CIA malware and hacking tools • Hacker News Board

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#91

Post by LyndsySimon » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:55 PM UTC

pabloski wrote: post #56

empath75 wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Germany knows they're there, are you kidding?

A slight correction: "Germany is an US occupied country since the end of WWII". This is the truth about Nato, friendship between US and Japan, EU countries, South Korea, etc... There are no friends in geopolitics, only masters and slaves.

That's an interesting thought, indeed.

The US doesn't benefit financially from Germany, as far as I can tell. The argument could be made that we benefit from Japanese trade, but I find that to be rather weak.

If your claim is correct, then what benefit does the vassalage of Germany and Japan have for the US?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#92

Post by apo » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:55 PM UTC

In what is surely one of the most astounding intelligence own goals in living memory, the CIA structured its classification regime such that for the most market valuable part of "Vault 7" — the CIA's weaponized malware (implants + zero days), Listening Posts (LP), and Command and Control (C2) systems — the agency has little legal recourse.

The CIA made these systems unclassified.

Why the CIA chose to make its cyberarsenal unclassified reveals how concepts developed for military use do not easily crossover to the 'battlefield' of cyber 'war'.

To attack its targets, the CIA usually requires that its implants communicate with their control programs over the internet. If CIA implants, Command & Control and Listening Post software were classified, then CIA officers could be prosecuted or dismissed for violating rules that prohibit placing classified information onto the Internet. Consequently the CIA has secretly made most of its cyber spying/war code unclassified. The U.S. government is not able to assert copyright either, due to restrictions in the U.S. Constitution. This means that cyber 'arms' manufactures and computer hackers can freely "pirate" these 'weapons' if they are obtained. The CIA has primarily had to rely on obfuscation to protect its malware secrets.

One of the more interesting passages. The arsenal must not be classified to protect those who deploy it from legal action. This cyberwarfare kit, which can just as easily be used to destroy the US as one of its enemies, is public domain software created and released at US taxpayer expense.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#93

Post by cliffy » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:55 PM UTC

Have there been any leaks showing TLAs using Intel's ME or AMD's PSP as a means to compromise a target?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#94

Post by agumonkey » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:56 PM UTC

TheArcane wrote: post #40

"U.S. Consulate in Frankfurt is a covert CIA hacker base " Germans are usually privacy nuts. I know many who maintain no presence on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I wonder how Germany will react to this.

Not long ago it was hinted that US ambassy in Paris is a nice CIA antenna too. Nobody denied nobody answered, question still up in the air.

Also, latest Russian project, a large church-like building in Paris is suspected to hide intel dept.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#95

Post by PleaseHelpMe » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:56 PM UTC

hubert123 wrote: post #43

daenney wrote: post #36

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The parent isn't being naïve, they take issue with the current state of affairs and tell how they would like it to work. They're not surprised that that's not the case.

Nope, he is very naive. He calls [cyber] war "ridiculous".There is nothing ridiculous about wanting to be ahead of rivaling countries and having backdoors into their software and computers. What is however ridiculous is the attitude that we should all hug each other and make the bad people go away with love and prayer.

Thank you for clearing my point although I still got downvote.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#96

Post by alphonsegaston » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:57 PM UTC

lolc wrote: post #88

alphonsegaston wrote: post #78

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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...

First time I hear that Assange "the guy" was "somehow" instrumental in Snowden's flight.

Here it is from the horse's mouth, strangely enough also featured on the Russian propaganda network:

https://www.rt.com/news/313829-assange-advise-snowden-russia...

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#97

Post by yread » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:57 PM UTC

dvcc wrote: post #22

ttctciyf wrote: post #17

They have vim editing tips https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_3375350.html No emacs?

They have secret unit testing tips too! https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_11629048.html

And Visual Studio https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/cms/page_11629039.html

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#98

Post by tobltobs » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:57 PM UTC

dvcc wrote: 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…

> this is exactly what I expect a spy agency would be doing

Loosing their "cyber" equivalents of atomic bombs after they deemed it unnecessary to improve the protection of the US against such those weapons is what you expect?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#99

Post by e12e » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:57 PM UTC

imron wrote: post #28

aeleos wrote: post #12

Wow this is really big. There are tons of documents about the various tools they use, but it seems the majority of the actual source code is still being reviewed and the links just show a link to the file list. I hope they eventually release the source code, as a lot of these tools seem very interesting. I can imagine that many at the CIA are running around on fire, as this seems like a big problem for them.

According to Wikileaks [0], they were explicitly redacted until their safety could be assessed. They didn't want to be responsible for accidentally releasing malware in to the wild. 0: https://wikileaks.org/ciav7p1/#FAQ

Feel much safer knowing the CIA keeps them safe and only use them for good causes /s

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#100

Post by dvcc » Tue, Mar 07, 2017, 2:58 PM UTC

imron wrote: post #32

dvcc wrote: 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…

> this is exactly what I expect a spy agency would be doing From Wikileaks' overview: "In the wake of Edward Snowden's leaks about the NSA, the U.S. technology industry secured a commitment from the Obama administration that the executive would disclose on an ongoing basis — rather than hoard — serious vulnerabilities, exploits, bugs or "zero days" to Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other US-based manufacturers. ... "Y…

Again, I think there is a difference between the desired and realistic roles of an intelligence agency in disclosing exploits. Sure, I would hope they disclose them. But at the same time if they are actively using an exploit, I have pretty much no expectation of them disclosing it.

I think this has way more to do with our reference-point than anything else. My expectations were never quite as high!