CANADA's Recipe for Oversight & Transparency: Cowboy Spy Agencies, Useless Overseer & Ineffectual FOI

The Guy Who Oversees Canada’s Cyberspy Agency Is Cash-Strapped and Worried April 2, 2015 Justin Ling By Justin Ling A meeting room at CSE's new office. Is this where they read our emails? Who can say? Photo via Government of Canada This post originally appeared on VICE Canada. The Honorable Jean-Pierre Plouffe is worried he won't have the resources to keep tabs on Canada's rapidly growing spy behemoth. Plouffe is the overseer for the Communications Security Establishment (CSE), a secretive agency that runs Canada's signal intelligence work. As an integral part of the Five Eyes—the intelligence-sharing consortium involving Canada, America, New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom—CSE is basically a sidekick to the American NSA. Financial reports released on Tuesday show the commissioner is going to have to cut back his review processes due to lack of funds, even though CSE's budget is larger than ever. (Motherboard has reported thoroughly on CSE's extensive powers, with help from leaks released by Edward Snowden.) Plouffe, as the CSE Commissioner, is responsible for making sure that the agency does not go outside its mandate. Currently, the agency is forbidden from intentionally collecting Canadians' data, unless it is doing so under the authority of another Canadian agency. However, Snowden's documents as well as Plouffe's own investigations show that CSE does end up with files on Canadians. When that happens, CSE is supposed to delete them. They don't always do so in a timely manner. Yet documents also show that CSE was scooping up Canadians' data as they logged onto a WIFI hotspot in some airport in Canada. Plouffe ultimately cleared the spy agency of wrongdoing in that operation. Concerns remain, however, that CSE is going well outside its mandate. But, as VICE reported in February, the Harper government isn't worried. "The CSE Commissioner's report indicates that they have been operating inside the law," Justice Minister Peter MacKay told VICE. The commissioner, however, doesn't have the power to compel information from CSE. "The office has no authority to enforce specific actions by CSE," reads the commissioner's financial reports from this year. "Cooperation, collaboration, and professional respect between the office and CSE is essential to my office for the conduct of rigorous review and for the formulation of meaningful recommendations for change, where needed, and essential to CSE for the timely and appropriate implementation of corrective action." But even the commissioner's power—which is largely based on the honor system—might be further at risk. In a financial report tabled on Tuesday, Plouffe warned that "Without this positive relationship being in place, the review process will flounder and opportunities for positive change will be lost."  [Think his position might be pointless, so where's the problem?] He said the review process was already at risk, thanks to a lack of funds in his office. "Cost sharing related to central agency initiatives and fiscal restraint measures are reducing the flexibility of the office's available funding. CSE, however, is growing and its activities are changing in response to its changing environment," Plouffe's office wrote. The commissioner begged the federal government for more money. He's not the only one. As VICE reported on Tuesday, Canada's Access to Information Commissioner is also cash-starved, and she says it will hobble her ability to pry documents from resistant government departments. And as Toronto Star reporter Alex Boutillier reported in Wednesday's paper, the review body for Canada's other spy agency, CSIS, has already been impacted by a lack of resources. The commissioner's office has a budget of just over $2 million, which has been pretty much flat for years. CSE's budget, meanwhile, tops out around $829 million. The commissioner's office has a full-time staff of 11, in addition to Plouffe, who works part-time. The lack of money means that CSE needs to cut back on its review process and "focus review resources on CSE activities that pose the greatest risks to non-compliance and/or privacy." As Plouffe may be considering bake sales and silent auctions to keep the lights on, the Conservatives have spent months boasting of Canada's world-renowned intelligence oversight agencies as they defend their controversial anti-terror bill, C-51. That legislation would vastly expand CSE's ability to receive information on Canadians, and to share it among allies. Speaking before a committee on Monday, Public Safety Minister Steven Blaney said Canada's intelligence review bodies were "the envy of the world." VICE got a chance to ask Associate Defence Minister Julian Fantino about the recent revelations about CSE—he is, after all, now responsible for the organization—and he was unconcerned. "First and foremost, we don't talk about operational matters and certainly I'm not going to do that," Fantino began. "Having said that, I can say that CSE operates within the parameters of the law, well established and well supervised. Accountability is there." [Oh, sure.] VICE asked about documents showing that CSE is using its capabilities to attack foreign networks. Fantino wouldn't comment. [LMAO!] "If you won't comment, how can Canadians have faith in what CSE is doing?" VICE asked. "You weren't listening. I just did," Fantino said before he walked away. http://www.vice.com/read/the-guy-who-oversees-canadas-bulk-data-collection-agency-is-cash-strapped-and-worried-785 Canada's intel agency sounds like the world's shonkiest cowboy op ... with a budget of $829 million! The overseer's office is a joke.  An honours system?  Cannot compel?  Understaffed.  The point of not putting funds into this and into freedom of information is to allow politicians and intelligence agencies to do whatever they want ... which they already seem to do in free hand Canada. Creepy.  Supercharged their powers as well - see C51. Terrorizing Canada With Stephen Harper. The Odious C51 “Secret Police Act” http://www.globalresearch.ca/terrorizing-canada-with-stephen-harper-the-odious-c51-secret-police-act/5438134 Might have to come back to read the Global Research article ... too tried now.

Summary

Summary of the Day's Online Travels

READ

WikiLeaks @wikileaks  ·  6h

#Reddit "shadowbans" user for asking #Assange a question about censorship on Reddit. https://www.reddit.com/r/technology/comments/2ghp54/i_am_julian_assange_ama_about_my_new_book_when/ … #GamerGate

#GamerGate'ers should know that the pattern of censorship & cronyism they see is mirrored at the very top. Level up:

WikiLeaks cable reveals how #NATO head got top job in corrupt deal with #Turkey + #Obama

https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09COPENHAGEN241_a.html#efmAcXAilAlwAn_AwcAxnA6VA8uA_sBGfBS4BUBB5gB67B9aB-1CAECE-CLgCNQCNuCP_CRrCTECTGCUUCV7CXzCb-CdM … & https://wikileaks.org/plusd/cables/09COPENHAGEN206_a.html#efmCDhCRT …

Misc. Look-ups

" ... video game space has been so heavily politicized with a left-leaning, feminist-driven slant," >> http://goo.gl/bQtdF9

>> Why do ppl bother to use #Reddit when it's a censored platform?

"4chan in general is widely viewed as a nasty sort of place for anyone not straight and male" [Forbes] >>But 4Chan's heaps more interesting

"... capitalizing on a culture of victimhood" (Erik Kain) >> What a fantastic phrase. We see this happening ALL THE TIME in wider society!

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#Russia - Lavrov's trip #Zimbabwe - platinum deposit, Darwendale, project - w/ Russia's Rostec & others http://goo.gl/4pG2D1  >

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 #PoliceState - UK government made 1,535 requests for citizens' information from Google - http://goo.gl/D88J1L 

Irish authorities - x10 requests this year - Gmail, Google Docs, YouTube or other Google - http://goo.gl/D88J1L  - reasons unknown #Ireland

#Denmark - x52 requests for citizens' information from Google. http://goo.gl/D88J1L 

#Belgium -   x213 user data requests from Google >> http://goo.gl/D88J1L 

#Portugal -- x338 user data requests from Google -- http://goo.gl/D88J1L

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#UK - C6 Intell Info Systems Ltd (“C6”) - global intelligence info - both individuals & companies

worked 4 City / London Fraud Squad - have access to ‘dark web’ http://goo.gl/7WBt6e  - stolen perso records traded #hacker

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#auspol >>NSW Police cyber hacking could be breaking the law, warns civil liberties lawyer>> http://goo.gl/HefliG  - #WikiLeaks #Assange

>>warrants *don't allow generalised software computer hacking* - premises-based / search computers + 2 access other networks.

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#USA & #Israel used Stuxnet computer worm 2009 to control #Iranian nuclear facility’s computer sys & destroy 1/5 country’s uranium supply!

- “zero-day” exploit -- http://www.wired.com/2011/07/how-digital-detectives-deciphered-stuxnet/all/ …

The Stuxnet 2009 worm & Iran destruction uranium info is from New York Times. Wired info good but hard to follow (4 me).

#Surveillance - NSA Secretly Trying To Map The Internet — Including All Devices Connected To It — In Real-Time - http://goo.gl/D0tYHS

>> "a bird’s eye view of the planet’s digital arteries" -- #Snowden

“...agencies successfully infiltrated major German telecommunications providers Netcologne and Telekom, the latter of which runs service to Britain and the eastern U.S.”  [DailyCaller]

“... Stellar, a German satellite communications firm revealed to have been hacked” [DailyCaller]

#surveillance - NSA Big Brother program, entitled Treasure Map - http://goo.gl/UD6yIG  - Five Eyes hacks & monitors - #auspol #nzpol #ukpol

>> NSA + Five Eyes (UK, AU, NZ, CA) alliance essentially have access to all communications in the world. [ibtimesco.uk]

“More German tensions: Among the “autonomous systems” Treasure Map penetrated in order to create this global map, according to Snowden documents, is Deutsche Telekom, which is partly owned by the German government, and Netcologne, a regional German telecom. That’s sure to cause even more friction between the U.S. and Germany, which expelled the CIA’s Berlin station chief in July over NSA spying revelations, including that the spy agency allegedly tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cellphone. Deutsche Telekom told Der Spiegel it conducted an extensive investigation after the magazine alerted it about the possible infiltration but found no suspicious hardware or data leaving its networks.”

Source: http://www.politico.com/morningcybersecurity/0914/morningcybersecurity15290.html

#Surveillance #Germany #SpyScandal

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 ISRAEL

 

"Israel has built “an Iron Dome of cybersecurity that parallels the Iron Dome against the rockets,” Netanyahu said ..."

"Netanyahu said the majority of attacks stem from Iran, including cyberattacks that are ostensibly from Iran-allied groups such as Hezbollah and Hamas."

"“Iran and its proxies take advantage of the security and anonymity of cyber space” to attack Israel and other countries, he said."

The story from the Jerusalem Post: http://bit.ly/1tRBvlL

[Politico/com]

#Israel #Iran #Cybersecurity

United Nations Disengagement Observer Force Zone - costs $64 million per year to run as of 2014 - http://goo.gl/TNgP0E  ... #Israel    #Syria   ... Golan Heights

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#Hacker #cybersecurity - Involvement of a major US carrier in Border Gateway Protocol hijacking http://goo.gl/L8uLm1  misrouting #Bulgaria

Germany-based spyware firm FinFisher facing more troubles w/ publication on #Wikileaks / http://bit.ly/1s2FrUp + http://politico.pro/1kvMmSz

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United Kingdom profile - Timeline - A chronology of key events - http://goo.gl/jyqCgu 

>1945 Labour intros welfare state + UN Security Council perma memb/ 1949 UK a founder member of Nato / 1973 EEC / end. by refer. 1975

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RUSSIA / BALTIC

#Russia >>> Baltic States of suppressing the rights of Russian speakers >>> http://goo.gl/OmCCdf  >>> #Latvia, #Lithuania, #Estonia

This some of the information I looked at today.  

As usual, it's easier to just copy over where I've been than it is to try to recall.

Ran off a copy of the massive Stuxnet article because I find it impossible to focus on something long and involved, staring at a screen.  Find it better to have a hard copy for mark-up and ease of reading.

At the end of my day of checking things out, I'm wondering why I've bothered running off the involved Stuxnet hacking article when I'm not a techie and really don't need to know anything in depth.

On the other hand, it's supposed to be some techie (or surveillance) big deal, so I might have to force myself to get through the information -- even if it's just skimming over it.

Summary

Summary IT    Payload (computing) = component of a computer virus that executes a malicious activity http://www.techopedia.com/definition/5381/payload … #IT>>"Kaspersky Lab does not have political ties to any governments; it openly shares its knowledge & technical findings ..." [telecomasia] .........................  ........................ #hacktevists - Anonymous - Payback 6 - http://on.rt.com/yb7yz9  - TRIAL Tue, 7 Oct @ 9am EDT - http://goo.gl/i9xhoo  -- #Virginia #USA #law  http://rt.com/usa/anonymous-operation-payback-indictment-704/ CHARGED:  “... anti-copyright campaign that targeted government and corporation websites in 2010 and 2011 US Copyright Office, major credit card companies and international law firms &  trade groups” Actions allegedly post 2010 take-down of:  file-sharing site The Pirate Bay. Targets: ·       Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) ·       Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ·       US Copyright Office of the Library of Congress ·       Visa ·       MasterCard ·       Bank of America Entities outside of United States: ·       Davenport Lyons (UK intellectual property rights firm) ·       British Phonographic Institute (BPI) - UK trade group that served as the across-the-pond equivalent of the MPAA.  .........................  ........................ New South Wales #Hacker #Surveillance - Aust/NSW police used German Gamma Intl hacker s/ware FinSpy - key log + more http://goo.gl/LCkBJB  - #auspol http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/15/wikileaks-nsw-police-have-used-hi-tech-spyware-to-monitor-australians #WikiLeaks docs published - #surveillance by covert sch warr / > *worldwide* target range > Secret Gamma deal? No records. Does #Surveillance, lack transparency & lack accountability - state/govt serve the people, or does it monitor & imprison people it reps? #surveillance >Gamma International + Trovicor >http://goo.gl/jqTv1k  >#humanrights abuse complaints lodged w/ OECD #Bahrain - heaps info!! NOTE:  Loads of PDF info links – case report, press release, complaint + more http://www.ecchr.de/surveillance-technology/articles/human-rights-organisations-file-oecd-complaints-against-surveillance-firms-gamma-international-and-trovicor.html "Julian Assange, WikiLeaks Editor in Chief said, "FinFisher continues to operate brazenly from Germany selling weaponized surveillance malware to some of the most abusive regimes in the world. “The Merkel government pretends to be concerned about privacy, but its actions speak otherwise. Why does the Merkel government continue to protect FinFisher? This full data release will help the technical community build tools to protect people from FinFisher including by tracking down its command and control centers.” " Source: http://goo.gl/OxMR8B European Centre for Constitutional & Human Rights (ECCH) >> website WEALTH OF INFO. >> http://www.ecchr.de/accountability.html … >> #humanrights #law http://www.ecchr.de/accountability.html #Snowden on mass surveillance - Five Eyes (US, UK, CA, AU, NZ) >>http://goo.gl/xg5NW7  >>XKEYSCORE NSA/USA > #auspol - UR being watched  https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/09/15/snowden-new-zealand-surveillance/ .........................  ........................ Moment of Truth Monday, 15 September 2014  / Auckland, New Zealand >>>>>>>>  @7pm >>Auckland Town Hall #MoT - Internet Mana Party - #nzpol Wound up watching this.  Interesting: it's a one of a kind development in relation to politics.  Doubt that I'll be as enthusiastic about run of the mill political events. .........................  ........................ Sweden #Sweden>>Social Dem/ Leader Stefan Lofven defeated incumbent PM Fredrik Reinfeldt >>>http://goo.gl/zxMr38 >>@ 31.1% / Mods slumped [WSJ] Blow to conservative leaders w/in #EU 'free market' pushers - #DavidCameron #AngelaMerkel >> Bye #CarlBildt [wsj] Graph of Sweden election results: http://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/valaret2014/riksdag/Valresultat/ #Sweden - Social Dems & Green Party coalition anticipated (w/ Left Party providing Parliamentary support) .. Feminist Initiative dipped out Scandals did govt no favour / schools, nurseries, care homes ... http://online.wsj.com/articles/swedes-go-to-the-polls-1410695627 … + immigration > .........................  ........................ US Govt Intervention “We R under no illusions that USG [US govt] efforts alone will shape ..direction of .. new government .."> #Ecuador > http://goo.gl/fKfYM1 https://www.greenleft.org.au/node/57362 .........................  ........................ Finland Greens to quit #Finnish govt if approves new nuclear reactors Fennovoima plant in Pyhäjoki http://goo.gl/jDLbMU  - Thus = approval D-Day #Russia project - if quit Nat. coalition majority 'razor thin' - Green coalition understanding was NO expansion nuclear .........................  ........................ Above is *some* of what I looked at today.   Random things that popped up online.

Privacy International Lodges Legal Challenge To Official Secrecy Surrounding GCHQ Spying

Privacy International Lodges Legal Challenge To Official Secrecy Surrounding GCHQ Spying Although the scale of the surveillance being carried out by the NSA and GCHQ is daunting, digital rights groups are starting to fight back using the various legal options available to them. That's particularly the case for the UK, where activists are trying to penetrate the obsessive secrecy that surrounds GCHQ's spying activities. Back in December, we wrote about three groups bringing an action against GCHQ in the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), and how Amnesty International is using the UK's Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) to challenge the spying. Another organization that filed a complaint against the UK government at the IPT is Privacy International. But not content with that, it has now taken further legal action, this time in order to obtain information about GCHQ's role in the "Five Eyes" system, the global surveillance club made up of the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand: In order to shed light on this secret intelligence-sharing agreement, which effectively binds the Five Eyes as one intelligence agency, Privacy International, represented by Leigh Day & Co solicitors, filed a legal challenge against the British Government in the European Court of Human Rights. Europe's highest human rights court is the most appropriate venue for such an international agreement, and has a strong history of ensuring intelligence agencies are compliant with human rights law. This follows repeated unsuccessful attempts to obtain this information using traditional channels: The challenge comes after Privacy International filed Freedom of Information requests in all Five Eyes countries compelling them to release the details of the agreement, which has a profound impact on the enjoyment and fulfilment of human rights around the world. Governments in the US, UK, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand denied to publish the secret agreement. In the United Kingdom, GCHQ invoked a blanket exemption that excuses it from any obligation to be transparent about its activities. The same exemption was also invoked by the agency when Privacy International asked for mundane information such as GCHQ's cafeteria menu. Privacy International obviously hopes that the ECHR will issue a judgment that the UK government is wrong to withhold the information about how GCHQ operates within the Five Eyes system. The trouble is, even if the ECHR does rule in favor of Privacy International, it's extremely unlikely that the UK government will take much notice. But as a way of ensuring that the spotlight remains on the disproportionate and unconstrained way that GCHQ is spying on citizens in the UK and around the world, it's as good as any. https://www.techdirt.com/articles/20140909/08452028462/privacy-international-lodges-legal-challenge-to-official-secrecy-surrounding-gchq-spying.shtml

Thought this was interesting.

But it looks like the outcome isn't much to look forward to, if the decision of the court can be ignored.