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How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

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Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#61

Post by HenryBemis »

nradov wrote: post #25
mandevil wrote: post #22

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When we had to go into SCIFs, generally phones went into lockers. At some locations, phones stayed in cars. But that doesn't make it any harder to figure out. But this isn't the first time people are encountering this problem. Strava has given away plenty of US military bases: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/fitness-tracki... Russia has the same problem, VKontakte has given away plenty of secret Russian…

Supposedly a Ukrainian agent was able to assassinate a Russian military officer by tracking his regular running route on Strava. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-66162502 Strava actually has extensive privacy controls that work well. Users can keep activities private by default and hide their tracks near sensitive locations. But of course if you don't use the privacy control and make everything public then obvio…

It brought this to mind: Fitness tracking app Strava gives away location of secret US army bases

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/jan/28/fitness-tracki...

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#62

Post by mckn1ght »

mschuster91 wrote: post #53
ok_dad wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I was in the military cell phones were extremely new, but I honestly don't see why most commands don't say "leave phones and other electronics at home when coming to base" and then you just tell anyone who needs to contact you to call the command quarterdeck or whatever. Examples you just gave are good reasons to do this, much like how in the 90's during Desert Storm several people figured out (post-hoc, but sti…

> When I was in the military cell phones were extremely new, but I honestly don't see why most commands don't say "leave phones and other electronics at home when coming to base" and then you just tell anyone who needs to contact you to call the command quarterdeck or whatever. Because soldiers will just go and take their phones anyway - they will want to keep in touch with their families. The solution to this proble…

Seems like something the NSA should be in charge of, maintaining a custom Android ROM or even a fully custom built OS/device.

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#63

Post by pluc »

I haven't read it yet, but I have "Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government Is Creating a New American Surveillance State" by Byron Tau in my cart and that feels related so.. maybe look it up.

https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706321/means-of-con...

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#65

Post by mschuster91 »

mckn1ght wrote: post #62
mschuster91 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When I was in the military cell phones were extremely new, but I honestly don't see why most commands don't say "leave phones and other electronics at home when coming to base" and then you just tell anyone who needs to contact you to call the command quarterdeck or whatever. Because soldiers will just go and take their phones anyway - they will want to keep in touch with their families. The solution to this proble…

Seems like something the NSA should be in charge of, maintaining a custom Android ROM or even a fully custom built OS/device.

Just browsing the web is enough to deliver enough metadata to RTBs to make correlations possible.

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#67

Post by glitchcrab »

pluc wrote: post #63

I haven't read it yet, but I have "Means of Control: How the Hidden Alliance of Tech and Government Is Creating a New American Surveillance State" by Byron Tau in my cart and that feels related so.. maybe look it up. https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/706321/means-of-con...

This article is taken from that book.

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#68

Post by mike_d »

username135 wrote: post #45

One thing I've always been curious about, and have never been able to find a solid answer too, is what data is available to the various companies whose software I have on my phone? What can AT&T/TMobile/etc... learn from my device as my carrier? What can the apps I have installed decern from my device if I allow no access to anything settings? How does this change if I use a vpn? I have an idea of whats possible base…

> but I'd love a more solid answer

Unfortunately that isn't a question you'll get an answer to. Anyone who actually knows and has access to sensitive sources and methods is under an obligation not to disclose them. Further nobody in the know wants to burn these sources - because it makes their job harder.

The general advice I can give is use an iPhone (turn on Lock Down mode if you believe you might be the target of well resourced attackers), use Google suite for your personal data (and turn on Advanced Protection), don't use commercially available VPNs (set up your own or just don't connect to wifi in untrusted places), and periodically delete third party apps you don't use (especially any that use location services).

Re: How The Pentagon learned to use targeted ads to find its targets

#70

Post by XorNot »

hnburnsy wrote: post #6

>Working with Grindr data, Yeagley began drawing geofences—creating virtual boundaries in geographical data sets—around buildings belonging to government agencies that do national security work. Are you seriously telling me that government phones of national security employees allow for the installation of apps that track your location and/or these employees are allowed to bring personal cell phones into these buildi…

Whether they take it into the building or not is irrelevant.

If they drive nearby and leave it in the car, you can find them.

If they drive nearby and turn it off then, you can find them (improve it by bracketing by the average 9-5 workday, add correlation of world events to late-night anomalies - i.e. the Washington pizza index[1]).

If they leave their phone at home and switch it off, then you can still find them by that data.

If they leave their phone at home, switched on, then this also applies - you filter by public holidays.

The key is that the "phone policy" is effectively public information - so you don't have to guess, you can just go find out what it is to set your search parameters.

[1] https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/special/clint...

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