Category: surveillance

Auto Added by WPeMatico

NSA/GCHQ Hacks SIM Card Database and Steals Billions of Keys

Posted on By infossl
cellphones, databases, eavesdropping, edwardsnowden, gchq, hacking, nsa, phones, privacy, Security technology, simcards, surveillance

The Intercept has an extraordinary story: the NSA and/or GCHQ hacked into the Dutch SIM card manufacturer Gemalto, stealing the encryption keys for billions of cell phones. People are still trying to figure out exactly what this means, but it seems to mean that the intelligence agencies have access to both voice and data from … Read More “NSA/GCHQ Hacks SIM Card Database and Steals Billions of Keys” »

Samsung Television Spies on Viewers

Posted on By infossl
android, cellphones, databreaches, eavesdropping, essays, internetofthings, iphone, nationalsecuritypolicy, phones, privacy, samsung, Security technology, surveillance, television

Earlier this week, we learned that Samsung televisions are eavesdropping on their owners. If you have one of their Internet-connected smart TVs, you can turn on a voice command feature that saves you the trouble of finding the remote, pushing buttons and scrolling through menus. But making that feature work requires the television to listen … Read More “Samsung Television Spies on Viewers” »

Electronic Surveillance Failures Leading up to the 2008 Mumbai Terrorist Attacks

Posted on By infossl
eavesdropping, edwardsnowden, india, intelligence, lawenforcement, privacy, Security technology, surveillance, terrorism

Long New York Times article based on “former American and Indian officials and classified documents disclosed by Edward J. Snowden” outlining the intelligence failures leading up to the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks: Although electronic eavesdropping often yields valuable data, even tantalizing clues can be missed if the technology is not closely monitored, the intelligence gleaned … Read More “Electronic Surveillance Failures Leading up to the 2008 Mumbai Terrorist Attacks” »

National Academies Report on Bulk Intelligence Collection

Posted on By infossl
databases, intelligence, nationalsecuritypolicy, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

In January, the National Academies of Science (NAS) released a report on the bulk collection of signals intelligence. Basically, a year previously President Obama tasked the Director of National Intelligence with assessing “the feasibility of creating software that would allow the Intelligence Community more easily to conduct target information acquisition rather than bulk collection.” The … Read More “National Academies Report on Bulk Intelligence Collection” »

NSA Using Hacker Research and Results

Posted on By infossl
edwardsnowden, gchq, hacking, intelligence, nsa, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

In the latest article based on the Snowden documents, the Intercept is reporting that the NSA and GCHQ are piggy-backing on the work of hackers: In some cases, the surveillance agencies are obtaining the content of emails by monitoring hackers as they breach email accounts, often without notifying the hacking victims of these breaches. “Hackers … Read More “NSA Using Hacker Research and Results” »

US Law Enforcement Also Conducting Mass Telephone Surveillance

Posted on By infossl
courts, dea, metadata, nationalsecuritypolicy, phones, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

Late last year, in a criminal case involving export violations, the US government disclosed a mysterious database of telephone call records that it had queried in the case. The defendant argued that the database was the NSA’s, and that the query was unconditional and the evidence should be suppressed. The government said that the database … Read More “US Law Enforcement Also Conducting Mass Telephone Surveillance” »

Surveillance Detection for Android Phones

Posted on By infossl
android, cellphones, phones, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

It’s called SnoopSnitch: SnoopSnitch is an app for Android devices that analyses your mobile radio traffic to tell if someone is listening in on your phone conversations or tracking your location. Unlike standard antivirus apps, which are designed to combat software intrusions or steal personal info, SnoopSnitch picks up on things like fake mobile base … Read More “Surveillance Detection for Android Phones” »

How Surveillance Causes Writers to Self-Censor

Posted on By infossl
academicpapers, censorship, internetandsociety, privacy, Security technology, surveillance

A worldwide survey of writers affiliated with PEN shows a significant level of self-censoring. From the press release: The report’s revelations, based on a survey of nearly 800 writers worldwide, are alarming. Concern about surveillance is now nearly as high among writers living in democracies (75%) as among those living in non-democracies (80%). The levels … Read More “How Surveillance Causes Writers to Self-Censor” »