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CIA malware and hacking tools

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Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#141

Post by FullMtlAlcoholc »

tehwalrus wrote: post #135
FullMtlAlcoholc wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I believe that in my heart as well. However, we don't currently live in a world with a federated global government. The recent election in the US highlighted that people do divide the world into imaginary lines on maps and it had a slogan: AMERICA FIRST. It's not just the political class that sees these divisions, it's a majority of the citizens. How would you spark a revolution in people's thinking?

I have written about this in the past. I believe I proposed something like a "no executive" world government, where you had international laws, defined by treaties, and a commitment by some treaty signatories to "arrest" any state actor which broke them. If this coalition of "world police" (which are, of course, armies) were powerful enough, I believe this could lead to less lawbreaking by governments (from the USA t…

> Of course, persuading people something like this is a good idea, your actual question, is just about the hardest problem I've ever thought about solving.

It's borderline impossible. People are social animals. While they don't necessarily form hierarhical societies, they are easily swayed by someone who offers simple solutions to their complex problems and have a bias towards following others vs being their own individual sovereign.

> "World Peace, Inc"

Alright Tony Stark :) Are you recruiting Avengers and trying to successfully privatize world peace?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#142

Post by pjc50 »

apo wrote: post #92

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 cyberar…

> 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.

This is almost hilarious.

Not that being classified would make any difference: cyber-"weapons" have something in common with biological weapons in that they're prone to leaking and blowing upwind, but also once used it's possible for the enemy to vaccinate against them.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#144

Post by alphonsegaston »

Bartweiss wrote: post #121
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...

> saying Russia has "vibrant" criticism of Putin's regime No, he didn't. I know The Guardian said he did, but they mislead readers so badly that the interviewer they were quoting specifically called them out for bad journalism. Wikileaks has gone off the rails lately, but the "vibrant" thing is from a hitpiece that's inaccurate in almost every way. Assange said "In Russia, there are many vibrant publications, online…

I literally linked to the actual interview. I know exactly what he said and my original statement still stands. And there's so much "vibrant" criticism in Russia that the guy he mentions is in prison? If that doesn't refute his argument (assuming it wasn't ironic), I don't know what does.

Here's someone who also went to prison for protesting against Putin who says that Assange uses rhetorical dodges, but it's out in the open in Russia that he works with the Kremlin.

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/10/27/pussy-riot-...

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#145

Post by travmatt »

wdr1 wrote: post #76
alphonsegaston wrote: post #68

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.

Can you point to a time Assange pissed off russia? Why did Assange brag about 'kompromat' he held on putins administration, and then take a meeting with Putin after Russia threatened him? Why did he cut a tv deal wth Russia state controlled media a month later, and then neglect to release his 'kompromat'? Why did he censor emails showing Russian banks ties to the Syrian war, and why did he tow the kremlin line and accuse the panama papers leaks as being funded by soros and the USA without providing any proof?

To act like Wikileaks hasn't cut a tv deal with a Russian propaganda network and doesn't parrot its talking points runs pretty counter to recent history. And today they're at it again, trying to foster doubt about the safety of secure messaging apps among journalists (unsurprising, given Putins history of murdering journalists).

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#146

Post by Spooky23 »

LyndsySimon wrote: post #105
Spooky23 wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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 2…

> WW2 was the last big state on state conflict -- that cannot happen again. Respectfully, the belief that large-scale war was impossible between modern states was prevalent prior to the First World War. I strongly believe that there will eventually be another large conflict, and that the only reason there hasn't been one to date is because we've managed to maintain the balance between Russian and American interests t…

Perhaps "cannot" was the wrong word choice. "must not" may be more appropriate.

I share your fears and find it terrifying, as that large scale war with the technology that we have today is a profoundly more damaging thing.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#147

Post by sandworm101 »

apo wrote: post #92

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 cyberar…

Lol like anyone in this field cares about copyrights. It is like suggesting that North Korea cannot build nuclear bombs because doing so would infringe US patents. Some things are above IP rules.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#148

Post by dang »

alphonsegaston wrote: post #68

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.

We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13810505 and marked it off-topic.

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#149

Post by dopamean »

apo wrote: post #92

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 cyberar…

> This means that cyber 'arms' manufactures and computer hackers can freely "pirate" these 'weapons' if they are obtained.

Does the author really think that if the tools were exposed then people who wanted to use these tools actually wouldn't simply because they were labelled "classified" somewhere?

Re: CIA malware and hacking tools

#150

Post by strictnein »

cQ5ktKqTvOPZ wrote: post #73

If they call in James Clapper, will he perjure himself again? http://www.hasjamesclapperbeenindictedyet.com/

It would have been illegal for him to tell the truth in that testimony, since it was public. I know people don't like that, but it's true. He could either lie or break serious secrecy laws. There's no immunity just because you're talking to congress.
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