Democrats fear 'October surprise' as White House ponders hack response
Security experts from both parties want to see strong action if the U.S. concludes Russia is meddling in the election.
By Eric Geller and Cory Bennett
08/05/16 07:00 PM EDT
As Hillary Clinton supporters fret about a WikiLeaks “October surprise,” dozens of defense and security experts from both parties are urging the Obama administration to take tough action if it concludes that Russia orchestrated a series of cyberattacks on the Democratic Party.
But based on past U.S. handling of foreign-sponsored cyberassaults, it could take months or even years to mount such a response — action that could encompass anything from public shaming or economic sanctions to indictments or retaliatory hacking. Even the most optimistic timeline, according to interviews with former security and law enforcement officials, could delay a forceful U.S. reprisal until just weeks before the very presidential election that the hackers may be trying to influence.
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http://www.politico.com/story/2016/08/clinton-democrats-hacking-dnc-october-surprise-226743
