The intelligence coup of the century For decades, CIA read encrypted communications of allies, adver

Discussion in 'privacy general' started by hawki, Feb 11, 2020.

  1. hawki

    hawki Registered Member

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    "The CIA in partnership with West German intelligence was the secret owner of a Swiss company that supplied more than 120 countries from Iran to the Vatican with encryption machines..,

    For more than half a century, governments all over the world trusted a single company to keep the communications of their spies, soldiers and diplomats secret. The company, Crypto AG,... became a dominant maker of encryption devices for decades navigating waves of technology from mechanical gears to electronic circuits and, finally, silicon chips and software.

    But what none of its customers ever knew was that Crypto AG was secretly owned by the CIA in a highly classified partnership with West German intelligence. These spy agencies rigged the company’s devices so they could easily break the codes that countries used to send encrypted messages..."

    Very long read:

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/2020/world/national-security/cia-crypto-encryption-machines-espionage/?itid=hp_hp-top-table-main_crypto-730am:homepage/story-ans
     
  2. A_mouse

    A_mouse Registered Member

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    From the country trying to convince everyone that Huawei are the big threat to telecoms and security we get another lesson on how to do it.
     
  3. mirimir

    mirimir Registered Member

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    I recall reading about this, years ago. Not where, though. Maybe in one of Bamford's books.
     
  4. guest

    guest Guest

    'No secret data transmitted over rigged devices linked to CIA'
    February 15, 2020
    https://www.malaysiakini.com/news/510973
     
  5. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    1995,Scott Shane, Baltimore Sun
     
  6. guest

    guest Guest

    Swiss authorities file criminal complaint against encryption firm
    March 1, 2020
    https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/crypto...al-complaint-against-encryption-firm/45588760
     
  7. guest

    guest Guest

    More on Crypto AG
    March 6, 2020
    https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/03/more_on_crypto_.html
     
  8. guest

    guest Guest

    Swiss-Swedish Diplomatic Row Over Crypto AG
    October 6, 2020
    https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2020/10/swiss-swedish-diplomatic-row-over-crypto-ag.html
     
  9. guest

    guest Guest

    Parliament says Switzerland benefitted from CIA-controlled encryption firm
    ...which sold rigged devices to some 120 countries including Iran, Pakistan, and India
    November 11, 2020

    https://www.trtworld.com/europe/par...ted-from-cia-controlled-encryption-firm-41364
     
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