no set date given December 8: FireEye announces hackers broke into its servers December 9: New CEO Sudhakar Ramakrishna announced to take over from Thompson in 2021 December 11: FireEye claims it became aware that SolarWinds updates had been corrupted and contacted the company December 13: The infiltration of Orion becomes public The US issues an emergency warning, ordering government users to disconnect SolarWinds software which it said had been compromised by 'malicious actors' The Pentagon, the State Department and the National Institutes of Health, as well as the Treasury, Commerce and Homeland Security departments reveal they were targeted Advertisement
FireEye says the attackers stole some of its 'red team' software, which mimics cyber-attacks to test the security of its clients' computers.
Two lawmakers, who were briefed on the hack this week, told Politico that FireEye representatives said that one of their employees had apparently been duped into revealing their two-factor authentication security details.
Company officials have denied the account given by congressional staffers and said none of its employees were tricked.
FireEye said they caught the breach when hackers tried to register a new device on its systems, which tipped the company off to the wider cyber-attack.
Following an investigation, FireEye say they determined that SolarWinds' Orion software had been hacked.
'We initially detected the incident because we saw a suspicious authentication to our VPN solution,' a spokesperson has since said.
'The attacker was able to enroll a device into our multi-factor authentication solution, and that generates an alert which we then followed up on.'
They insist that the SolarWinds breach was the source of the attack against FireEye.
Once it determined that there was a wider cyber-attack, a FireEye executive alerted SolarWinds on December 12 of the compromise.
After learning of the SolarWinds breach, the National Security Council held an emergency meeting at the White House on December 12.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the FBI were brought in to investigate after some government agencies were confirmed to have been hacked.
At this time, people with knowledge of the meeting reported that hackers believed to be working for Russia had been monitoring internal email traffic at the US Treasury and Commerce departments.
Sources told Reuters that they feared the hacks uncovered so far may have been be the tip of the iceberg.
SolarWinds began alerting about 33,000 of its customers on December 13 that an 'outside nation state' - widely suspected to be Russia - had injected malicious code into some updated versions of its premier product, Orion.
The company said in a statement that updates to its monitoring software released between March and June of this year may have been subverted by what it described as a 'highly-sophisticated, targeted and manual supply chain attack by a nation state'.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency issued an emergency directive ordering federal agencies to 'disconnect or power down' the SolarWinds Orion software due to the breach.
From US nuclear agencies and the FBI to Fortune 500: Who is known to have been targeted by hackers so far
The list of victims continues to grow from the cyberattack that is being described as the biggest hack in American history.
The two US agencies responsible for maintaining America's nuclear weapons stockpile - Energy Department and the National Nuclear Security Administration - have already said they were compromised in the attack.
The attack also breached the Pentagon, FBI, Treasury and State Departments.
The DOE and the NNSA have warned Congress that their breached networks may include the Los Alamos National Laboratory, which conducts the government's most sensitive and advanced nuclear research, Politico reported.
The US has an estimated 5,800 nuclear warheads, some of which are on missiles and bombs ready for launch from submarines, airplanes and land-based missiles, while others are held in storage. Most however are in storage, retired, or being decommissioned.
The FBI (above) has moved routine communication onto classified networks that are believed not to have been breached, according to two people briefed on the measures.
Hacked: The Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico conducts the government's most sensitive and advanced nuclear research
Deterrent: Land-based Minuteman missiles are one of the three prongs of the nuclear triad. Experts now fear the agencies that maintain US nuclear stockpiles have been breached
Their status is one of the government's most closely-guarded secrets, as are efforts to create new weapons, which are part of the Los Alamos National Laboratory's work.
Another attack was found in a field office of the Energy Department in Richland, Washington state, which Politico reported could have been an effort to gather information on how to disrupt the national electricity grid.
The sprawling attack also compromised broad swathes of the private sector, including Microsoft and likely most of the Fortune 500.
The true scale of who has been affected and what information has been stolen may never be known, officials and experts say.