Vault7 - What's that and why should I care?
Source: https://wikileaks.org/
Currently, the internet is going crazy about the latest Wikileaks CIA leaks, nicknamed "Vault7". You might have some questions about this. Let's try to figure out some answers together.
What happened exactly?
Yesterday, the whisteblower platform Wikileaks released thousands of files which make up part one of a series of releases called "Vault 7." The current release contains over 8,000 pages of previously classified documents [0].
Why is this such a big deal?
On their website Wikileaks makes quite some bold claims about the abilities of this newly uncovered CIA program. According to their website, the CIA can:
- break into smartphones (iPhone, Android) ([1], [2])
- break into Samsung smart TVs and abuse them as spying devices [3]
- break into Microsoft Windows systems [4]
- break into OSx, GNU/Linux [5]
- break into many routers [5]
- break into even more systems but the details are still not out yet due to the shear amount of data
Details are slowly emerging as I write and the complete extent of this leak hasn't actually become clear yet. It will take journalists and interested people of the public quite some time to dig through the whole leak. Once again, it turns out that a government agency is actively trying to break into as many systems as possible to spy on all kinds of people. Edward Snowden puts it as follows: "Still working through the publication, but what @Wikileaks has here is genuinely a big deal. Looks authentic."
So what? Why should I care? I'm not a terrorist!
Well, do you really not care that government agencies have the ability to track every move of you? To read your messages sent with WhatsApp, Signal and others? To listen to every word you say while watching TV? If not, this article is really not meant for you and you are free to read something else and happily enjoy your life. But please bear with me if you care about your privacy!
What can we do about all this surveillance?
There are two very easy steps you can take that do not guarentee that nobody will spy on you but will give you a fair fighting chance at least:
- Switch to FLOSS (Free/Libre/Open Source Software)! This article defines the term FLOSS and provides some arguments why it could be a good idea to switch to FLOSS instead of proprietary software.
- Look for alternatives to the software you are currently running. The Prism break project (named after an uncovered NSA program) provides a very comprehensive list of possible alternatives for almost any software.
These two steps are basicly all you need but I do understand that it definitely is not easy to make this huge step within a day or two.
Ok, I'm all-in on FLOSS now. I'm safe from any surveillance!!!1111 Right?
Unfortunately not. Using only FLOSS simply gives you a fair fighting chance. Of course, government agencies such as the NSA and CIA will always try to stay ahead by scanning every kind of software for zero-day attacks. "Zero-days" are called like that because such a security hole "is not publicly reported or announced before becoming active, leaving the software's author with zero days in which to create patches or advise workarounds to mitigate its actions" [6]. Apparently, these agencies have hundreds or even thounds of people at hand who are (unfortunately) doing quite a good job at finding and exploiting those zero-days. Thus, it is indeed highly likely that thousands of security holes in huge FLOSS projects such as the Linux kernel or Firefox are actively being exploited every day. But the big advantage of FLOSS is that those security holes can be fixed if a "good guy" finds out about them before they "bad guys" do.
This is too much and too complex for me. I simply want to go on with my life...
Once again I have to quote Edward Snowden: "Imagine a world where the actual CIA spends its time figuring out how to spy on you through your TV. That's today." After reading this or similar statements about surveillance, most people react in the following way:
Source: http://www.ecowoman.de
But why don't we react like this?
Source: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/
Most countries on this planet have laws claiming that every citizen has a right to keep certain information private. Believe it or not; even the US has laws on privacy! Please do me a favor and don't just ignore all these articles about surveillance, as tempting as this might be. I know that the current situation might look way too dire and hopeless but you can still make a difference by just choosing different tools for your daily routines and spreading the word about privacy. I'm not saying that you should go on other people's nerves but reminding them once in a while why their new, shiny smartphones or smart TVs might not be that safe with respect to privacy definitely couldn't hurt, could it?
There has been no better time to fight back. Its time.
Keep reading. Keep typing. Keep exposing.
You're right. Followed.
Thank you. Back at you.
The months to come will include a new revolution of citizen journalists.
I'm highly pessimistic about that statement. What makes you think so?
Everyone that has followed Vault 7 from the beginning has seen and experienced a vast amount of censorship from the people opposing the release of it. Wikileaks has always been a resource for crowd sourced investigative journalism simply because of the vast amounts of data. All indications, I feel, point to Vault 7 eclipsing any leaks that have preceded it. Wikileaks stated yesterdays release was only 1% of the total leak. So I would take a guess there is going to be a lot of data that will most probably make a lot of people angry. These people will start to sit up and take notice of wikileaks. They will start to read Wikileaks themselves. Eventually finding undiscovered material and posting it out on social media. This is my hope/view anyway. Maybe I meant citizen investigator.
I hope so much that you'll be right. "So I would take a guess there is going to be a lot of data that will most probably make a lot of people angry." -> That's exactly what I expected to happen after the NSA leaks. What happened, however? Basically, nothing!I have no illusions about a political solution anymore. The only thing that we can use to fight back is technology.
The Snowden leaks aren't even on the same level. Snowden leaks basically confirmed what we already know. The NSA, on the whole, were still working within the law.
The CIA on the other hand seem to be working way outside the law with no checks and balances. We all know what the CIA has been up to in the past (MKUltra, War on Drugs, spying, influencing general elections etc) so even if it's going to be 5% of the CIA secrets it's still going to be a lot bigger than Snowden. But I defiantly see your point.
You are right it is a very big deal and it is especially hard on business where everyone is under surveillance at all times. Using the computer to create things, which makes it so much easier, is at the same time publishing every thought and idea for free to people who just might not like you and do everything possible to ruin your life.
About four days ago, while my computer was not connected to the internet, a hacker was able to talk to me while I wrote a part of my posts for Steemit. It really pissed me off. When the story broke because now I know that it is true, I am being watched for whatever reason, I became more pissed.
The hacker told me I was an immoral person and went on and on at which time I remarked that I don't hack. I just write and what I write about is correct, based on observation. A hacker telling me I am immoral while hacking into my computer - I guess no one sees the joke?
So...one thing led to another and I attacked the hacker by calling the hacker a coward. After all, the hacker knows everything about me but the hacker is sitting on a pedestal, being paid, and robbing me while anonymous.
"Hey, why not reveal yourself if you want to talk to me that much?" Since, I really don't do anything but write anyways. What I write about? Many times it is the scourge of hackers and they don't like that.
How did the "hacker" talk to you if you weren't connected to the internet? Did he phone you?
Talked to me while I wrote in Microsoft Word, actually typed what it wanted to say between what I wrote and so a clandestine wireless connection was somehow made through the internet through my laptop
So there must have been some kind of internet connection. Otherwise, it would have been really hard to hack you.
True. But it was not a connection that showed within my OS to me.
Bring on the popcorn, kiddies, it's going to be an entertaining year.
FBI prepares for new hunt for WikiLeaks’ source
Oh boy... Here they go again.
Disclaimer: I am just a bot trying to be helpful.
GNU/Linux! :-D
IF WE COULD ALL JUST UNDERSTAND CIA IS A CREATION OF MOSSAD? Just ask Alexander KARP at palantir tech.
Now, that's a bold statement. Even though I like bold statements, I don't believe it. ;-)
Interesting I do think the issue is a big one and it's not nice to spy on everyone :) fuck nice, it's not even humane if you want to go the "rights" route.
Following and got here from post promotion chat : | I was reading on the topic seems quite interesting after all
Thank you for your follow and your upvote. Followed you as well (because I find your articles interesting). :-)
On topic: You're right. This is, once again, on outright scandal but my guess is that it will be as always: The CIA will be sorry (that they got caught) and people will forget about everything in about one or two weeks. Let's do our best to keep reminding people about what's going on.
Should be quid pro quo so if this goes as far back as 19xx should mean they get the blame for it for the next xx years. This isn't a simple well I have nothing to hide argument.
Very true. I don't want to sound too pessimistic but who, on the other hand, still remembers and cares about the NSA leaks? I guess not even 1 % of all internet users... Which, of course, doesn't mean that we shouldn't keep up the fight.
True that well such talks are being brought to light, still, most people are afraid to bring it up. Normal I suppose, but it shouldn't be considered such. Just unplug everything and say screw it until such bullshit can't happen, they are basically playing everyone and being the true pirates. I wouldn't steal anyone's information, what has been released is a different topic if it teaches and so on. But what they are doing just isn't right neither of those agencies are acting like normal "defenders" of "rights" I wonder how many of those people employed there have doubts about their job. They should every day. Those corporations should have leaked a long time ago. And it does look like they are corporations since they have no interest to hold dear to.
Great post - thanks a lot!
You're welcome. Thank you for your comment.
Hope you can still edit, last paragraph " even the US his laws on privacy!" -> " even the US has laws on privacy!".....
Good read.
Thank you for pointing that out. I changed the paragraph in question. Followed you as well.
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