Category: privacy

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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” »

DNI Wants Research into Secure Multiparty Computation

Posted on By infossl
cryptography, databases, privacy, secretsharing, Security technology, surveillance

The Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) is soliciting proposals for research projects in secure multiparty computation: Specifically of interest is computing on data belonging to different — potentially mutually distrusting — parties, which are unwilling or unable (e.g., due to laws and regulations) to share this data with each other or with the underlying … Read More “DNI Wants Research into Secure Multiparty Computation” »

Websites Grabbing User-Form Data Before It’s Submitted

Posted on By infossl
internetofthings, marketing, privacy, Security technology, sensors, surveillance, webprivacy

Websites are sending information prematurely: …we discovered NaviStone’s code on sites run by Acurian, Quicken Loans, a continuing education center, a clothing store for plus-sized women, and a host of other retailers. Using Javascript, those sites were transmitting information from people as soon as they typed or auto-filled it into an online form. That way, … Read More “Websites Grabbing User-Form Data Before It’s Submitted” »

Surveillance Intermediaries

Posted on By infossl
academicpapers, courts, incentives, laws, nationalsecuritypolicy, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Interesting law-journal article: “Surveillance Intermediaries,” by Alan Z. Rozenshtein. Abstract:Apple’s 2016 fight against a court order commanding it to help the FBI unlock the iPhone of one of the San Bernardino terrorists exemplifies how central the question of regulating government surveillance has become in American politics and law. But scholarly attempts to answer this question … Read More “Surveillance Intermediaries” »

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” »

Stealing Browsing History Using Your Phone’s Ambient Light Sensor

Posted on By infossl
academicpapers, phones, privacy, Security technology, securityengineering, sensors, sidechannelattacks

There has been a flurry of research into using the various sensors on your phone to steal data in surprising ways. Here’s another: using the phone’s ambient light sensor to detect what’s on the screen. It’s a proof of concept, but the paper’s general conclusions are correct: There is a lesson here that designing specifications … Read More “Stealing Browsing History Using Your Phone’s Ambient Light Sensor” »

Reading Analytics and Privacy

Posted on By infossl
academicpapers, datacollection, ebooks, privacy, Security technology, tracking

Interesting paper: “The rise of reading analytics and the emerging calculus of reading privacy in the digital world,” by Clifford Lynch: Abstract: This paper studies emerging technologies for tracking reading behaviors (“reading analytics”) and their implications for reader privacy, attempting to place them in a historical context. It discusses what data is being collected, to … Read More “Reading Analytics and Privacy” »

Congress Removes FCC Privacy Protections on Your Internet Usage

Posted on By infossl
datacollection, isps, nationalsecuritypolicy, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Think about all of the websites you visit every day. Now imagine if the likes of Time Warner, AT&T, and Verizon collected all of your browsing history and sold it on to the highest bidder. That’s what will probably happen if Congress has its way. This week, lawmakers voted to allow Internet service providers to … Read More “Congress Removes FCC Privacy Protections on Your Internet Usage” »

Digital Security Exchange: Security for High-Risk Communities

Posted on By infossl
privacy, risks, Security technology, securityengineering, surveillance, tor

I am part of this very interesting project: For many users, blog posts on how to install Signal, massive guides to protecting your digital privacy, and broad statements like “use Tor” — all offered in good faith and with the best of intentions — can be hard to understand or act upon. If we want … Read More “Digital Security Exchange: Security for High-Risk Communities” »