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The NSA snoops your email, phonecalls, chats etc. PRISM - XKeyscore

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Something Even More disturbing....:surprised
XKeyscore

Be Very careful what you send across webs...

What is surprising is that the slides seem to suggest that VPNs and encrypted links may not be secure. “Show me all PGP usage in Iran” and “Show me all VPN startups in country X, and give me the data so I can decrypt and discover users” seem to be functions available to analysts using XKS. This isn’t a direct admission they’ve broken ciphers such as AES-256 and 3DES, but it would seem that they’ve found some exploitable weaknesses.

This leads us to another important question: Can the NSA eavesdrop on HTTPS traffic? In recent years, many web services have moved to HTTPS as standard (such as Gmail), and in theory the encryption should keep your data safe from prying eyes. As of 2012, though, despite the widespread adoption of HTTPS, XKS still seems to be working as intended. Has the NSA cracked HTTPS? Has the NSA somehow obtained the root SSL certificates from the likes of Symantec and Comodo, so that it can perform man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks on any website that uses HTTPS?

If HTTPS, PGP, and VPNs have been compromised, and if the NSA really has its insidious tentacles hooked into fiber-optic cables, microwave links, and foreign satellite links, there is almost no way of using the internet or any other communications network without the American and other Western governments snooping on you.
 
cyb said:
Something Even More disturbing....:surprised
XKeyscore

Be Very careful what you send across webs...

Encrypting Your Email Works, Says NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden


“Encryption works. Properly implemented strong crypto systems are one of the few things that you can rely on. Unfortunately, endpoint security is so terrifically weak that NSA can frequently find ways around it.”

Anyone, who still uses Windows/OS X and IE/Safari as an OS/Browser can't be helped. I'm using Ubuntu (without the Amazon spyware) and Firefox and I'm very pleased by the richness Linux offers nowadays. Even my iPod is recognized flawlessly, so I consider selling my Windows license. Why pay money for being spied on, when you get privacy for free? Plus you get the latest updates every few days, so your system stays secure all the time.

Download it here:


And here the EFF tells you how to Disable Amazon Ads and Data Leaks:

 
Ufostrahlen said:
Encrypting Your Email Works, Says NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden


“Encryption works. Properly implemented strong crypto systems are one of the few things that you can rely on. Unfortunately, endpoint security is so terrifically weak that NSA can frequently find ways around it.”


While I believe encryption works, the sending of encrypted messages may raise red flags. Please see slide 15 of the xkeyscore presentation. "How do find a cell of terrorists?" Answer: look for encryption/ suspicious web behavior.

What constitutes "suspicious" behavior?


It would be better, IMO, if everyone used PGP and other means of encryption every chance they got... but, until its a majority it may just be raising red flags. Thoughts on this? I am torn
 
..my attitude is this..

if the NSA wants to snoop me, they're going to..

so, as has been my policy for 20 years, i don't do anything 'majorly' illegal..i.e i don't deal, handle large amounts of anything, or have illegal buisinesses..so, i'm not a matter of national security really..
i'm a blogger..

so, really 99% of people here don't have anything to worry about (other than privacy) from the NSA..

chill
 
cyb said:
Something Even More disturbing....:surprised
XKeyscore

Be Very careful what you send across webs...

What is surprising is that the slides seem to suggest that VPNs and encrypted links may not be secure. “Show me all PGP usage in Iran” and “Show me all VPN startups in country X, and give me the data so I can decrypt and discover users” seem to be functions available to analysts using XKS. This isn’t a direct admission they’ve broken ciphers such as AES-256 and 3DES, but it would seem that they’ve found some exploitable weaknesses.

This leads us to another important question: Can the NSA eavesdrop on HTTPS traffic? In recent years, many web services have moved to HTTPS as standard (such as Gmail), and in theory the encryption should keep your data safe from prying eyes. As of 2012, though, despite the widespread adoption of HTTPS, XKS still seems to be working as intended. Has the NSA cracked HTTPS? Has the NSA somehow obtained the root SSL certificates from the likes of Symantec and Comodo, so that it can perform man-in-the-middle (MITM) attacks on any website that uses HTTPS?

If HTTPS, PGP, and VPNs have been compromised, and if the NSA really has its insidious tentacles hooked into fiber-optic cables, microwave links, and foreign satellite links, there is almost no way of using the internet or any other communications network without the American and other Western governments snooping on you.

I think theres enough evidence to suggest the nsa/federal authorities have access to data, so long as the entity holding such data/transmitting it/hosting the hardware to transmit it, is under us jurisdiction, or is a country cooperating with the surveillance state the US has become.

I don't doubt for a minute they have a backdoor into just about any commercial encryption/privacy methods, whose source code is owned/used by a us company. They just get a secret fisa warrant, or don't (which seems to be the attitude now a days), via that rubber stamp half ass excuse for a judicial entity.

All the communications companies, att, Verizon, etc, all have cooperated with them, i don't think willingly 100%, but were legally threatened by the feds into doing so. I'd wager the same is true for any kind of commercial encryption/security means like https, various encryption ciphers, vpn software, Microsoft software, apple software, commercial linux software, etc.

Basically, what i think, is that there is no security though means of code that is copyrighted, or distributed, by an entity that falls under us jurisdiction. Why? Because the feds have already sent them papers demanding they cooperate or face legal force, and they're bound by gag orders not to say anything.

The only reason we know about all of this bullshit is because of people who leaked the information. Because its the nsa's business to not only be able to gain access to any information they deem necessary to fight a perpetual war on terror, but to control information. Information like the scope/scale of their ability to subvert privacy software, or strong-arming anybody who doesn't cooperate.

Now, open source, or stuff that does not fall under us jurisdiction, perhaps. But that's by and large, not the case. Even tor, developed by the navy/darpa, i'd bet my cactus collection, is not a means of protection of privacy on the internet. I strongly believe they either have a back door, or people on the inside who can get them the information/access they need by any means necessary.

If you expect privacy of any kind on the internet, well i don't think it exists. And the mere action of trying to protect your privacy, makes you a suspect in their eyes. Even more so if your using security methods they haven't been able to weasel their way into yet, due to it being not under their jurisdiction, or whatever reason.

Sure, you probably don't have anything to worry about unless you are planning a terrorist act, or violence against the federal government/us citizens/us interests.

But thats not always going to be the justification they use to spy on private citizens. Its only a matter of time before this policy gets out of hand. And, in all likelihood thats already the case, going off whats been leaked by whistleblowers. Theres probably lists of private citizens with no affiliation to any kind of terrorist organization that are on shit lists, in the event civil upheaval leads to marshal law, and they have to put millions of dissidents in fema camps, ala rex 84 (wiki it if you don't know about rex 84, or the countless other legal documents that give the executive/military the power to subvert any judicial or legislative oversight).
 
Red Eclipse said:
It would be better, IMO, if everyone used PGP and other means of encryption every chance they got... but, until its a majority it may just be raising red flags. Thoughts on this? I am torn

It probably works, so says E.S., and I haven't heard of contrary evidence. Like he said, the implementation is flawed. I think all the commercial OS have a built-in backdoor:

How NSA access was built into Windows

But you can encrypt as long as you want, after some lawful waterboarding, you'll release the keys. On the other hand: Do you lock your door to your living space, even though it can be drilled/picked/smashed in? Do you put your letter in an envelope, even though it can be opened/scanned/stolen?
 
I feel this is very much related, so I wanted to link the other thread to this one...

DEA Special Operations Division: Criminal Cases from Intel Intercepts by way of Parallel Construction

I'm not as paranoid as I had believed. I would like to take a poll of the members who were saying we shouldn't be worried about this, and ask if they all (or mostly all) still believe this, or if their minds are not as certain now...?

Wikipedia explanation of COINTELPRO

I find the following post more relevant today than last time it was commented on:

Post # 31 of this thread.
 
I don't have the link anymore (it was a poll done by Reason.com), but it showed how, when Bush was engaged in illegal surveillance, the left was apoplectic while the right was in favor of it, and now that it's Obama doing it, the numbers have almost exactly reversed (Team Red is foaming at the mouth and Team Blue thinks is all cool).

Food for thought

Blessings
~ND
 
Nathanial.Dread said:
I don't have the link anymore (it was a poll done by Reason.com), but it showed how, when Bush was engaged in illegal surveillance, the left was apoplectic while the right was in favor of it, and now that it's Obama doing it, the numbers have almost exactly reversed (Team Red is foaming at the mouth and Team Blue thinks is all cool).

Food for thought

Blessings
~ND

The majority of the ppl are brainwashed, drunk and drugged up? And therefore need to be monitored? My thoughts on this, because if they were clearheaded, the NSA wouldn't be here today. And the data centers would crunch numbers in order to solve medical/science problems.

[YOUTUBE]


REP. HANK JOHNSON: Does the NSA routinely intercept American citizens’ emails?

GEN. KEITH ALEXANDER: No.

REP. HANK JOHNSON: Does the NSA intercept Americans’ cellphone conversations?

GEN. KEITH ALEXANDER: No.

REP. HANK JOHNSON: Google searches?

GEN. KEITH ALEXANDER: No.

...

I mean, they are caught in the act and the majority still is like: if I take action, they'll eat me, so I don't take action. Let's sleep some more.

For those, who haven't noticed yet: Please mirror: WikiLeaks insurance
 
"The majority of the ppl are brainwashed, drunk and drugged up? And therefore need to be monitored? My thoughts on this, because if they were clearheaded, the NSA wouldn't be here today."

Catch 22?
 
jamie said:
"The majority of the ppl are brainwashed, drunk and drugged up? And therefore need to be monitored? My thoughts on this, because if they were clearheaded, the NSA wouldn't be here today."
Catch 22?

Maybe I'm wrong with the majority statement, but for those, who can't handle freedom, it's indeed a Catch 22. I believe that the NSA will be around for some time.
 
I watched a great movie last night, enemy of the state.

For all those people out there who say if you have nothing to hide, then you shouldn't worry about your government spying on you, watch that movie.

If theres no oversight, the tools they have been given will be abused for personal gain of individuals high up in these intelligence agencies, or those who influence them.


Funny how it was made over 10 years ago, and its almost exactly whats going on today.
 
A lot of what is shown in Enemy of the State is now available commercially to everyday people (GPS tracking etc) at fairly low cost (outside of the 3d rendering of the bag he had in the lingerie shop).

With that bit of fiction aside (or is it), I personally feel such tech (as seen in film) is on a "speak n spell" level when compared with what is likely available in more non-commercial areas of interest (NSA, Mi5, GCHQ etc).

I cannot see any of it taking us in a good direction. If historic parallels of similar such surveillance states are attached and contemplated, then the increase of technology and the decrease of morality across the board means (to me) that the end game seems quite disconcerting.
 
universecannon said:

misinformation?

Why would the NSA report that everything is working perfectly?

Especially in light of the recent spotlight on their activities.

I don't believe anything reported by them or about them.


IH
 
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