Live data from Hacker News

CIA malware and hacking tools

wikileaks.org

71–80 of 1001 posts

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#71
post #9

- Smart TV turned into listening devices with fake off mode? - Intercepting audio/texts before encryption by Signal, Whisper, WhatsApp etc. - Dozens of O-day attacks again Andriod and iPhone. Pretty powerful stuff.

> Intercepting audio/texts before encryption by Signal, Whisper, WhatsApp etc

I wish I could say that I'm surprised but no... not surprised at all. Same for the IoT stuff.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#72

But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point, spreading this kind of disinformation does a great deal to muddy the waters about the hacking.

Why would anyone consider that?

(Yes I know the accusations, but they don't appear backed by evidence or reason).

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#74

But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point, spreading this kind of disinformation does a great deal to muddy the waters about the hacking.

Can you point to any instance where WikiLeaks has released information that was not authentic and correct?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#75
post #49

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that's an absurd position. The government has a need to be able to access hostile systems. A hacked computer can avoid armed conflict where people die. A better question is... why aren't major vendors devoting a fraction of the resources to find this stuff and fix t on their own?

They're being paid by the spooks! On a serious note, doesn't cyberwarfare sound more like it could lead to nasty consequences, such as regular warfare, rather than preventing it?

As nuclear proliferation becomes more and more common, "regular warfare" is going to become impossible.

The reality is that there isn't going to be a traditional war with any nuclear power. WW2 was the last big state on state conflict -- that cannot happen again. Since 1948, the US vs. USSR model has applied, where nuclear powers have proxy wars at the fringes with various minor states.

As nukes become available to 2nd/3rd tier states, you need lower impact fighting methods to avoid setting off a nuclear chain reaction. "Cyber warfare", IMO, is a tool in the toolbox. Instead of proxy states, we fight with proxy corporations.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#76

But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point, spreading this kind of disinformation does a great deal to muddy the waters about the hacking.

> But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point

Trump is crazy & I'm willing to believe the Russians helped him, but this is an equally baseless accusation.

Wikileaks has a history of pissing off both the left & right in the United States. I have a hard time believing the claims they're part of the Republican party.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#77
post #76

But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point, spreading this kind of disinformation does a great deal to muddy the waters about the hacking.

> But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point Trump is crazy & I'm willing to believe the Russians helped him, but this is an equally baseless accusation. Wikileaks has a history of pissing off both the left & right in the United States. I have a hard time believing the claims they're part of the Republican party.

"Republican Party"? OP said Russian intelligence.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#78
post #72

But considering that Wikileaks is essentially a Russian intelligence services front at this point, spreading this kind of disinformation does a great deal to muddy the waters about the hacking.

Why would anyone consider that? (Yes I know the accusations, but they don't appear backed by evidence or reason).

The guy went from "cryptoanarchy" to having a TV show on RT(a propaganda network)and saying Russia has "vibrant" criticism of Putin's regime (beyond absurd). Not to mention him somehow being able to facilitate Snowden's entry into Russia.

I'm no fan of imperialist American foreign policy, but Russia is just as grotesque.

http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/2016/12/23/news/assange_wiki...

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#79
post #5

Based on the overview alone (of course I can't read the entire report that fast!), this is exactly what I expect a spy agency would be doing -- if they were not then I would be disappointed. What exactly in the admittedly shortened list am I supposed to be upset about? It makes no distinction between US citizens and overseas parties. If these actions are being done domestically against US citizens, with no just cause…

>What exactly in the admittedly shortened list am I supposed to be upset about? It makes no distinction between US citizens and overseas parties. If these actions are being done domestically against US citizens, with no just cause sure I will get upset, but that has yet to be seen.

From the Reppublica article: "Three years ago the news that the Agency had spied on the US Senate intelligence committee's years-long effort to investigate CIA's tortures by penetrating the computers of the committee staff members sparked public outrage and political fury."

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#80

This had the potential of being a positive development brought by Trump's election: many behaviors by the US three letter agencies that were glossed over for the past 8 years (due to the party in power being "on the right side of history") are again reprehensible and deemed a threat to be fought by the tech community.

The tech community has been pretty up in arms against the three letter agencies ever since Snowden's revelation, so I'm not sure how Trump's election is going to change that; if anything it might produce the opposite effect since these agencies seem to be feuding with Trump on some level. Besides, wikieaks is a pro-Trump organization so I doubt that Trump losing the election would have caused them to go more softly w…

> I'm not sure how Trump's election is going to change that; if anything it might produce the opposite effect since these agencies seem to be feuding with Trump on some level

A big part of Trump's appeal is that he's seen as anti-establishment. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect that he may make significant changes at those agencies as a result of their "feuding" with him.

> wikieaks is a pro-Trump organization

I don't believe that for a moment. WikiLeaks helped Trump's campaign, certainly - but their reason for doing so was orthogonal to Trump himself.

If WikiLeak's behavior during the 2016 election was driven by anything personal or partisan, I would say it was Assange's own personal vendetta against Hillary Clinton.

Post reply on HN