Live data from Hacker News

Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

wikileaks.org

161–170 of 284 posts

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#161
How about instead of talking about whether Wikileaks is good or bad or whether you support them or not, let's talk about the content of the post.

From what I've read so far, this is pretty freaking cool. It's super interesting to read these docs and see their thought process involved, especially since the product their building is so different from what people are making on a day to day business. It actually looks pretty fun to work on. Also, I think it's neat to read about their need for developing frameworks that can be used around the agency to accomplish stuff.

Unfortunately, I didn't ready anything about self modifying code, which is probably the most difficult malware to detect and probably to write. Maybe it's in there though, I didn't read the whole document. I came to the comments about half way through to see dozens of people talking about whether they support Wikileaks or not which I think is fine, free country, but I'd like to actually know what some people who work with this kind of stuff think.

A framework for compiling to self modifying, yet correct, code wiukd be super cool. I wonder if it always has to be written by hand? Probably not but maybe that's a separate tool Wikileaks has yet to release.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#162
post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

please provide something to educate me. Who has more spy bases around the world? Who has disseminated their spy tools so widely that they have become available to 3rd parties? Who else is tapping undersea fiber? Who else is behind the SSL layer at google? I like primary documents obviously, but publications are fine too.

>> Who has more spy bases around the world? Who has disseminated their spy tools so widely that they have become available to 3rd parties? Who else is tapping undersea fiber? Those are all evidence that other parties have secrets.

Evidence that the other party thinks they have secrets and no longer do.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#163
(noob question)

Do you need THE best software-development talent to be able to build comprehensive surveillance like the big agencies? Like THE Christiano Ronaldo or THE Michael Jordan of programming.

Or is this more about funds and the power to set such a system in motion?

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#164

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Every one of those news outlets publishes multiple stories criticizing the current leader of the United States and the United States' foreign policy agenda. This happens nearly every hour of the day.

Yes, but they don't question or criticize our foreign policy which is very destructive to the long term interests of this country.

What is your criteria or definition of foreign-policy criticism which would satisfy your requirements?

What content would change your mind?

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#165
post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The truth isn't responsible for serving anyone's interests, and especially not the interests of the biggest secret keeper. The truth is not political, except that it is the natural enemy of politics which rely upon secrecy. If your perspective is that more secrets are being kept by more egregious actors than the US, the truth welcomes your contribution...

im sure youre in favor of wikileaks publishing the US nuclear launch codes for isis or russia to use. information should be set free even if it sets off the Apocalypse?

Maybe we shouldn't have systems that are just a password away leak from creating the Apocalypse?

Actually, I am pretty sure we don't. Those codes come in pairs and are all subject to two person control. Also, those guys that turn the keys can use their own judgment to veto the launch. In the event a leak was known or an unknown reason to launch came through I suspect they wouldn't.

Those codes won't let them re-target the missiles either, we will be firing them at whatever the predesignated target is. I am not sure if anyone else is up to the task of firing back in the ten or so minutes before all of our cold war enemies are erased.

So how about back to the practical example about what information can go free in the event of government transparency. Surely there are some plausible examples that can also make your point.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#166
post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There is simply no evidence of that.

You are saying that Wikileaks has a ton of other documents but won't publish them? Based on what exactly?

I've seen this tweet a lot https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/769194327830585344 by the Washington Post reporter.

Apparently, he claimed on Fox News that he had something on Trump, but that it wasn't interesting enough to release it.

Not saying that this is a regular trend or something, but it seems like there is some evidence from Assange himself that they don't publish everything they have verified.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#168
post #41

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are 6.5 billion people who can tell the truth on the other side as well. It's not productive to attack the one group doing something, when everyone else is doing nothing.

As much as they'd like to portray things that way, Wikileaks is hardly the only group doing something. The Snowden leaks didn't go through them. The Panama Papers didn't, either.

Given who and what the Panama Papers exposed (extensive ties to and involvment of Putin), that's a spectacularly cogent point.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#169

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The truth may not be political, however the curation is. Take the US election, for example. Wikileaks has released information about Clinton and the DNC, and claims they have stuff they never released about Trump and the GOP [1, 2]. Other sources have said the GOP was hacked in the same attack that got Podesta [3]. The only person less likely to criticize Russia than Trump is Assange. Wikileaks lost any proximity to…

Do you hold WaPo, NYT, CNN to those same standards? Because that is mainly what American "MSM" does, selectively publish information which bebefits the agenda of American foreign policy interests. It's fair if you align yourself with American foreign policy interests, I do too, but to single out other publications that don't follow that agenda is just a case of having self interested double standards. All of the crit…

The point of highlighting whataboutism isn't that the "what about" claims are wrong, its that hypocracy is irrelivant to an arugement about something.

Re: Wikileaks releases CIA's Marble: Malware obfuscation tools

#170

I've really turned on Wikileaks. Itd be one thing if all the major powers had equivalent leaks publishing, but focusing on the US basically serves Chinese and Russian interests far more than it does the citizens of the US. String obfuscation isn't stemming from some corrupt deal that needs sunlight... this is just doing a disservice to their original mission.

So what's the solution? Stop publishing until they've caught up on Russian and Chinese leaks? Why just Russia and China? Should each country get a leak until we get back to the start of the cycle again? Why should Wikileaks care who's interests any leaks serve? They should leak interesting material they are given - that's their purpose.

One action that's been at least partially effective for combatting clear bias in the past and other contexts has to make clear that you are openly inviting contributions (or applications, involvement, etc.) from previously under-served or unaddressed quarters.

A current example would be STEM outreach to underrepresented groups: disadvantaged minorities and women in particular. Housing, employment, and educational opportunity efforts would be other examples that come to mind.

Can you point to any active solicitation Wikileaks have made, say, for materials specifically addressing political oppression within Russia or concerning its foreign policy?

Sincere question. I'm not, though I've not particularly looked.

Post reply on HN