US acts on Russian hack leak

A FORMER US Air Force linguist has been charged with leaking a top secret National Security Agency report detailing how Russian military hackers targeted US voting systems just days before the election.

The document published on Monday by The Intercept news website describes how Russia managed to infiltrate America’s voting infrastructure using an email scheme that targeted local government officials and employees.

It claims the attack may have been more far-reaching and devious than thought.

The report is the most detailed US government account of Russia’s interference to date.

It was allegedly provided to The Intercept by 25-year-old Reality Leigh Winner who appeared in court on Monday after being arrested on the weekend.

She was charged with removing and mailing classified materials to a news outlet in the first arrest aimed to stop leaks damaging to the White House.

“Releasing classified material without authorisation threatens our nation’s security and undermines public faith in government,” Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein said.

The document said staff from the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate targeted employees at a US election software company in August and October.

The hack gave the Russians a back door and the ability to deliver any sort of malware or malicious software they wanted.

It describes two other incidents of Russian meddling before the election.

Meanwhile the White House has said it will not try to use its powers to stop former FBI Director James Comey from testifying against Donald Trump.

There was concern Mr Trump would seek to invoke executive privilege to prevent Mr Comey testifying before congressional investigators looking into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia’s alleged effort to interfere with the election.