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How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

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Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#91

Post by Consultant32452 »

r0h1n wrote: post #5

After a while all these news items about the NSA and GCHQ can seem a bit too much, but not if we take a step back and really understand the enormity of it all. The NSA and its cohorts set up fake Facebook websites, spoof security certificates, secretly record webcam streams, vacuum up everything they can lay their hands on etc. Meanwhile the CIA coolly wipes hundreds of documents from the machines of those who are in…

You don't have to get them to delete it. Just defund them so they can't afford to do it in the future. The data will be worthless pretty quickly as it ages.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#92

Post by Consultant32452 »

snake_plissken wrote: post #89

Through all of the news articles and the analyses I have read, I still don't understand how exactly all of this works. I understand the MITM concept, but the Man-On-The-Side parts boggle m: "When a target attempts to log in to the social media site, the NSA transmits malicious data packets that trick the target’s computer into thinking they are being sent from the real Facebook. By concealing its malware within what…

It seems to me that they are sending out packets identifying themselves as facebook. If you're not using SSL this is expected to be possible. If you are using SSL to communicate with FB then it's likely that the NSA has the private keys for FB's SSL certificates.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#93

Post by aurumpotest »

aasarava wrote: post #68

At some point, laptops, displays, and handheld devices started carrying built-in microphones and cameras as a feature. Perhaps the new feature is devices that don't have these things? To use a mic or camera, you'd explicitly have to plug it in and could physically unplug it later.

Already underway.

See http://time.com/10115/google-project-ara-modular-smartphone/ and similar projects.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#95

Post by lutusp »

blueskin_ wrote: post #94

>computer servers I've been seeing this pattern a lot in nontechnical news recently, and have always been baffled as to what other kind of server there is (short of some basic network service implemented purely in logic gates, I guess).

>> computer servers > I've been seeing this pattern a lot in nontechnical news recently, and have always been baffled as to what other kind of server there is ...

In this fast-breaking story, the expression "computer servers" has joined "software program" and "underground tunnel" at the Department of Redundancy Department.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#96

Post by pjc50 »

eli wrote: post #90
pjc50 wrote: post #70

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the UK, we did manage to get the identity cards scheme killed and all the data collected destroyed . Admittedly it was still in the pilot stage. The key to effective political action is getting all the other existing politically active groups to realise that they don't want to do politics under surveillance either. Everyone from the NRA to the NAACP should oppose this. Talk about guns on the internet? It's trivial…

Offtopic, but I've always been surprised there wasn't more uproar over the passage of the Real ID Act. Basically a sneaky way to turn your state-issued driver license into a national ID card.

The tragic thing is that some of the Baltic states (eg Estonia) have shown nifty ways to make ID cards benefit the public, having keypairs on the card and application integration etc. But this is only useful IF we can trust the system won't be abused - which at the moment we really can't. In the west an ID system would be primarily used for making immigrants second class citizens and turning everyone into immigration enforcement vigilantes.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#98

Post by tedks »

chroem wrote: post #81
pvnick wrote: post #52

The obvious solution is to run everything on Temple OS. I'm only half joking.

Too bad God doesn't approve of a networking stack.

This is exactly why God doesn't approve of a networking stack.

Wake up, sheeple.

Re: How the NSA Plans to Infect “Millions” of Computers with Malware

#100

Post by bediger4000 »

pizza234 wrote: post #64
logn wrote: post #44

The NSA, breaking into US computers, is violating the Third Amendment, in my opinion. No Soldier shall, in time of peace be quartered in any house, without the consent of the Owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be prescribed by law.

At the time when this was written, there was a clear distinction between times of peace and war. Nowadays, especially from the start of the "War on terror", this distinction has been artificially demolished; one of the consequences is that there is way more leverage to wark around laws (and to do many other nasty things).

I grant that funding for the War on Terror has taken place. But I also don't think that a real, formal declaration of war has been approved.

So, is the USA at war or not? I suspect (but I'm only 52% certain) that we're not at war.

The follow-on questions (after "are we at war or not?"): In what state are we? What are the legal ramifications of this half-at-war-state? Why hasn't the US Congress declared war since WW2? Is there some consequence to declaring war or not declaring war that they're trying to avoid?

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