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  1. #26
    Thailand Expat CaptainNemo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Norton View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by sabang
    Time to rethink "the Patriot Act"?
    Too late. Intel agencies have been given unfettered power to do what they want any time they want. Anyone attempting to rein them in will be labeled "unpatriotic" and accused of harming the safety of the nation. Pandora's box cannot be closed. Personal privacy is now a quaint historical remnant.

    Folks will accept anything when driven by FEAR even though irrational paranoidl fear.
    These organisations do depend on a steady stream of competent recruits... and the interesting shift is that the sort of people who traditionally would have joined them - spurred by idealism and excitement, would now rather be part of the resistance against them. This is a powerful undercurrent that even they can't control. When they have to hire people who at their core simply don't share the same generational cold-war values, and turn on them - these agencies are in trouble in the long run - because like the gods of yore, no-one believes in them any more. It may not be long before the zeitgeist turns on these agencies and labels them "unpatriotic" too...

  2. #27
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    General Hayden on Colbert put the wiki leaks stuff in perspective...

    General Hayden basically said that the capabilities were true...but in order to use them to spy on an American citizen there would have to be a FISA warrant approved to do so...

  3. #28
    Thailand Expat Slick's Avatar
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    U.S. aware of CIA security breach in 2016; contractors suspected in leak

    By John Walcott and Andrea Shalal | WASHINGTON/BERLIN

    U.S. intelligence and law enforcement officials said on Wednesday they have been aware since the end of last year of a security breach at the CIA and were focusing on contractors as the likeliest source of documents being passed on to anti-secrecy group WikiLeaks detailing the agency's hacking tools.

    The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Reuters that they believed documents published by WikiLeaks on Tuesday about CIA techniques used between 2013 and 2016 were authentic.

    The documents showed that CIA hackers could get into Apple Inc (AAPL.O) iPhones, Google Inc (GOOGL.O) Android devices and other gadgets in order to capture text and voice messages before they were encrypted with sophisticated software.

    The White House said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump was "extremely concerned" about a CIA security breach that led to the Wikileaks release, and the administration would be tough on leakers.

    "Anybody who leaks classified information will be held to the highest degree of law," spokesman Sean Spicer told reporters.

    One official with knowledge of the investigation said companies that are contractors for the CIA have been checking to see which of their employees had access to the material that Wikileaks published, and then going over their computer logs, emails and other communications for any evidence of who might be responsible.

    One reason the investigation is focused on a potential leak by contractors rather than for example a hack by Russian intelligence, another official said, is that so far there is no evidence that Russian intelligence agencies tried to exploit any of the leaked material before it was published.

    One European official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the Wikileaks material could in fact lead to closer cooperation between European intelligence agencies and U.S. counterparts, which share concerns about Russian intelligence operations.

    U.S. intelligence agencies have accused Russia of seeking to tilt last year's U.S. presidential election in Trump's favor, including by hacking into Democratic Party emails. Moscow has denied the allegation.

    One major security problem was that the number of contractors with access to information with the highest secrecy classification has "exploded" because of federal budget constraints, the first U.S. official said.

    U.S. intelligence agencies have been unable to hire additional permanent staff needed to keep pace with technological advances such as the "Internet of Things" that connects cars, home security and heating systems and other devices to computer networks, or to pay salaries competitive with the private sector, the official said.

    Reuters could not immediately verify the contents of the published documents. On Tuesday, several contractors and private cyber security experts said the materials appeared to be legitimate.

    A person familiar with Wikileaks’ activities said Wikileaks has had the CIA hacking material for months, and that the release of the material was in the works "for a long time."

    A Congressional official said that the U.S. House of Representatives Intelligence Committee has begun asking questions about the WikiLeaks disclosures.

    GERMAN CONCERN

    In Germany on Wednesday, the chief federal prosecutor's office said that it would review the Wikileaks documents because some suggested that the CIA ran a hacking hub from the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt.

    "We're looking at it very carefully," a spokesman for the federal prosecutor's office told Reuters. "We will initiate an investigation if we see evidence of concrete criminal acts or specific perpetrators."

    Chancellor Angela Merkel is scheduled to visit Washington on March 14 for her first meeting with Trump, who has sharply criticized Berlin for everything from its trade policy to what he considers inadequate levels of military spending.

    RELATED COVERAGE

    White House says Trump 'extremely concerned' about WikiLeaks CIA breach
    The Wikileaks documents may also complicate bilateral intelligence ties that have just begun to recover after a series of scandals, including news in 2013 that the U.S. National Security Agency had bugged Merkel's cellphone. The Frankfurt consulate was investigated by German lawmakers after that incident.

    Merkel told lawmakers last month she did not know how closely Germany's spies cooperated with their U.S. counterparts until 2015 when former NSA contractor Edward Snowden revealed the BND spy agency had for years passed on information to the NSA about European companies and politicians.

    Germany scaled back the level of cooperation with the NSA after those revelations.

    U.S. officials have acknowledged that the consulate in Frankfurt is home to a CIA base. A facility adjacent to the city’s airport and the Rhein-Main Air Base has for many years been home to the CIA’s “Tefran” station, a U.S. center for collecting intelligence on Iranian activities in Europe, maintaining surveillance on Iranian officials and targeting potential defectors working in Iran’s nuclear weapons program.

    Foreign ministry spokesman Sebastian Fischer told a regular government news conference that Germany took the issue seriously, but more work needed to be done to verify the authenticity of the documents. Berlin was in close touch with Washington about the case and such matters generally, he said.

    Government spokesman Steffen Seibert said Germany's domestic intelligence agency had the job of uncovering espionage activities in Germany, and carried out its work comprehensively.

    Wikileaks reported that CIA employees had been given diplomatic passports and State Department identities to carry out their work in Frankfurt, focused on targets in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The documents included advice for CIA experts about life in Germany, noting that shops are closed on Sundays, and to have "your cover-for-action story down pat" when they were asked by German authorities when entering the country.

    (Reporting by John Walcott, Mark Hosenball, Yara Bayoumy in Washington and Matthias Sobolewski and Andrea Shalal in Berlin; Writing by Grant McCool; Editing by Peter Graff, Grant McCool and Frances Kerry)
    U.S. aware of CIA security breach in 2016; contractors suspected in leak | Reuters

  4. #29
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    Following 911, the Patriot Act, and the massive expansion of the US security & intelligence services that followed- with the expanded Judicial space allowed under the Patriot Act, plus the hiring of gawd knows how many outside contractors from private companies- it necessarily follows that such agencies would become much more susceptible to leaks, with at least some of those leakers being driven by concerns of conscience, such as Snowden and Manning. Action then reaction, that's all.

  5. #30
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    Quote Originally Posted by CSFFan View Post
    General Hayden on Colbert put the wiki leaks stuff in perspective...

    General Hayden basically said that the capabilities were true...but in order to use them to spy on an American citizen there would have to be a FISA warrant approved to do so...
    And from what's been shown so far their capabilities are nothing special. Almost everything I've seen in Vault 7 relies on the ability to access the device in the first place in order to install the tools, there is no mention as yet about how this is done, and it's quite clear from what I've read so far that they have no ability to access through or read traffic on encrypted channels.

    So far it's interesting but nothing more technically amazing than anything you'd find on any invite-only blackhat forum.
    The Above Post May Contain Strong Language, Flashing Lights, or Violent Scenes.

  6. #31
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    German Prosecutor to Start Probe if Wrongdoing Seen in Wikileaks CIA Cache

    Germany's chief federal prosecutor will carefully examine a trove of new documents released by anti-secrecy group Wikileaks related to the CIA, and will launch an investigation if it sees concrete indications of wrongdoing, a spokesman said.

    "We will initiate an investigation if we see evidence of concrete criminal acts or specific perpetrators," a spokesman for the federal prosecutor's office told Reuters. "We're looking at it very carefully."

    A spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry on Wednesday said Berlin was in close touch with Washington about the documents, which Wikileaks said showed that the CIA used the U.S. consulate in Frankfurt as a major remote hacking base.

    He said Germany needed to verify the authenticity of the documents.

    German Prosecutor to Start Probe if Wrongdoing Seen in Wikileaks CIA Cache

  7. #32
    Thailand Expat misskit's Avatar
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    Tech Companies Respond to Alleged CIA Hacking Tools

    Major technology firms say they are moving to fix any vulnerabilities in their operating systems, a day after WikiLeaks released documents pertaining to an alleged CIA hacking arsenal capable of spying on people through microphones in mobile phones and other electronic devices, such as smart televisions.

    In a statement issued Wednesday, Apple said it already had addressed many of the issues identified in the WikiLeaks documents, but said it would “continue work to rapidly address any identified vulnerabilities."

    "We always urge customers to download the latest iOS to make sure they have the most recent security updates," Apple said.

    Samsung made a similar comment, saying it was aware of the report and “urgently looking into the matter.”

    "Protecting consumers' privacy and the security of our devices is a top priority at Samsung," the South Korean electronics company said.

    According to the WikiLeaks documents, the CIA identified weaknesses within the software used by Apple, Google, Microsoft and other U.S.-based manufacturers; but, instead of informing the companies of the vulnerabilities, the CIA “hoarded” the exploits, leaving people open to potential hacking.

    “By hiding these security flaws from manufacturers like Apple and Google the CIA ensures that it can hack everyone; at the expense of leaving everyone hackable,” WikiLeaks said in a statement accompanying the release of the documents.

    The CIA would neither confirm nor deny the legitimacy of the documents, although WikiLeaks boasts a nearly perfect record on the authenticity of the documents it publishes.

    At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, White House Spokesman Sean Spicer likened the WikiLeaks release to recent information leaks from within the White House, and said it should serve as "a cause for concern" for all Americans.

    “I think the idea that we are having these ongoing disclosures of national security and classified information should be something that everybody is outraged about in this country,” he said. “This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our country, our security and our well-being."

    Tech Companies Respond to Alleged CIA Hacking Tools

  8. #33
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    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    Sean Spicer likened the WikiLeaks release to recent information leaks from within the White House, and said it should serve as "a cause for concern" for all Americans.

    “I think the idea that we are having these ongoing disclosures of national security and classified information should be something that everybody is outraged about in this country,” he said. “This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our country, our security and our well-being."
    So Spicer thinks it's OK for the CIA to exploit and to hide the vulnerabilities.

  9. #34
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam
    How do you convert a device that has no microphone into a listening device?
    a speaker will work quite well


    the most important thing this leak has established is from the cia chat room logs identifying equation as nsa thus stuxnet. - unless of course the leak is from the russians and they added that to cast the red herring

  10. #35
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    Sean Spicer likened the WikiLeaks release to recent information leaks from within the White House, and said it should serve as "a cause for concern" for all Americans.

    “I think the idea that we are having these ongoing disclosures of national security and classified information should be something that everybody is outraged about in this country,” he said. “This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our country, our security and our well-being."
    So Spicer thinks it's OK for the CIA to exploit and to hide the vulnerabilities.
    Well yes, of course he does. You do know the CIA are spies, don't you? It's their job. I seem to be one of the few not shocked at the revelation that spies spy. Personally I think it's good to see that they're keeping up with the times.

  11. #36
    Thailand Expat Jesus Jones's Avatar
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    Kin' Russians at it again. Yawn!

  12. #37
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    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    Sean Spicer likened the WikiLeaks release to recent information leaks from within the White House, and said it should serve as "a cause for concern" for all Americans.

    “I think the idea that we are having these ongoing disclosures of national security and classified information should be something that everybody is outraged about in this country,” he said. “This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our country, our security and our well-being."
    So Spicer thinks it's OK for the CIA to exploit and to hide the vulnerabilities.
    Well yes, of course he does. You do know the CIA are spies, don't you? It's their job. I seem to be one of the few not shocked at the revelation that spies spy. Personally I think it's good to see that they're keeping up with the times.

    Bit of a defender regarding the likes of the CIA and their associated empire expansion, are ya Bob?

    Kinda disgusting, actually.

  13. #38
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme
    Bit of a defender regarding the likes of the CIA and their associated empire expansion, are ya Bob?
    When was the last time America expanded its empire?

  14. #39
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    Meanwhile, university students are busy protesting microaggressions. The demise of the old western value system of individual liberty and privacy quickly marches forward

  15. #40
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by DrB0b View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Maanaam View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by misskit
    Sean Spicer likened the WikiLeaks release to recent information leaks from within the White House, and said it should serve as "a cause for concern" for all Americans.

    “I think the idea that we are having these ongoing disclosures of national security and classified information should be something that everybody is outraged about in this country,” he said. “This is the kind of disclosure that undermines our country, our security and our well-being."
    So Spicer thinks it's OK for the CIA to exploit and to hide the vulnerabilities.
    Well yes, of course he does. You do know the CIA are spies, don't you? It's their job. I seem to be one of the few not shocked at the revelation that spies spy. Personally I think it's good to see that they're keeping up with the times.

    Bit of a defender regarding the likes of the CIA and their associated empire expansion, are ya Bob?

    .
    Just pointing out the hypocrisy of pretending to be shocked and surprised at the sight of the CIA behaving like the CIA.

  16. #41
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    Once again, Wikileaks exposes what a rotten bunch of cvnts the US government are.

  17. #42
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    Quote Originally Posted by CSFFan View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme
    Bit of a defender regarding the likes of the CIA and their associated empire expansion, are ya Bob?
    When was the last time America expanded its empire?

    As you and most slumber....


  18. #43
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albert Shagnasty2017
    Once again, Wikileaks exposes what a rotten bunch of cvnts the US government are.
    Got any examples of where this kind of surveillance was brought before a judge as evidence?

  19. #44
    Thailand Expat CaptainNemo's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Albert Shagnasty2017 View Post
    Once again, Wikileaks exposes what a rotten bunch of cvnts the US government are.
    How do they recruit, anyway? I mean, who would want to work for them?

  20. #45
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    WikiLeaks claims first batch of stolen CIA documents 'less than 1%' of total release

    The initial leak of alleged Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) documents, over 8,000 files detailing a series of oddly-named hacking tools, was a mere fraction of the total amount obtained by WikiLeaks, the Julian Assange-led organisation has claimed.

    On 8 March, roughly 24 hours after the initial leak was dropped into the wild, the website's official Twitter account asserted that it was "less than 1%" of its overall collection of documents pilfered from inside the secretive spy agency's cyber unit.

    WikiLeaks said the first batch from the leak – called "Vault 7 Year Zero" – contained millions of lines of computer code showing cyberattack powers of US spies. It included malware and "zero day" exploits used to target devices running iOS and Android operating systems, WikiLeaks said.

    While the identity of the leaker remains unknown, WikiLeaks indicated the individual was a US government-linked hacker. It said the motivation of the culprit was to ensure the CIA's hacking abilities and oversight regime received proper debate in a public forum.

    Many critics of WikiLeaks believe the timing of the release was suspicious, arguing that it was simply yet another effort to damage US national security. Michael Hayden, a former CIA director, has slammed the organisation for not focusing on "totalitarian regimes".

    According to a US intelligence officer who spoke to Buzzfeed News, the scope of the leak could be a bigger than Edward Snowden's revelations in 2013, which exposed a vast surveillance apparatus used by spy agencies to spy on phonecalls, text messages and web browsing.

    "It's like handing our biggest cyber-guns over to anyone with an internet connection," the anonymous source claimed.

    "This is, if you look at the big picture, worse than Snowden. What he released led to big headlines and put a few lives in danger. What we have here could potentially put thousands of people in danger in countries around the world."

    Snowden, commenting on the leaked data via Twitter, said the leak appeared genuine and criticised the US government for hoarding computer vulnerabilities, a process he claimed could leave innocent internet used at risk of hacking.

    "The CIA reports show the USG developing vulnerabilities in US products, then intentionally keeping the holes open. Reckless beyond words," he wrote. "Why is this dangerous? Because until closed, any hacker can use the security hole the CIA left open to break into any iPhone in the world."

    Last year, WikiLeaks dominated headlines, especially in the US, after getting embroiled in a political scandal by releasing nearly 20,000 internal emails from the Democratic National Committee (DNC). The US government accused the website of having close Kremlin ties.
    WikiLeaks claims first batch of stolen CIA documents 'less than 1%' of total release

  21. #46
    Thailand Expat OhOh's Avatar
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    One wonders if the Chinese made TVs have a backdoor as well

  22. #47
    Excommunicated baldrick's Avatar
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    it is actually the chinese made IP cameras that you should be worried about

    and the soon to be flood of IoT devices

    a correctly configured router at the internet edge of your home network will mitigate 99% of issues related to insecure firmware OS on the networked devices in your household
    If you torture data for enough time , you can get it to say what you want.

  23. #48
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    Virtually every device in the CIA hack is only vulnerable if not updated, or not updateable (which means you should bin it).

    The IoT stuff should be on a separate network segment.

    Before you ask:

    https://www.ubnt.com/edgemax/edgerouter-lite/

    I'll post more on the CIA shit on the Security Thread.

  24. #49
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    who cares if they hack your cams, it's not like we have anything to hide, and it just floods their system with meaningless data so the real criminals can do their real work

    win-win !!!

  25. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by thaimeme View Post
    Yet, still lost is who the real enemy and bad guys are....
    All are bad guys anymore.

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