Claims

Qualified triples from the transcripts. Origin, speaker, and evidence stay attached. These are not independently verified facts.

NTP DDoS attack ATTRIBUTED_TO Anonymous

The episode presents Anonymous as having publicly claimed or bragged about the NTP DDoS attack, but the attribution is based on that public claim rather than independently established evidence.

Uncertain Confidence 82% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“In those days it was fairly easy when you had Anonymous bragging about it on Twitter.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 36803–36888

2016 US election influence campaign ATTRIBUTED_TO Russia

James Clapper says the Russians mounted the most aggressive and direct campaign in the history of US elections to interfere with and influence the outcome of the 2016 election.

Attributed Confidence 97% · James Clapper EP 65 Details

“this was the most aggressive and most direct and most assertive campaign that the Russians ever mounted”

James Clapper · offsets 42178–42281

2016 US election influence campaign INVOLVES Democratic National Committee email hack

The campaign is described as involving the hacking and timed release of DNC emails.

Attributed Confidence 98% · James Clapper EP 65 Details

“the famous or infamous hacking of the DNC e-mails and the exquisitely-timed dumping of them”

James Clapper · offsets 43040–43131

2016 US election influence campaign INVOLVES RT

Clapper describes a sophisticated propaganda campaign mounted by RT, which he characterizes as a government propaganda arm.

Attributed Confidence 98% · James Clapper EP 65 Details

“A very, I think, sophisticated, slick propaganda campaign mounted by RT which of course is a government propaganda arm.”

James Clapper · offsets 43245–43364

2016 US election influence campaign INVOLVES social media manipulation

The campaign used social-media trolls, fake news, and other social-media techniques to influence the election.

Attributed Confidence 98% · James Clapper EP 65 Details

“very skillful, sophisticated use of social media; social media trolls, planting fake news”

James Clapper · offsets 43153–43242

NTP DDoS attack INVOLVES Network Time Protocol

Nichols identifies the incident as an NTP DDoS attack against a primary website.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“I believe it was a NTP DDoS attack against the primary website; Network Time Protocol.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 36276–36362

Operation Wandering Soul INVOLVES PSYOP

The Vietnam operation described as Operation Wandering Soul involved PSYOP troops broadcasting messages over loudspeakers.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“There was this one mission in Vietnam called Operation Wandering Soul.”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 30270–30340

“These are the sounds that the PSYOPS troops were playing for the enemy in Vietnam over the loudspeakers.”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 30424–30528

Junaid Hussain MEMBER_OF TeaMp0isoN

Nichols identifies TeaMp0isoN as Junaid Hussain's crew.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“one of them being Junaid Hussain’s crew. TeaMp0isoN was their name.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 32472–32540

Henry MEMBER_OF United States Army

Henry was in the Army and is now a reservist.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“Turns out Henry here was in the army but is now a reservist.”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 1758–1818

Jonathan Nichols MEMBER_OF United States Army

Jonathan Nichols signed up for the Army and went directly into PSYOPS.

Explicit Confidence 98% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“He signed up for the army and went through boot camp, and then went straight into PSYOPS.”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 7852–7941

Fulcra Worldwide SAME_AS Strategic Social

Jack says Fulcra Worldwide subsequently changed its name to Strategic Social.

Explicit Confidence 92% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“and then Strategic Social”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 10486–10511

PSYOP SAME_AS Military Information Support Operations

The episode says the military has changed the name of PSYOP to Military Information Support Operations because of PSYOP's negative connotation.

Explicit Confidence 96% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“they now call it MISO which stands for Military Information Support Operations”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 53873–53951

Lincoln Group SAME_AS Fulcra Worldwide

Jack says the Lincoln Group changed its name to Fulcra Worldwide.

Explicit Confidence 95% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“Lincoln Group changed their name to Fulcra Worldwide”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 10433–10485

Jonathan Nichols USES atmospherics

Nichols served as an atmospherics manager in Afghanistan, gathering word-on-the-street information about local sentiment.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“I was the atmospherics manager.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 13589–13620

Henry USES PSYOP

Henry says he is currently in psychological operations.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Henry EP 65 Details

“I did intelligence support and currently I’m in psychological operations.”

Henry · offsets 1826–1899

Jonathan Nichols USES leaflet drop

Nichols disseminated leaflets as part of a counter-IED PSYOP mission.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“then also disseminated all sorts of different leaflets”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 25247–25301

Jonathan Nichols USES Internet Relay Chat

Nichols monitored hacker activity through an IRC channel and later used IRC in threat-intelligence work.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“I was in an IRC channel and somebody hit me in a PM”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 32911–32962

“hop back and drive straight back to base, hope onto IRC”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 34582–34637

Edward L. Bernays USES fear-based persuasion

Jack says Bernays relied on emotion and fear rather than facts or logical persuasion.

Explicit Confidence 96% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“Instead, go for their emotions. Skip the facts and just draw on their instinctual urges and maybe even scare them.”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 55031–55146

Jonathan Nichols USES counter-propaganda analysis

Nichols worked as a chief counter-propaganda analyst monitoring adversary propaganda and helping craft counter-messaging.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“Chief counter-propaganda analyst, United States Forces, Iraq.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 10838–10899

“help the US government craft a counter-messaging”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 11899–11947

United States Army USES PSYOP

Henry and Jack describe PSYOP as a United States Army capability used to persuade, change, and influence target audiences.

Explicit Confidence 98% · Jack Rhysider EP 65 Details

“there’s a unit in the army that’s sole mission is to get the adversary to change their behavior”

Jack Rhysider · offsets 2467–2562

Jonathan Nichols USES human intelligence

Nichols characterizes atmospherics as a type of human intelligence, while distinguishing it from tactical intelligence collection.

Explicit Confidence 95% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“Essentially, it’s a type of human intelligence without using the proper title.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 13735–13813

Jonathan Nichols USES threat intelligence

After moving to New York, Nichols led a threat-intelligence analyst team and reported on ongoing hacker activity and anticipated attacks.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“to lead the threat intel analyst team”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 34787–34824

“At that point, it was now my job to engage with hackers, identify what was going on every single day, and report that up.”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 35032–35153

Jonathan Nichols USES NGLS loudspeaker

Nichols used an NGLS loudspeaker mounted on a Humvee to broadcast messages during a PSYOP mission.

Explicit Confidence 99% · Jonathan Nichols EP 65 Details

“it’s called the NGLS loudspeaker. It’s a 24” by 24” box that sits on top of a Humvee”

Jonathan Nichols · offsets 20199–20284

Cygenta ASSOCIATED_WITH NCSC

Cygenta participates in the NCSC's schools help program.

Explicit Confidence 98% · FC EP 66 Details

“We’re part of the NCSC’s school’s help program”

FC · offsets 22227–22273

Cygenta ASSOCIATED_WITH TeenTech

Cygenta participates in TeenTech.

Explicit Confidence 98% · FC EP 66 Details

“we’re part of TeenTech”

FC · offsets 22275–22297