For the last few hours something's been bugging me. I can't log on to the CIA's website. And here's the thing... I'm not the only one. Go ahead... try it by clicking here. See if it works for you.
It's not a site that I peruse regularly, but if you ever need to look up facts about any nation on the globe (population stats, government officials, etc.) their online factbook is fantastic. It was that very reason I tried to load the site, today... but nothing happened aside from an error message.
After several minutes of this on more than one web browser, I got suspicious. I tweeted about it. A few times. Same notices went to Facebook. A few of my friends got back to me to say they couldn't log on to the site, either. I emailed the rest of The Last Word staff. No one could get on to the CIA's website.
At this point, I decided to call the source and see what was going on. Calling the main number for the CIA is an odd experience. Among the first words out of the mouth of the operator is that your call is being monitored. How spy-tastic!
Four phone calls later... I'd been disconnected, transferred to a full public affairs voicemail inbox and then disconnected, and twice told that my call "could not be directed." On the fourth phone call I made a point to say that I was a journalist working for msnbc. Still, my call "could not be directed."
So long story short... through the amazingly awesome investigative team at NBC Nightly News, I was finally able to get some answers. Their guy who knows everyone in D.C. put in a call to his CIA contact and quickly got this:
A U.S. government official tells NBC News that, indeed, the CIA's website was down during the afternoon prohibiting employees from using the unclassified website and their unclassified email. This was not confined to the CIA's computers, but was also affecting other government websites "on the same pipeline." The official had no knowledge as to whether the websites had been hacked. However, the hacker group Anonymous, which has attacked U.S. government websites in the past, says they had nothing to do with today's incident.
So what really happened? If and when we find out, you'll be the next to know.
Leave a Comment:
Bummer. now I want to visit that site. It sounds ab-fab.
Sounds like a communications problem if it affects more than one site
While you're at it, how about finding out what they've been spraying into the air for the past 5 years?! And why.
You guys hear about the deeply classified 1/5th scale space shuttle going up soon? It's a pilotless drone equipped to land unaided at Vandenberg. I Cheney you not. Talk about spooky. Bet whatever steps from the passenger exit after touchdown won't want its junk touched either.
As I was researching information on the Factbook site it went down, this was around 12:30 EST so a bit more than already disclosed.
Added with the comment:
"This was not confined to the CIA's computers, but was also affecting other government websites "on the same pipeline."
This sounds like a very concentrated cyber attack, one designed to show what can be done to cripple a network.
ummmmmmmmm are we seeing another reason for a propagada build up against the freedom of the internet.
"WARNING WILL ROBERTSON, WARNING"
ATTACK TO NATIONAL SECURITY IMMINENT.
PULL THE PLUG.
Sorry folks , just had to shut down the net , just in case you know the 911 thingy happens again.
C an't I nterperet A nything.
Hmmmmmmmmmmm...could be....
"Bugs Bunny"
Pink Orchid??? Your response to world terrorism would be to precipitate the 'vapors' by excessive scent and over accessorizing the demons into surrender?
Never Forgive Never Forget