This is really important, and confirms what a lot of us have suspected. Commenter EZ wrote this, and I'm simply pasting his comment in here. Obviously other questions are raised, such as re that "call from source". Given that this was clearly a highly professional operation, one wonders whether it was, say, a CIA job. Or an Interagency job.
EZ:
UPDATE: from Solomon's podcast...
He rarely leaves laptop in vehicle; laptop was hidden from view/covered by jacket. Got call to meet with a source, parked near WH.
Security app for car alerted him via smart phone to an unauthorized access of vehicle. Returned to vehicle and "Secret Service were already there." (This is a mystery to me how they knew his car have been broken into, unless his meeting was IN THE WH complex, and he told the SS when he got the alert.)
He then explains the laptop, bought in 2013, had sophisticated security he installed with help from LE friends many years ago. A forensic exam of the computer, after it was recovered using the built in GPS, showed whoever took it tried twice to access the computer, but were thwarted. As best he can tell, no data was compromised.
Security cameras have footage of break-in -- took thief 17 seconds to get into his car. Thief is still unidentified.
The fact that thief tried twice to access computer, rather than just selling it to a fence, suggests this was about gaining access to Solomon's data, to find out what he knew, and/or to plant surveillance malware on his machine, and not a random petty larceny auto break-in.
The timing implies suspect knew when and where Solomon parked the vehicle, and that he had a meeting. This implies either Solomon's cell phone is compromised, or the person he was meeting with is having his calls monitored, or both.
Parking location probably pulled from Solomon's smart phone GPS data, which again suggests his phone is compromised, IMHO.
UPDATE:
"The theft took place on Jan. 20, according to police reports obtained by RealClearInvestigations. Police suspect thieves used a sophisticated electronic device to enter Solomon’s parked car, stealing his laptop and computer bag without leaving any signs of forced entry.
"Solomon’s car was parked only a few blocks away from the White House, one of the most secure locations in the world.
"The thieves appear to have been focused solely on the laptop bag and computer, as Solomon claims cash inside the car was left untouched."
https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/sensitive-biden-info-stolen-professional-job-near-wh-secret-service-involved-report
Ignoring cash inside the car pretty much takes ordinary theft off the table, as does not stealing either the laptop or the vehicle.
It's a political crime. Somebody is getting very nervous and desperate *cough* Brennan? *cough* if they are resorting to daylight smash and grabs near the WH in the hopes of finding out what Solomon knows.
Addenda: break-in was on MLK Day, as I recall from the podcast.
ReplyDeleteI hope Solomon has the good sense to chuck his smart phone ASAP.... although depending on how access is being gained, that may not protect him from intrusive snooping.
In the alternative, I hope he uses the smart phone to set up a "honey-trap" e.g., to lure the bad guys to try another break-in or similar access that exposes themselves, and have white hats waiting to take them down.
Kinda like "Tinker, Tailor, ...." "flush the mole."
Bottom line is somebody is very nervous about what Solomon knows, or what they fear is about to find out.
Again, you really hafta wonder about that "source." It all sounds like a setup. The source hadda be someone that Solomon would drop EVERYTHING for--even leave a hugely sensitive laptop in his car to run and meet this "source." Smells like a setup.
ReplyDeleteHate to say it, but that was my first thought, too. "Source" is a primary suspect. Not buying coincidence in any of it UPO.
DeleteAs for Solomon's voice comms, considering what he investigates, if he's not using Signal and requiring it from sensitive contacts, he may as well be using a bullhorn.
Agree: could be a setup, or, if black hats had access to his phone calls (or the source's) they would have known where Solomon was going, and that he'd be away from his vehicle. Since the snatch and grab only took 17 seconds, they didn't need a big window of time. And, as I mentioned in the addenda, if they have access to smart phone data, they knew where he parked. That's all they needed.
ReplyDeleteSo, could be either a source that is dirty, or his smart phone is very compromised.... or both!
He needs to run "traps" to test both hypotheses!
It seems to me, why wouldn't he take the laptop with him? Obvious answer, because it would be a problem getting through security. Security to where? WH or WH associated bldg.? Seems likely. It also means that they probably knew he was in that vicinity and wouldn't have time to stash the laptop securely--they were betting that due to the circs he'd take a chance. IOW, they were tracking his movements realtime. And all that leads back to the "source". Not 100%, but ...
Delete... or his smart phone geo-location metadata.
DeleteCould be either, or both!
You wrote "It seems to me, why wouldn't he take the laptop with him? Obvious answer, because it would be a problem getting through security.
DeleteOne thing that has changed since you retired is that SCIFs now generally have lockers at the entrance due to the ubiquity of electronic devices. So I don't think that he would've have had to leave it in his vehicle. Unless, he didn't trust the security at his destination.
Still, why not leave the device at home if he were concerned? He could still put his thoughts on paper and transcribe to his laptop.
And wouldn't his first thought be to think that the source was the cause of the theft? Unless the source himself is innocent but there's a mole by the source.
I'm thinking of Mad's Spy vs. Spy.
Re leaving it at home, I was speculating that he was being GPS tracked real time, and he was called by the "source" when they knew he'd be in proximity.
DeleteRe lockers in the SCIF, I'm not sure. Would it be a time saving thing? What I was thinking was that to get as far as the SCIF he might have to go through multiple layers of security.
Speculating.
Solomon's a solid journalist and he must have some good sources if someone is interested in stealing his laptop. Therefore, speculation that he went to the White House seems very plausible.
DeleteThis makes me repeat my speculation that there is a mole, or moles, in the White House.
After impeachment I think that's a 100% certainty.
Delete"Leaving the laptop home" is a bad strategy if you think there is any chance someone wants to put an implant on your system. You or a *very* trusted friend must maintain chain of custody continuously. At home they will have many minutes or even hours to work it over.
DeleteExample when you travel internationally and they want to "inspect" your laptop for a few minutes behind some wall you may as well assume the hard drive has been imaged/copied.
Wise companies give international travelers "throw away" phones and laptops that have the bare minimum info for the trip and nothing sensitive or proprietary. When you get home you turn them in for deep-re-imaging including all firmware. -- MR
Tx for the info.
DeleteI think that the perps meant to install tracking software on his laptop but inadvertently installed the "Joe Biden Sweeps the Iowa Caucus" vote tabulation software.
ReplyDeleteThe mistake wasn't realized until last night and panic set in.
There have been a rash of Toyota thefts in Toronto lately where access was gained by "cloning" the key fob. That probably wouldn't have triggered the vehicle notification app. Which suggests a "brute force" hack of the Body Control Module.
ReplyDeleteI had a client who was able to gain entry to GM pickups for a theft ring in about ten seconds (with his right leg in a cast!)
I agree that his phone is likely compromised...remember Schiff had his phone log.
I do find it odd that his laptop was returned. Why not keep it for a more serious hack attempt at the lab?
"I do find it odd that his laptop was returned."
DeleteActually, it was simply abandoned. The thief probably realized that if it had sophisticated security it might also have geo-locating software installed--which it did. So the thief abandoned it rather than risk being traced. My guess.
I'd go so far as to suggest the thief was "on the clock" and knew how long he had to gain access to the computer's HD before it could be tracked down using geo-location.
DeleteI'd surmise the two attempts to get in likely used up his window of opportunity, and he summarily dumped it on the picnic table and walked away,
before he could be caught.
His only other option would have been to rip the case open and try to "exfiltrate" the HD, and try to crack the security/encryption later back at the lab. I surmise the time it takes to open it up to get the HD out was more time than he had left, after the two attempts to access the computer.
Geo-location is easily blocked with a faraday (cage) bag if you want to take it with you and suspect it can "phone home".
DeleteBut getting caught with it would be _bad_ so ditching it was probably the safe bet. -- MR
He needs to invest in James Bond's car security.
ReplyDeleteRob S
Same crew that took out Seth Rich and Epstein. The Deep State is called deep for a reason.
ReplyDeleteHope Barr and Durham now realize that they're not playing patty cake with light-weights. Security details should now accompany all of Durham's staff.
Definitely very disturbing to see the violent criminality at this level of our politics.
DeleteWhat is encouraging is that it seems that Solomon understood who he was investigating, and took appropriate steps to protect himself. Good on him.
ReplyDeleteTwo Possibilities:
ReplyDelete1. Smart Thief had ability to unlock newer vehicle through hack (very believable), looked in car for quick easy to sell items, figured out laptop was unsellable (less believable).
2. Spy type - private, us government, or foreign -targeted Solomon, hacked vehicle, and tried to access laptop and could not, and abandoned it. Could be us spy types investigating leaks. Remember Sheryl Atkinson.
Bottom line strange.
For theory #1, if there are other similar thefts in the dc area this would be more believable.
Also re #1, smart thief will probably also know what areas are high security.
DeleteUPDATE:
ReplyDelete>>The theft took place on Jan. 20, according to police reports obtained by RealClearInvestigations. Police suspect thieves used a sophisticated electronic device to enter Solomon’s parked car, stealing his laptop and computer bag without leaving any signs of forced entry.
Solomon’s car was parked only a few blocks away from the White House, one of the most secure locations in the world.
The thieves appear to have been focused solely on the laptop bag and computer, as Solomon claims cash inside the car was left untouched.<<
>https://thefederalistpapers.org/us/sensitive-biden-info-stolen-professional-job-near-wh-secret-service-involved-report<
Ignoring cash inside the car pretty much takes ordinary theft off the table, as does not stealing either the laptop or the vehicle.
It's a political crime. Somebody is getting very nervous and desperate *cough*Brennan?*cough* if they are resorting to daylight smash and grabs near the WH in the hopes of finding out what Solomon knows.
Thanks. I've added that to the body of the post.
Delete