Category: nsa

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More on the NSA’s Use of Traffic Shaping

Posted on By infossl
academicpapers, authentication, eavesdropping, nsa, privacy, Security technology, surveillance, trafficanalysis

“Traffic shaping” — the practice of tricking data to flow through a particular route on the Internet so it can be more easily surveiled — is an NSA technique that has gotten much less attention than it deserves. It’s a powerful technique that allows an eavesdropper to get access to communications channels it would otherwise … Read More “More on the NSA’s Use of Traffic Shaping” »

Fighting Leakers at Apple

Posted on By infossl
apple, intelligence, leaks, nsa, secrecy, Security technology

Apple is fighting its own battle against leakers, using people and tactics from the NSA. According to the hour-long presentation, Apple’s Global Security team employs an undisclosed number of investigators around the world to prevent information from reaching competitors, counterfeiters, and the press, as well as hunt down the source when leaks do occur. Some … Read More “Fighting Leakers at Apple” »

NSA Insider Security Post-Snowden

Posted on By infossl
edwardsnowden, foia, insiders, leaks, nsa, Security technology

According to a recently declassified report obtained under FOIA, the NSA’s attempts to protect itself against insider attacks aren’t going very well: The N.S.A. failed to consistently lock racks of servers storing highly classified data and to secure data center machine rooms, according to the report, an investigation by the Defense Department’s inspector general completed … Read More “NSA Insider Security Post-Snowden” »

NSA Links WannaCry to North Korea

Posted on By infossl
hacking, northkorea, nsa, ransomware, Security technology

There’s evidence: Though the assessment is not conclusive, the preponderance of the evidence points to Pyongyang. It includes the range of computer Internet protocol addresses in China historically used by the RGB, and the assessment is consistent with intelligence gathered recently by other Western spy agencies. It states that the hackers behind WannaCry are also … Read More “NSA Links WannaCry to North Korea” »

NSA Document Outlining Russian Attempts to Hack Voter Rolls

Posted on By infossl
dhs, essays, fbi, nationalsecuritypolicy, nsa, russia, Security technology, voting

This week brought new public evidence about Russian interference in the 2016 election. On Monday, the Intercept published a top-secret National Security Agency document describing Russian hacking attempts against the US election system. While the attacks seem more exploratory than operational ­– and there’s no evidence that they had any actual effect ­– they further … Read More “NSA Document Outlining Russian Attempts to Hack Voter Rolls” »

WannaCry and Vulnerabilities

Posted on By infossl
essays, hacking, microsoft, nsa, patching, ransomware, russia, Security technology, vulnerabilities

There is plenty of blame to go around for the WannaCry ransomware that spread throughout the Internet earlier this month, disrupting work at hospitals, factories, businesses, and universities. First, there are the writers of the malicious software, which blocks victims’ access to their computers until they pay a fee. Then there are the users who … Read More “WannaCry and Vulnerabilities” »

Who Are the Shadow Brokers?

Posted on By infossl
cybersecurity, cyberweapons, hacking, leaks, nsa, Security technology, vulnerabilities, whistleblowers

In 2013, a mysterious group of hackers that calls itself the Shadow Brokers stole a few disks full of NSA secrets. Since last summer, they’ve been dumping these secrets on the Internet. They have publicly embarrassed the NSA and damaged its intelligence-gathering capabilities, while at the same time have put sophisticated cyberweapons in the hands … Read More “Who Are the Shadow Brokers?” »

The Future of Ransomware

Posted on By infossl
backups, extortion, internetofthings, malware, nsa, patching, ransomware, Security technology

Ransomware isn’t new, but it’s increasingly popular and profitable. The concept is simple: Your computer gets infected with a virus that encrypts your files until you pay a ransom. It’s extortion taken to its networked extreme. The criminals provide step-by-step instructions on how to pay, sometimes even offering a help line for victims unsure how … Read More “The Future of Ransomware” »

NSA Abandons “About” Searches

Posted on By infossl
fisa, nationalsecuritypolicy, nsa, patriotact, privacy, searches, Security technology, surveillance

Earlier this month, the NSA said that it would no longer conduct “about” searches of bulk communications data. This was the practice of collecting the communications of Americans based on keywords and phrases in the contents of the messages, not based on who they were from or to. The NSA’s own words: After considerable evaluation … Read More “NSA Abandons “About” Searches” »