NSA has direct access to tech giants' systems for user data, secret files reveal

Re: NSA uses Google cookies to pinpoint targets for hacking

As I understand the claims, it is the NSA's drive-by-download honeypots that use those cookies to determine which exploit to use. So the NSA is in fact sending out software based on those cookies. However, they can only do that after tricking targets to visit their honeypots.

 

My internet service provider used dynamic IP addressing.
I think this corporate/government (same thing in my opnion) information gathering and spying runs deep with MS Google and Facebook up to their necks in it. Have you noticed it is almost impossible to do something as simple as comment on an online news article these days without them trying to find out exactly who you are ? This is what happens when you try to comment on the news on MSN.com:

It asks you to sign in with either your Facebook, Yahoo, AOL or hotmail account.
So when you sign in with a hotmail account this confirmation message pops up:

Microsoft account
Rock Lobster
Let this app access your info?
www.facebook.com

Facebook needs your permission to:
View your profile info and contact list
Facebook will be able to see your profile info, including your name, gender, display picture, contacts, and friends.

Access your email addresses
Facebook will be able to see the email addresses in your profile.

I mean seriously what kind of bs is that ? Why the hell does FaceBook need to see all the information held in my hotmail account ? The news article has nothing to do with FaceBook, or the facebook website. This should be illegal, it is so obvious they are gathering information and profiling each individual based on what they say online without their knowledge or consent and no one seems to care, or even mention it or even ask why are they doing this.

Here is the news article linked to directly from msn.com: http://thegrio.com/2013/12/04/us-airman-stands-his-ground-in-florida-sentenced-to-25-years/

 

OK, well that rules out the static IP angle !

RE the NSA

It's been PROVED they are collecting as Much data as possible from just about every source ! So expect it, & learn to be more anonymous. And/or don't give a damn

 

Cookies have always generated suspicion so they are giving nothing away by allowing you to become aware the NSA can use them to compromise your privacy. I believe such revelations are just a ploy to divert attention away from what they are really doing via the Windows OS.

 

On CBS' recent program '60 Minutes' on the NSA.
'NSA goes on 60 Minutes: the definitive facts behind CBS's flawed report' Guardian article link

Some aggregated criticism on CBS program 60 Minutes of blatant propaganda

 

Of course BIOS could be overwritten by malware, a BIOS update is just an executable file. There have been many exploits revealed over the past decade which would have been capable of doing that. Once malware has administrator permissions on your PC it can do anything you could do yourself including downloading and installing a malicious BIOS update. I think the reason there has never been one in the wild is a fact of who is creating the "in the wild" malware out there and what their motives are. You really dont need to look much further than large corporations and government. Their motives are infiltration, information, modification and prevention but not usually destruction of the target PC's. The spotty teenage hacker creating malware on his bedroom PC is for the most part a myth.

 

I wonder how that would work in a Linux VM.

 

IBM sued for co-operating with NSA spy program

 

Tech leaders reportedly challenge Obama over NSA at White House meeting
~ Tipping Point or more Political maneuvering ~
http://www.theverge.com/2013/12/17/...h-leaders-reportedly-challenge-obama-over-nsa

 

I think that is propaganda, an effort by the tech giants to push the blame onto government for actions they have been complicit in from the beginning.

 

Yes, they were "complicit", through some mix of patriotism and fear.

But learning that the NSA had tapped their inter-site connections was the last straw.

There's also the fact that they're going to lose a lot of money over this.

 

The Tech firms that met with Obama over NSA metadata don't want what they already posses to be centralized by the US Government.
Looks very much like the current interests are bottom dollar of the Tech Firms. Film at 11:00
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/17/tech-firms-obama-nsa-surveillance-reform

 

It works both ways. Gore's support for the Clipper Chip, which angered Silicon Valley libertarian Democrats, certainly contributed to his loss in 2000.

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/1...s_off_on_right_to_privacy_in_the_digital_age/

 

The issue with the U.N is that the institution has become increasingly irrelevant over the years and, as stated in the article, there is nothing there to enforce their opinion on this matter. There is no way to tell any country that they can't spy on its own citizens and share that data with other nations, the U.N simply does not have that power. Can laws be put in place to prevent say the U.S from gathering intelligence on citizens from another nation legally? Yes. Can it practically be enforced considering the way that said data is collected through the fiber optic cables and other methods? No. There is almost no way to gather up the data the NSA and other agencies legitimately need without siphoning up the data of innocents as well. Telecommunications technology isn't that magical.

What truly needs to be done is the tossing out of all unrelated data gathered by these agencies and for major changes in the way data is handed off to third parties. This includes for advertising purposes. This is the only way these privacy issues are going to go away. If the agencies are not willing to throw away innocent data, completely delete it and not save it "just in case", and if companies aren't willing to slow down handing out data like cookies to anyone who shows them a buck..then all of our arguing and encryption ideas and rages are for nothing.

 

https://www.fsf.org/news/fsf-responds-to-microsofts-privacy-and-encryption-announcement

https://www.fsf.org/news/reform-corporate-surveillance

 

I don't trust Microsoft to make any effective changes, nor do I Google. Given the recent acquisitions of robotics firms, Glass and the continued quest to handle any method of data collection itself, I expect Google to unveil SkyNet any day now. What the FSF needs to understand though is that this software reform they are after is a pipe dream. These back doors they are complaining about are put there by government and law enforcement force. They are not going to go away no matter who wishes they would. It is very obvious their main concern is getting rid of proprietary software. Which, again, is a pipe dream.

 

I've been wondering about that myself.

But then there's <http://www.instructables.com/id/Autonomous-Paintball-Sentry-Gun/>

Open-source SkyNet

 

How we know Obama will ignore his NSA review group: He already has
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...l-ignore-his-nsa-review-group-he-already-has/

 

Mirimir, I am never surprised what I find on Instructables. If anyone does create SkyNet, it will be Google. Their ambition is a bit out there.

Siljaline, of course he will ignore the panel. It was only set up to temporarily lower the temperature of the seat he is sitting on. He has known about all of this the whole time. These kinds of programs are not hidden from the president and, in fact, for almost all of them he has to approve them. I don't see him being all that concerned at this point. He only has a couple of years left to go, and he certainly won't be impeached. It wouldn't even do any good, the damage is done. What will stop the NSA is corporations threatening to withhold support when elections come up and threatening to take their billion dollar business elsewhere. It is really the only way. But what will stop corporate data mining and spying is yet to be determined.

 

NSA leaks: UK and US spying targets revealed

 

If these governments and agencies are not careful, they are going to find themselves involved in wars started over all of this. Acts like these are a threat to the security of every nation. We are quite honestly seeing the Cold War come back to life.

 

I can understand spying on another government. Disgusting as it is, I can somewhat understand the logic of economic spying on global competitors. It's sickening but expected from the power hungry trash running this planet. That said, what possible "security" reason could there be for spying on an organization like UNICEF? How is feeding children and helping disaster victims a security issue? This is beneath sickening.

 

I am sure we both know that UNICEF is an extraordinarily corrupt program. Perhaps they are keeping tabs on the many people using it to divert funds into their own pockets. Which of course matters little when nothing is actively done about it. If governments did not spy on or gather intelligence about other governments, many wars and attacks in general would have ended much differently. I take no issue with that, it is necessary. I do however take issue with the Stalin-like surveillance on citizens and totally unnecessary surveillance on random government officials and their families in peacetime without a shred of evidence there is any wrongdoing or even suspicion.

 

http://www.spiegel.de/international...european-and-german-politicians-a-940135.html