Topic: Attribution

Intelligence analysts claim that Russian information operations are increasingly difficult to attribute because they originate from proxy countries like Nigeria. While the narratives align with Russian interests, the physical origin of the digital activity makes direct connection to the Kremlin complicated. This shift represents an evolution in social media warfare since the 2016 election cycle.

The Biden administration is working on "attribution" for the recent cyber attacks in Ukraine before determining a response. Jake Sullivan warned that if Russia is found to be "pummeling" Ukraine with cyber warfare, the U.S. and its allies will coordinate severe economic consequences. The hosts remain skeptical of the "Russian fingerprints" narrative.

"Attribution science" is a new field used by researchers to link specific extreme weather events, like the Pacific Northwest heatwave, to human-caused climate change. While some scientists argue that natural variation plays a role, others use computer models to claim such events would be impossible without global warming. The long-term solution proposed involves cutting emissions and strengthening the electrical grid to prevent mass casualty blackouts.

The methodology for counting COVID-19 deaths is criticized for being overly broad, often including any death occurring within 28 days of a positive test regardless of the actual cause. Financial incentives for hospitals to label patients as COVID-positive are cited as a reason for potential overcounting. Independent reviews in Canada have reportedly found significant portions of recorded COVID deaths to be miscategorized.

Dilbert creator Scott Adams recently mentioned No Agenda on his show, though the hosts noted he often prioritizes mentioning Tim Pool. Adams reportedly acknowledged the show after a prompt from his live chat, but the hosts expressed mild disappointment that he rarely mentions them by name despite their long history in the medium.

A detailed reading of the declassified intelligence report reveals a heavy reliance on "analytic judgment" rather than hard technical evidence. The report defines "trolls" as paid social media users and claims Russian intelligence used the Guccifer 2.0 persona to leak data. However, the document admits that the systems targeted were not involved in vote tallying and that much of the "influence" came from overt propaganda on the RT network.

The hosts argue that pulling a one-minute "nut" from someone else's interview is more effective than conducting a 30-minute interview themselves. They mention winning a Podcast Award and discuss the "lo-fi" streams created by fans to help listeners with data caps. Curry explains why he stopped publishing his raw jingles, citing a lack of attribution from other podcasters who used them without permission.

The hosts discuss the public attribution of the OPM hack to Chinese actors. During the hearing, officials refused to confirm the source of the attack on the record, citing classified information. The hosts suggest that while the "normal person" believes China is responsible, the official lack of transparency indicates a more complex or deceptive narrative.

A recording from a defense conference features a technical expert using the phrase "cross-disciplinary polymorphic analysis" to explain how the government can solve the problem of cyber attribution. The hosts mock the speaker for using "word salad" and "big data" buzzwords to avoid answering a simple question about tracking anonymous hackers. The segment highlights the perceived incompetence and obfuscation within the defense industry.

Expert analysis from Carolyn Balan of Chatham House suggests that attributing the Sony hack to North Korea is problematic due to the thriving underground market for attack codes. The discussion highlights how automated toolkits and vulnerabilities are bought and sold by hacktivists, corporate spies, and disgruntled employees. This makes definitive state attribution difficult as the same code can be reused by various actors for fun, profit, or political purposes.

During a security forum, Rafal Rohozinski addresses the difficulty of cyber attribution. He compares the evolution of cyber intelligence to the advancement of air-land battle concepts and the development of Teflon. He claims that the ability to aggregate data allowed the military to interdict IED networks in Iraq.

The hosts discuss the technical risks of accidental plagiarism in professional writing, such as misidentifying old notes as original thoughts. An anecdote is shared regarding a reporter for The Scotsman who allegedly plagiarized Matt Cottle's Gamesweasel blog for six months. They conclude that while freelancers can be difficult to track, reputable papers usually fire columnists caught in such scandals.