Guccifer 2.0, alleged Kremlin-linked DNC hacker, back from hiatus slams US intelligence community

The pseudonymous hacker Guccifer 2.0, who made headlines by claiming responsibility for hacking into the Democratic National Committee (DNC), is back after an extended hiatus. The hacker hit back at the US intelligence community over its recent reports relating to Russian hacking, stressing that allegations of him being linked to Russia's campaign to influence the 2016 US presidential election were "unfounded".

"The US intelligence agencies have published several reports of late claiming I have ties with Russia," the hacker wrote in a blog. "I'd like to make it clear enough that these accusations are unfounded. I have totally no relation to the Russian government. I'd like to tell you once again I was acting in accordance with my personal political views and beliefs. The technical evidence contained in the reports doesn't stand up to scrutiny. This is a crude fake."

The hacker's last online appearance on Twitter was just days before the 8 November election, when he posted on Twitter, encouraging other hackers to "monitor the election systems" as he remained an "independent observer". The hacker has since remained inactive.

In a previous interview, Guccifer 2.0 claimed he was a Romanian "hacker, manager, philosopher, women lover", Motherbaord reported. However, documents previously leaked by the hacker have led several security experts to conclude that Guccifer 2.0 was not a "lone hacker", rather a front for the Kremlin, attempting to cover its tracks.

Researchers at ThreatConnect were able to uncover a link between the metadata used by the Guccifer 2.0 account to a Russia-based "elite VPN" service. Reports also uncovered that Guccifer 2.0's activities evolved from rudimentary skills with poor English skills to a professional leaker, steadily dumping documents linked to the main battleground states during the US presidential election, according to a report by Vocativ. Meanwhile, the hacker's most recent post showcases him using impeccable English.

Guccifer 2.0, however, is maintaining his stance of not being aligned with Russia.

"It's obvious that the intelligence agencies are deliberately falsifying evidence," he said. "In my opinion, they're playing into the hands of the Democrats who are trying to blame foreign actors for their failure."

President-elect Donald Trump, who had vociferously expressed doubts about Russia's involvement in the cyberattacks that occurred during the election, recently conceded the Kremlin's role in the attacks. "I think it was Russia," Trump said during his first press conference in more than six months.