SURVEILLANCE - Blackberry 9720 - Messages Decrypted by Netherlands Criminologists - Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) Technique (works on Smartphones & some PGP)

ꕤ Article SOURCE (via VK) https://xakep.ru/2016/01/12/cops-hjacked-pgp-blackberry/ SURVEILLANCE - Blackberry 9720 - Messages Decrypted by Netherlands Criminologists - Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI) Technique (works on Smartphones & some PGP) Google Translation Russian to English Dutch police said that cracked the encryption Blackberry Maria Nefedova https://xakep.ru/2016/01/12/cops-hjacked-pgp-blackberry/ In December 2015 the Dutch blog misdaadnieuws.com (Crime News) published in its pages the document, according to which law enforcement authorities of the Netherlands have found a way to recover deleted messages and read emails and encryption on devices BlackBerry. Historically, the company BlackBerry stake on the security of their devices. Smartphones companies have traditionally come with a built-PGP-encrypted, which, in particular, used for e-mail client. Protecting BlackBerry devices considered to be very reliable, so misdaadnieuws.com published in the pages of the report of the Dutch Institute of Criminology (Netherlands Forensic Institute, NFI) has caused considerable surprise among experts and journalists. Publication Vice Motherboard contacted representatives of NFI, to confirm or refute the information published in the blog. January 11, 2016 criminologists finally answered and said that they do often have to assist the police in the investigation of criminal offenses, but it needs to recover and extract data from a variety of devices. NFI staff confirmed that a private company using the software Cellebrite, they have found a way to recover deleted messages and read emails on smartphones BlackBerry, PGP-protected encryption. According to a report published misdaadnieuws.com, when working with the BlackBerry 9720 criminologists were able to recover 325 encrypted messages, but were able to decipher only 279 of them. Which techniques are used to circumvent the encryption criminologists tell refused. Probably, they were able to guess the password, based on memory dump, but for the application of this technique usually requires removal of the chip from the motherboard, which is unacceptable when dealing with evidence. However, it is reported that the Dutch forensic technique it requires physical access to a device that can serve as some consolation for the owners of protected devices. In addition, NFI imperfect technique: it works not with all models of smartphones and implementations of PGP, for example, has no effect on GhostPGP.   Source | English Translation ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Encryption sounds crap if it can readily be decrypted. The 297 out of 325 encrypted messages broken success rate is massive. Blackberry might need to work on their security? It sounds like GhostPGP is the only way to go ... unless it's a double-cross.  lol I don't have to worry about any of it, because I have no fancy devices. The most excitement I get is the text reminder to recharge the old fashioned prepaid mobile. ꕤ

Juniper Networks ScreenOS / Netscreen Firewalls - VPN Traffic Decryption - NSA Backdoor?

ꕤ Article SOURCE http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/12/unauthorized-code-in-juniper-firewalls-decrypts-encrypted-vpn-traffic/ Extracts Ars Technica “Unauthorized code” in Juniper firewalls decrypts encrypted VPN traffic Backdoor in NetScreen firewalls gives attackers admin access, VPN decrypt ability. by Dan Goodin - Dec 18, 2015 10:50am AEDT An operating system used to manage firewalls sold by Juniper Networks contains unauthorized code that surreptitiously decrypts traffic sent through virtual private networks, officials from the company warned Thursday. ...  Release notes published by Juniper suggest the earliest vulnerable versions date back to at least 2012 and possibly earlier. There's no evidence right now that the backdoor was put in other Juniper OSes or devices. "... Juniper discovered unauthorized code in ScreenOS ... administrative access to NetScreen devices and to decrypt VPN connections," Juniper Chief Information officer Bob Worrall wrote. A separate advisory from Juniper says there are two separate vulnerabilities, but stops short of describing either as "unauthorized code." The first flaw allows unauthorized remote administrative access to an affected device over SSH or telnet. Exploits can lead to complete compromise. "The second issue may allow a knowledgeable attacker who can monitor VPN traffic to decrypt that traffic," the advisory said. Whodunit? Word that the VPN-breaking code was the result of unauthorized code, as opposed to an inadvertent programming flaw, touched off immediate concern that ScreenOS had been deliberately tampered with. The most likely culprit for such tampering would be the NSA or one of its many counterparts around the world. Classified documents leaked by former NSA subcontractor Edward Snowden showed NSA agents intercepting network gear from Cisco Systems as it was being shipped to a customer. They installed covert implant firmware onto the device before sending it to its final destination. As involved as that process was, getting unauthorized code covertly installed into an official operating system and keeping it there for years would appear to be an even more complicated—and brazen—undertaking. This 2013 article published by Der Spiegel reported that an NSA operation known as FEEDTHROUGH worked against Juniper firewalls and gave the agency persistent backdoor access. "This malware burrows into Juniper firewalls and makes it possible to smuggle other NSA programs into mainframe computers," the article reported. "Thanks to FEEDTROUGH, these implants can, by design, even survive 'across reboots and software upgrades.' In this way, US government spies can secure themselves a permanent presence in computer networks. The catalog states that FEEDTROUGH 'has been deployed on many target platforms.'" Of course, it's also possible the backdoor was installed some other way. Juniper's advisory makes no mention who it suspects is behind the move or what steps it's taking to find out. Ars has asked Juniper for more details and will update this post as warranted. http://arstechnica.com/security/2015/12/unauthorized-code-in-juniper-firewalls-decrypts-encrypted-vpn-traffic/ ScreenOS -- operating system for NetScreen firewalls Juniper Networks Juniper Networks multinational corporation HQ, Sunnyvale, California develops and markets networking products routers switches network management software network security products software-defined networking tech -- efforts to establish an ecosystem of technologies, software & applications Juniper Networks - Market Share -- 2001 - 37% share of core routers market -- challenging Cisco, who previously dominated market -- 2014 - USD$419.7 BILLION revenue Pradeep Sindhu Indian-American entrepreneur VP, Board Directors co-founded Juniper in 1996 B.Tech. in Electrical Engineering (1974) Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur M.S. in Electrical Engineering (1976) University of Hawaii Ph.D (1982) in Computer Science Carnegie Mellon University Studied under Bob Sproull Sproull Oracle Corp was Associate Prof of Computer Science Carnegie Mellon est. consulting firm consulting firm bought by Sun Microsystems 1990 --> creation Sun Microsystems labs Sproull worked on design & director 2010 Sun bought by Oracle --> bcm Oracle Labs Pradeep Sindhu -- scientist with Xerox Paolo Alto Research Centre -- f. Juniper Networks 1996 Routers -- early routers for internet traffic -- intended for phone calls -- dedicated circuits for each caller -- Sindhu envisaged packet-based routers -- optimised for internet traffic -- joined by Sun Microsystems & MCI Communications engineers -- $2-million SEED FUNDING -- $12-million FUNDING in first year of ops Funding - $40-Million (1997) -- from a group of OEMs and service providers -- OEMs - 'original equipment manufacturers' -- are in fact re-sellers of another company's product under own name Contributors to 1997 funding: Northern Telecom 3Com Ericsson's Infocom Systems group Siemens/Newbridge Networks alliance WorldCom's UUNet Technologies subsidiary https://business.highbeam.com/3094/article-1G1-19746999/startup-snags-40m-bid-redefine-routers Spreading Control / Influence 2010 - Junos Innovation Fund Juniper Networks Establishes $50 Million Venture Fund will invest in companies 2010 - 2012 focusing on: networking tech applications security infrastructure services mobility services video solutions virtualisation network automation optical tech green networking investment as at 2010 article, in x11 companies - incl: Ankeena Networks Blade Network Technologies Cyan Optics FireEye Packet Design Vulture Fund - 'Activist Investor' Elliot Management Corporation hedge fund {billionaire Paul E. Singer} Dec. 2014 - Elliot owns 10% stake Juniper Networks x2 hedge fund directors appointed to Juniper board hedge fund guru Singer wants to cut this and that & increase share price -- eg operating costs & potential stock buy-backs in the billion --> basically wants to tell a successful, enormous tech company how to operate * I think the hedge fund may operate as a take-over merchant ACTIVIST INVESTORS -- include:     -- hedge funds     -- private equity firms     -- wealthy individuals well-known activist investors: Carl Icahn -- targets:  Yahoo, Blockbuster, Time Warner, RJR Nabisco & other NOTE   Company filing of SEC Form 13D -- investor purchases 5% or more shares notification -- indicative of possible 'activist investor' target 'activist hedge funds' -- term to describe hedge funds that: -- buy large public company shares -- seek to obtain seats on company's board -- aim to effect major changes in company -- attracted to companies that are: -- mismanaged -- have excessive costs -- could be run ore profitably as private company -- or other problem seen as fixable, to add value   'ACTIVIST INVESTORS'  TAKE-OVER MERCHANTS Paul Singer Carl Icahn Kirk Kerkorian Bill Ackman Eddie Lampert Nelson Peltz ============ 1 -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniper_Networks 2 -- http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/23/juniper-networks-fund/ 3 -- http://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/activist-investor.asp 4 -- https://business.highbeam.com/3094/article-1G1-19746999/startup-snags-40m-bid-redefine-routers 5 --  Juniper Networks Reaches Pact With 'Activist' Hedge Fund http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/25/business/dealbook/juniper-networks-reaches-pact-with-activist-hedge-fund.html?_r=0 Mainframe aka  'big iron' -- high-performance computer -- large-scale computing -- large orgs for critical apps -- bulk data processing -- defined by high availability -- (ie higher than norm performance for higher than normal period) -- typically used in apps where downtime costly or catastrophic -- RAS (reliability, availability & serviceability) characteristic -- can run multiple operating systems -- pioneered virtualisation -- virtual machine mode (OS's running as if distinct computers) -- single mainframe eliminates conventional servers {I think} -- designed to handle very high volume input / output (I/O) -- emphasis on:  throughput computing -- subsidiary hardware (channels, periphery processors) - manage I/O devices -- CPU freed for high-speed memory MARKET SHARE - MAINFRAMES -- IBM mainframes:  90% market share -- software apps to manage performance -- 2010:  mainframe technology = less than 3% of IBM's revenues MARKET SHARE - MAINFRAMES SOFTWARE -- IBM - USA multinational, Revenue:  US$92.793 billion (2014) -- BMC - USA, Revenue:  US$2.172 billion (FY 2012) -- Computware  - USA, Revenue: private company -- CA Technologies - USA, multinational, Revenue: US$4.515 billion (2014) -- early models: -- punched cards, tape, magnetic tape -- batch mode operations (eg billing) -- 1970s  acquired interactive user interfaces -- operated as time-sharing computers -- able to then run batch processing + support of users -- early user access by special terminals -- later, from personal computers FURTHER HISTORY -- early manufacturers - IBM & the Seven Dwarfs     Burroughs     UNIVAC     NCR     Conctrol Data     Honeywell     General Electric     RCA -- Notable non-USA manufacturers Germany: Siemens Telefunken Britain: ICL Italy: Olivetti Japan: Fujitsu Hitachi Oki NEC Soviet Union -- close copies of IBM mainframes -- examples: BESM series Strela (ie 'arrow') 1980s, minicomputer-based systems -- more sophisticated -- displaced lower-end mainframes -- lower ends (aka 'departmental computers') - eg DEC VAX 1990s, servers based on microcomputer designs -- cheaper -- greater control -- interface terminals re mainframes eventually replaced by PCs Emerging Markets -- esp. People's Republic of China -- spurring innovation -- eg unified high volume transaction processing database / multiple industry access -- (eg banking, insurance, credit reporting, govt) 2012, NASA (space) powered down its last mainframe (IBM System z9) Supercomputers -- measured in - floating point operations per second (FLOPS) -- measured in (more recently) - traversed edges per second or TEPS -- frontline of current processing capacity -- esp. speed of calculation-- scientific & engineering probs (high-performance computing) versus Mainframes -- measured in millions of instructions per second (MIPS) -- data crunching & number crunching -- transaction processing -- {microprocessor-based servers & online networks also transaction process} HYBRID  Gameframe - 2007 -- hybrid computer system -- first used online video games industry -- blend of technologies & architectures for supercomputers & mainframes -- high computing power & high throughput -- Hoplon (Brazilian, multiplayer online games) & IBM joint project 2007 -- game server system -- offload of computation-intensive tasks from expensive CPU cycles of System z -- to economical 'Cell blades' (PowerXCell multicore processors) -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gameframe Mainframe info source https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainframe_computer System z --  ie - IBM z Systems -- family name used by IBM for all of its mainframe computers throughput -- rate of production of processing https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Throughput  {I'm stopping here, or the look-ups could go on forever ... lol} FEEDTROUGH: NSA Exploit of the Day https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2014/01/feedtrough_nsa.html ---------------------- ꕤ ---------------------- COMMENT Wow, who's responsible? I'm going with NSA, even though I don't know what I'm talking about.  lol But if past history is anything to go by, it's likely an NSA infiltration, I think. ꕤ

Google Compute Engine - Cloud Computing & Customer Held Encryption Keys / Red Herrings

Google has just done something that’s going to annoy the US and UK governments Business Insider     Alastair Stevenson, Business Insider     Jul. 29, 2015, 11:15 AM    2 UK Prime Minister David Cameron is not going to like this. Google has rolled out a security service for its business customers that could put a serious downer on the UK government’s plans to increase law enforcement’s surveillance powers. The service was revealed by Google product manager Leonard Law in a blog post and is currently in beta form. It will let businesses running the company's Google Compute Engine create their own encryption keys. Encryption is a security technology that scrambles digital information using specialist mathematics. It makes it so only people in possession of a specific unlock key or password can read the encrypted information. Google’s move may not sound like a big deal to people outside the technology community, but the implications for the move are pretty massive. What the Google Compute Engine is Google’s Compute Engine is the basis of the company's cloud computing platform. Cloud computing is a special type of technology that uses a network of remote servers hosted on the internet to run computer processes traditionally done on a device’s internal hardware. In theory, this means cloud computing customers can get high-powered computer performance, or run complex tasks beyond normal hardware’s capabilities without having to buy lots of equipment. As well as Google, which uses the tech to power many of its own services, such as YouTube, numerous big-name companies including Coca Cola, Best Buy, Rovio, Avaya and Ocado also use the Compute Engine. How it links to government surveillance The widespread use of Google’s cloud tech means it handles vast amounts of  user data. Data running through the platform can include things like customer records, account information and, at times, the user's geographic location. PRISM documents leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013 revealed intelligence agencies, such as the NSA and GCHQ, have been siphoning vast amounts of web user information from Google's cloud platform – as well as many other cloud service providers. The move makes sense, as the Compute Engine’s large customer base lets the agencies collect data from multiple companies and services from one central source. A game of cat and mouse Google already encrypts services running through its Compute Engine by default. This partially protects customers as it means agencies like the NSA or GCHQ cannot read the data without knowing which encryption key was used. However, the tactic is not foolproof, as the NSA and GCHQ can use legal requests, such as letters sent under the US Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), to force Google to unlock or hand over unencrypted copies of the data. This issue was set to get even worse in the UK and US as both governments have hinted at plans to make it easier for law enforcement and intelligence agencies. Law enforcement agencies within the US have been lobbying for the US government to control business use of encryption since the PRISM leaks emerged. FBI director of counter-terrorism Michael Steinbach warned lawmakers that strong encryption technology allows terrorists "a free zone by which to recruit, radicalize, plot and plan," in June. UK prime minister David Cameron has hinted at plans to hamper the use of encryption. Cameron told Parliament he wants to "ensure that terrorists do not have a safe space in which to communicate," on June 6. How companies having their own keys will hamper surveillance Experts within the security community have argued that Google’s move will cause problems for the UK government’s plans. FireEye global technical lead Simon Mullis explained to Business Insider this is because it will make it so Google won’t be able to decrypt the data, even if ordered to. “Essentially the access to, ownership and management of the keys used to encrypt all data within Google Cloud is now handled by the end-customer," he said. "[This will] make it harder for any external agencies such as law enforcement or intelligence services to gain access to the decrypted data as there are fewer parties [people able to unlock the data] involved.” As a result, if law enforcement wanted access to the encrypted Compute Engine data, they would have to mount individual requests to each customer, a practice that would slow their surveillance operations. Business Insider has reached out to the UK Prime Minister's press team for comment on how custom encryption keys will impact Cameron's plans. Google is one of many technology companies working to fight the UK and US government’s surveillance plans. A group of 140 companies, including Google, Microsoft, Apple and Facebook, sent an open letter to President Obama in May urging him to reject the encryption proposals, fearing they would damage the US economy. Apple CEO Tim Cook claimed law enforcement’s hostility towards encryption is dangerous in June. SOURCE http://www.techinsider.io/google-has-offered-compute-engine-customers-advanced-encryption-powers-2015-7 --------------------- COMMENT 'Terrorists' is the big stick / leverage go-to for governments to demand access. If I were a company, I would prefer complete control of my own data.  Relying on cloud computing doesn't appeal, even though it may be cheaper.  And why would you trust any company that can unencrypt your data?  But I guess the advantage might be in passing the buck.  As in, if data is compromised, you can maybe blame it on the third party cloud host & they get lumped with compensation payouts? This is a good companion article regarding encryption offerings:   The Red Herring of Digital Backdoors and Key Escrow Encryption Bill Blunden EXTRACTS By concentrating on key escrow the CEOs of Silicon Valley are able to conjure up the perception of an adversarial relationship with federal agencies. This is absolutely crucial because tech companies need to face the public wearing a white hat. In the aftermath of the PRISM scandal, where C-suite types were caught colluding with the government on a first-name basis, American executives are frantically trying to convince people on behalf of quarterly revenue that they’re siding with consumers against spying. An interesting but fundamentally flawed narrative, given how much economic espionage the government conducts and how much spying corporate America does. Who do you think benefits from this sort of mass surveillance? All told it’s likely that private sector involvement henceforth will transpire off stage. Far removed from the encryption debate. Rather than forgo the benefits of aggressive spying, CEOs will merely conceal their complicity more deeply while making lots of noise for rubes about encryption. In this sense zero-day bugs offer the added benefit of plausible deniability. That is, backs doors based on zero-day bugs are vital spy tools that masquerade as mere accidents. Only fitting, one might conclude, as spies and magicians are kindred spirits performing artful tricks that beguile more susceptible members of the audience. http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/29/the-red-herring-of-digital-backdoors-and-key-escrow-encryption/ I really like this guy's articles.

Don't Get Angry: Encrypt

AUSTRALIAN DIGITAL RAPE BY BRADIS & CO Why people ignore data retentions many perils >> http://www.smh.com.au/business/why-people-ignore-data-retentions-many-perils-20150330-1m9gtb.html REMEDY Gnu Privacy Guard  (GnuPG aka GPG)  Encryption   https://www.gnupg.org/  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GNU_Privacy_Guard Werner Koch caught my eye the other day, so I thought GnuPG (aka GPG) might be potential go-to encryption software. German, Werner Koch has authored this software based on open source GNU operating system software (by an MIT guy, Richard Stallman).  Being open source software is supposed to be a positive because it allows outsiders to spot vulnerabilities in code (I think). Werner Koch previously received grants from the German government (but they expired some time ago).  Koch is still kicking on, single-handedly patching the GnuPG program, but short on funding. TOR Anonymising  https://www.torproject.org/ Tor - Explained  .......................................................................... Tor originated with the US Navy and has received US govt funding.   Gee, even as I'm keying this in, Russian software is looking more and more appealing because I'm wondering if there's German backdoors in the encryption software and anticipating some NSA trick when it comes to the Tor anonymising software (see Silk Road FBI busts). I don't know enough to assess the merits of GnuPG or Tor (and wouldn't have a clue where to find Russian software), so this is pretty much it for the options (I think) ... except that you can use PGP (Pretty Good Privacy) instead of the GnuPG. Nope.  It looks like Philip Zimmerman has sold up, so GnuPG it is ... unless you're prepared to trust a US company:  Symantec. ...........................................................................  Photo: Alex Ellinghausen COPYRIGHT DISCLAIMER Copyright Disclaimer under section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for “fair use” for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, education and research. Regarding the SMH article, 'rape by Bradis & Co' is my take rather than SMH's ... just so there's no confusion.  ;) That's pretty much what it is when everybody has been placed under state surveillance. State surveillance without cause or consent is an abuse of power.  To be the subject of such an abuse of power is to live in a prison state. The snail-mail version of this would have been going on back in the 50s and 60s, when the Australian govt was in full surveillance and political suppression and sabotage mode, to blot out the 'evil' of communism. But it isn't Russians and communists looking evil now; it's the totalitarian West. Instead of getting angry but then just accepting the inevitable prison population living conditions: a) use technology to secure privacy; & b) vote for non-mainstream politicians, rather than the corporate and US lackeys who have spent years spying on their own citizens (and nations abroad). Did a bit of a summary on encryption basics the other day ... but I think I've forgotten it already, so I'm going to have to start all over.  Intend to keep at it until I get some kind of feel and overview for privacy tech basics, from a consumer perspective.  Only I'm rather lazy ... The above links are just a starter and I don't really know what I'm on about, so it's best to do your own research. Discovered that free Russian e-mail services bypass the intrusions of freebie Western e-mail services.  English log-in is available. VIDEO GPG for Journalists - Windows edition | Encryption for Journalists | Anonymous 2013 from anon108 on Vimeo.

SURVEILLANCE, CYBER-SECURITY & OTHER

SURVEILLANCE, CYBER-SECURITY & OTHER NSA New Chief Risk Officer Position NSA/CSS Dir Adm Michael S. Rogers announced creation of new Chief Risk Officer pos'n @ Agency/ http://tinyurl.com/plruj5r  / NSA insurance? #USA >> Why would a spy agency be involved in insurance? Cyber-Security #Hacker / eBay custom Javascript & Flash content expose users / cross-site scripting (XSS) / http://goo.gl/9FUTzs  / criticism eBay #cybersecurity Windows XP anywhere on network / unpatched & unsupported XP = "Swiss Cheese of operating systems" 4 hackers /bitcoinmag Taiwan  Population: 2.619 million (Dec 2010) >> Taiwan aka: The Republic of China .. Ma Ying-jeou is President .. lawyer, US exposure .. aka "Teflon pot" / controversies #Taiwan govt investigates Xiaomi /China's smartphone co / on potential #cybersecurity concerns http://tinyurl.com/jwmly6l  / dec'n in 3mths #China & #Taiwan historical foes /defeated Nationalists fled 2 island / civil war loss 2Communists 1949 / Renegade province #Surveillance - Xiaomi smartphone accused of sending copies user text-msgs 2 servers mainland China / co. DENIES - http://tinyurl.com/jwmly6l >> #China Shi Tao journalist leaked censorship order govt had sent Chinese media: IMPRISONED 2005 b/c YAHOO handover E-MAILS >Apple has begun 2 store user data on servers @ mainland #CHINA / first time tech giant has stored user data on Chinese soil ! WikiLeaks #WikiLeaks founder calls Google “a privatized NSA” >>> http://tinyurl.com/pgz7nwy  - DailyDigestNews  #UN's Ban suppresses information >> not a word about corporations or #Assange or #Wikileaks raised by #Ecuador!! >> http://www.innercitypress.com/unga1ecuador092414.html … Believe: Techie corporate fatcat in bed w/ US govt or whistleblower-publisher political prisoner? VIDEO  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=EejoN7Z-OZE …  >#Assange has the 'luxury' of UK police guards in #Ecuador embassy corridors & elevators. PSYCHOLOGICAL TORTURE - HR violation >"If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place" - Eric Schmidt >"Since Google stopped colluding with the Chinese govt ... " >> http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/1601886/google-reminds-web-censorship … Ray McGovern / USA ‘Surveillance state’ "Ex-CIA analyst joins Chico State profs in discussion of Fourth Amendment, government power over Americans" Ex-CIA Ray McGovern /4th Amendment / #USA / http://tinyurl.com/prut7me  /#Surveillance has NOT stopped a single terrorist attack NSA's Alexander Black Market #Surveillance - Dark Net - 34 countries ops. - drugs busts - Europol - http://tinyurl.com/mvh5abq  - 1,000 ppl / ppl traffic, 600kg cocaine + or FBI - Fake Cellphone Towers Surveillance #Surveillance - FBI uses IMSI catchers, ie fake cellphone towers, to pipe private cellphone data thru government monitors / ocregister International Mobile Subscriber Identity = telephony device - 'man in the middle' attack >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IMSI-catcher … >> countries w/out encrypted phone data traffic (or weak encryption) render IMSI device unnecessary! FBI forced state & local law enforcement 2 sign non-disclosure 2 acquire IMSI tech themselves / police militarization!! [ocregister] #USA >> #USA federal agents want to disseminate spying technology while keeping it a secret >> http://tinyurl.com/lr3hehn FBI on Apple & Google Encryption FBI Director James Comey concerned Apple & Google selling ph's w/ encryption they can’t break >> http://www.zdziarski.com/blog/?p=3894  - #surveillance > above link = The Politics Behind iPhone Encryption and the FBI - Jonathan Zdziarski #Hacker 'Poison Ivy' / China-based / trying to infect visitors to human rights & environmental NGO sites http://bit.ly/1qzJ9xz  Roman Seleznev - Russian Alleged Hacker US Fed judge in hacker case - Roman Seleznev /blocks #Philadelphia law firm Fox Rothschild LLP from acting - http://tinyurl.com/n5s62wq  #Russia - conflict of interest issue / firm represented some of Roman Seleznev's alleged victims [politico] Satellite Navigation #Russia /US refused Russia’s GLONASS satellite navigation system on its territory. Russia then banned use GPS on Russian territory for military purposes >> Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema = "Global Navigation Satellite System" [wiki] COMMENT Buch of random information in the IT, cyber-security, surveillance, hacking and similar category, that I found interesting at the time.