WikiLeaks Wins Icelandic Court Battle Against Visa for …

The Icelandic partner of Visa and MasterCard violated contract laws when it imposed a block against credit card donations to the secret-spilling site WikiLeaks, a district court there has ruled.

The Reykjavk District Court ruled that Valitor, which handles Visa and MasterCard payments in Iceland, was in the wrong when it prevented card holders from donating funds to the site. The court ruled that the block should be removed within 14 days or Valitor will be fined the equivalent of about $6,000 a day.

WikiLeaks spokesman Kristinn Hrafnsson told the Associated Press that it was a small but very important step in fighting back against these powerful banks. He said other lawsuits are ongoing in Denmark and Belgium.

Visa, MasterCard, PayPal, Bank of America and other U.S. financial institutions began to block donations to WikiLeaks in 2010 after the controversial site began publishing more than 250,000 U.S. State Department cables that the group allegedly received from former Army intelligence analyst Bradley Manning. The financial services cited violations of their terms of service agreements as the reason for blocking the donations.

The U.S. State Department called the publication of the 250,000 diplomatic cables illegal, but no charges have been filed against the site. Publishing government documents, even classified ones, is not explicitly illegal in the United States, though it is in the United Kingdom.

WikiLeaks and its credit card processor, DataCell, sued Valitor in Iceland over the shutdown.

WikiLeaks and DataCell also filed a complaint with the European Commission. The Commission is expected to make a decision about what to do before the end of August, according to a statement from WikiLeaks.

"This is a significant victory against Washington's attempt to silence WikiLeaks," WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange said in a statement about the win in Iceland. "We will not be silenced. Economic censorship is censorship. It is wrong. When it's done outside of the rule of law it's doubly wrong. One by one those involved in the attempted censorship of WikiLeaks will find themselves on the wrong side of history."

The Associated Press reports that Valitor can appeal the decision, but even if it chooses to comply with the judgment, it's not clear that Visa or MasterCard will still allow customers to make donations to DataCell or WikiLeaks.

WikiLeaks received $1.9 million in donations in 2010 but last year announced it was halting publication of documents due to claims that it was running short on funds. The site resumed publication of documents this month when it began publishing more than 2 million e-mails stolen from Syrian officials, government ministries and companies. Members of an Anonymous group have claimed responsibility for stealing the e-mails and giving them to WikiLeaks.

More here:
WikiLeaks Wins Icelandic Court Battle Against Visa for ...

WikiLeaks – Media Bias/Fact Check

These media sources are slightly to moderately conservativein bias. They often publish factual information that utilizes loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes)to favor conservativecauses. These sources are generally trustworthy for information, but may require further investigation. See all Right-Center sources.

Factual Reporting: MIXED

Notes:WikiLeaksis an international non-profit organization that publishes secret information, news leaks, and classified media from anonymous sources. Julian Assange, an Australian Internet activist, is generally described as its founder, editor-in-chief, and director. Although it is believed that WikiLeaks publishing of classified/secret material is authentic they have been accused of promoting conspiracy theories against Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party of the United States (See Wikipedia). So, while the material dumps are unaltered and not biased they have demonstrated a political agenda through the information they choose to dump, which some believe tends to favor Russia. Further, The National Intelligence Council has found evidence of Wikileaks collaborating with Russian Government sponsored media outlet, Russia Today. Recently reports have surfaced that Julian Assange had direct e-mail contact with the Trump campaign. While we cant say the information Wikileaks dumps is not factual, we can state that there is at least a right of center bias in whom these leaks tend to benefit. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting based on selective leaks that result in spin. (11/19/2016) Updated (D. Van Zandt 11/17/2017)

Source:https://www.wikileaks.org/

Read more:
WikiLeaks - Media Bias/Fact Check

What Is Open Source Software, and Why Does It Matter?

Geeks often describe programs as being open source or free software. If youre wondering exactly what these terms mean and why they matter, read on. (No, free software doesnt just mean that you can download it for free.)

Whether a program is open-source or not doesnt just matter to developers, it ultimately matters for users, too. Open-source software licenses give users freedoms they would not otherwise have.

Image Credit: Quinn Dombrowski on Flickr

If a program is open-source, its source code is freely available to its users. Its users and anyone else have the ability to take this source code, modify it, and distribute their own versions of the program. The users also have the ability to distribute as many copies of the original program as they want. Anyone can use the program for any purpose; there are no licensing fees or other restrictions on the software. The OSI has a more detailed definition of open source on its website.

For example, Ubuntu Linux is an open-source operating system. You can download Ubuntu, create as many copies as you want, and give them to your friends. You can install Ubuntu on an unlimited amount of your computers. You can create remixes of the Ubuntu installation disc and distribute them. If you were particularly motivated, you could download the source code for a program in Ubuntu and modify it, creating your own customized version of that program or of Ubuntu itself. Open-source licenses all allow you to do this, while closed-source licenses place restrictions on you.

The opposite of open-source software is closed-source software, which has a license that restricts users and keeps the source code from them.

Firefox, Chrome, OpenOffice, Linux, and Android are some popular examples of open-source software, while Microsoft Windows is probably the most popular piece of closed-source software out there.

Open source applications are generally freely available although theres nothing stopping the developer from charging for copies of the software if they allow redistribution of the application and its source code afterwards.

However, thats not what free software refers to. The free in free software means free as in freedom, not free as in beer. The free software camp, led by Richard Stallman and the Free Software Foundation, focuses on the ethics and morals of using software that can be controlled and modified by the user. In other words, the free software camp focuses on user freedoms.

Richard Stallman. Image by Fripog on Flickr.

The open-source software movement was created to focus on more pragmatic reasons for choosing this type of software. Open-source advocates wanted to focus on the practical benefits of using open-source software that would appeal more to businesses, rather than ethics and morals.

Ultimately, both open-source and free software advocates are developing the same type of software, but they disagree on the messaging.

There are many different licenses used by open-source projects, depending on which the developers prefer for their program.

The GPL, or GNU General Public License, is widely used by many open-source projects, such as Linux. In addition to all the above definitions of open-source, the terms of the GPL specify that, if anyone modifies an open-source program and distributes a derivative work, they must also distribute the source code for their derivative work. In other words, no one can take open-source code and create a closed-source program from it they must release their changes back to the community. Microsoft referred to the GPL as being viral for this reason, as it forces programs that incorporate GPL code to release their own source code. Of course, a programs developers can opt not to use GPL code if this is a problem.

Some other licenses, such as the BSD license, place less restrictions on developers. If a program is licensed under the BSD license, anyone can incorporate the programs source code into another program. They dont have to release their changes back to the community. Some people see this is being even more free than the GPL license, as it gives developers the freedom to incorporate the code into their own closed-source programs, while some people see it as being less free because it takes rights away from the end users of the derived program.

This isnt all dry, unimportant stuff that only matters to developers. The most obvious benefit of open-source software is that it can be had for free. The example of Ubuntu Linux above makes that clear unlike Windows, you can install or distribute as many copies of Ubuntu as you want, with no restrictions. This can be particularly useful servers if youre setting up a server, you can just install Linux on it. if youre setting up a virtualized cluster of servers, you can easily duplicate a single Ubuntu server. You dont have to worry about licensing and how many instances of Linux youre allowed to run.

An open-source program is also more flexible. For example, Windows 8s new interface disappointed many long-time desktop Windows users. Because Windows is closed-source, no Windows user can take the Windows 7 interface, modify it, and make it work properly on Windows 8. (Some Windows users are trying, but this is a painstaking process of reverse engineering and modifying binary files.)

When a Linux desktop like Ubuntu introduces a new desktop interface that some users arent fans of, users have more options. For example, when GNOME 3 was released, many Linux desktop users were equally turned off. Some took the code to the old version, GNOME 2, and modified it to make it run on the latest Linux distributions this is MATE. Some took the code to GNOME 3 and modified it to make it work in a way they preferred this is Cinnamon. Some users just switched to existing alternative desktops. If Windows was open-source, Windows 8 users would have more choice and flexibility. Just take a look at CyanogenMod, a popular, community-driven distribution of Android that adds features and support for new devices.

Open-source software also allows developers to stand on the shoulders of giants and create their own software. Witness Android and Chrome OS, which are operating systems built on Linux and other open-source software. The core of Apples OS X and therefor iOS was built on open-source code, too. Valve is furiously working on porting their Steam gaming platform to Linux, as this would allow them to create their own hardware and control their own destiny in a way that isnt possible on Microsofts Windows.

This isnt an exhaustive description entire books have been written on this subject but you should now have a better idea of what open-source software actually is and why its useful to you.

Link:
What Is Open Source Software, and Why Does It Matter?

Julian Assange press conference at Frontline Club after UN …

BI

Julian Assange has hailed the United Nations' ruling he is being "arbitrarily detained" as a "really significant victory" and a "vindication."

Business Insider covered Friday's events live in London. Scroll down to read them as they happened.

The Wikileaks founder, who has lived inthe Ecuadorian Embassy in Londonfor the last three-and-a-half years to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of sexual assault and rape, blasted the British foreign secretary Philip Hammond and demanded Sweden and the UK respect the UN's decision, calling it "legally binding."

However,the UK have said they still intendto arrest him if he steps outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London so there's no indication his situation will change any time soon.

Speaking on a balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy on Friday afternoon, Assange warned there may be "criminal consequences" if the UK government do not now allow him to leave without fear of arrest.

On Friday morning, a UN Working Group declared that Assange's treatment amounts to arbitrary detention.The Working Group's head Seong-Phil Jongsaid in a statement: "The working group maintains that the arbitrary detention of Mr. Assange should be brought to an end, that his physical integrity and freedom of movement be respected, and that he should be entitled to an enforceable right to compensation."

But the UK and Swedish governments ridiculed the decision. Philip Hammond called it "ridiculous," while the Swedish ambassador to the UN said: ""Mr. Assange has chosen, voluntarily, to stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy and the Swedish authorities have no control over his decision to stay there. Mr. Assange is free to leave the Embassy at any point. Thus, he is not being deprived of his liberty there due to any decision or action taken by the Swedish authorities."

The UK is going to formally contest the decision,it says.

Business Insider liveblogged Friday's events. Scroll down to read them as they happened, from the midday press conference to Assange's appearance on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy.

16.38 Aaaaaaand we're done for the day. Thanks for following! To summarise: The UN says Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is arbitrarily detained. The UK government says he isn't. Assange's lawyers are demanding that UK government let him go free. The UK government says they won't. In short nothing has really changed.

16.28 Business Insider spoke to Val from Bedforshire, a protester outside the embassy. Asked what she'd like to tell Assange, she said: "I'd like to apologize for my country keeping him in there for almost 4 years ...I'd like to thank him because without him I wouldn't have known about Guantanamo and all the other things that were uncovered ...The UK cannot tell other countries to follow UN rules and then not do it themselves."

She added:"Our government has now got to release him. I hope he will soon be reunited with his family ...It's only because the US wants him, that's why."

BI

16.16 Here's footage of Assange speaking via Business Insider UK reporter Barbara Tacsh.

16.13 And that's it! More photos:

Barbara Tasch/Business Insider

Barbara Tasch/Business Insider

16.12 Assange: If this continues, "there will be criminal consequences for the parties involved."

Business Insider

16.10 Assange: "What right does this government, or the US government, or the Swedish government have to deny my children their father for five and a half years? Without any charges in any country. That is a fact that I will never forget. And whcih must be addressed, and will be addressed as time goes by. My children are completely innocent parties to what has happened. They're not in politics. They're not in the business of holding governments to account. They're in the business of being children."

16.08 Assange now quotes the UN decision. "The detention of Assange is arbitrary, and contrary to ... the declaration of human rights."

16.06 Low-res photo of Assange speaking.

BI

16.05 Says UK must accept the UN decision. "The UK and Sweden accepted to be parties to a 16-month process." Both countries responded "as a party to the proceedings ... The UK lost. Sweden lost. They lost at the highest level. They then had an opportunity to appeal ... [they] did not appeal."

16.04 Assange is much cleaner-shaven than he has been in previous media appearances.

16.01 Assange ison the balcony to cheers. Calls the UN decision a victory.

15.49 Ten more minutes!

15.43 Someone is on the balcony! Its not Julian.

15.41 Paddy Power, one of Britain's biggest bookies, says there is more chance of Steven Avery the convict from thehit Netflix series "Making a Murderer" getting out prison first than Assange leaving the embassy. Click on through for the full story.

15.32 In one of today's wierdest moments,ajournalist for Russia Today just tried to livestream (via Periscope) the view through Julian Assange's bedroom window.

BI

15.24 Assange-watch update: Still no Assange.

14.54 Russian state news outlet Russia Today is livestreaming events on the ground with Periscope. People are singing protest songs. You can watch it here.

14.48 While we continue to watch curtain-rustling, here's the lone dissenting opinion from the Working Group, that argued Assange is not being arbitrarily detained.

14.25 On the scene,Business Insider reporter Barbara Tasch says there's "movement behind the window." Stay tuned!

14.04 There are rumours that Assange will be making an appearance on the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy where he's holed up within th e next hour. We'll keep you posted.

13.56 Another photo of human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, a support of Assange. He's at the Ecuadorian Embassy with activist group Wise Up, chanting: "There is only one decision, no extradition."

BI

13.05 This man is arguing with pro-Assange protesters outside the Embassy. He says"Assange should come outside and face justice."

BI

13.03 Lawyer Melinda Taylor says discussion shouldn't be about Swedish investigators going to embassy to question Assange over allegations. "Thequestion is why is arbitrary detention continuing ... the Working Group found theres a violation ... every day in detention is a crime ... he shouldnt have to be in detention any longer ... he needs to be released."

13.00 Human rights campaigner Peter Tachell is outside the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. Protestersare calling on Swedish prosecutors to just go to Assange at the embassy to interview him.

BI

13.10 And the press conference is now over! JulianAssange claims he has been vindicated, and his lawyers have attacked the UK and Sweden.

But he's not leaving the embassy any time soon due to the ongoing risk of arrest. In short, little has changed.

12.55 Question on what Assange would say to woman behind sexual assault/rape allegations. No real answer from Melinda Taylor. "Assange "offered himself up for questioning. Out of hand the prosecutor refused to do it, and thats what made the investigation grind to a halt. Wasnt Assange, it was the prosecutor."

12.53 Question on why UK should comply with ruling. Lawyer Melinda Taylor: "UKis a member of the Security Council does it really want to set a precedent of countries completely ignoring the United Nations? ...unless the UK wants to join these rogue nations, they really do have to comply."

12.52 Q&A at press conference. Julian Assange will not be joining.

12.43 RONALD ADJOVI from the UN Working Grouptold Sky News that the UN told Swedish prosecutors were taking too long to do their investigation to decide whether Assange should be charged and the case goes to trial. He added that Swedish prosecutors could have questioned him during this time and asked "why does Assange have to go to Sweden" to answer questions.

12.40 Here's footage of Assange speaking today, via The Guardian.

12.36 More photos from outside the Ecuadorian Embassy at lunchtime.

BI

BI

12.29 Someone posing in front of the embassy told Barbara Tasch: "I'm here at the embassy because I am a supporter of Julian Assange. I'm here at the Ecuadorian embassy today because I agree with the UN ruling that he's being arbitrarily detained."

BI

12.28 Assange: "Finally,I would like to thank the UN for considering over the last 16 months our submissions ... and producing this verdict which adds not just to my freedom and to justice for my children, but it adds significantly to the ability of the UN to deal with complex cases of arbitrary detention including those involving Western States."

12.24 Assange: "It is now the task of the states of UK and Sweden as a whole to implement the verdict." Not to do so "would have the effect of undermining the UN's systems."

12.23 Assange: UN's ruling: "A matter of settled law ... [UK and Sweden] cannot now object."

12.22 Whistleblower Edward Snowden chimes in:

12.21 Assange on Philip Hammond's claims UN finding is ridiculous: "I find those comments to be beneath the stature that a foreign minister should express in these situations."

12.20 UN's decisions "are legally binding," Assange claims.

12.19 Assange: "I've been detained now without charge .. for five and a half years ...Today that detention without charge has been found by the highest organisation ... the United Nations ... to be unlawful."

12.18 Assange about to speak!

12.16 Here's a working livestream, via YouTube.

12.15 Melina Taylor: Assange's treatment "completely contrary to the presumption of innocence ... indefinite detention is actually a kind of mental torture."

12.12 Barbara Tasch outside the Ecuador embassy reports that a group of Latin American activists are giving a speech outside in the street.

They would not give their names but they say Assange is their "hero" because he "exposed the lies about Pinochet."

They shouted "Shame on Britain" and explained that the UK is forcing Assange to choose between two basic human rights:

1. Right to seek asylum.

2. Right to seek medical help.

They say he is constant pain in his right shoulder and that the US, UK and Sweden are breaking international law by not letting him go. They said "we don't live in the middle ages anymore. What is the point of international law if it can be broken."

12.09 Lawyer Melinda Taylor: UN decision "dispels the myth that Assange is a fugitive of justice or can walk out of the embassy ... detention by any other name is still detention."

12.08 Cites"unlawful FBI surveillance activity in Europe" as evidence of a case being built by the US against Assange.

12.06 Lawyer Jennifer Robinson citing Wikileaks' achievements. Iraq War logs, etc.

12.04 The YouTube livestream doesn't seem to be working properly. The Guardian has a working one.

12.02 The conference will explain the UN's finding and what the UK and Sweden "must" do, lawyer Jennifer Robinson says. "The deprivation of Assange is arbitrary and in contravention of the ... Declaration of Human Rights."

The UN ruling is a "resounding victory."

12.00 The livestream is now live! No speaking yet though.

11.58 Protestors and journalists gather outside the Embassy.

BI

BI

11:55 Reporters are convinced Assange could be making an appearance on the balcony at the Ecuadorian Embassy in central London, where he was granted political asylum by Ecuador since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden for questioning over allegations of sex offenses and rape, which he denies.

Business Insider reporter Barbara Tasch is outside the embassy at the moment and she says the crowd is swelling.

The Wikileaks editor-in-chief has been living in the Ecuadorian Embassy in London since 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden to face questioning over allegations of sexual assault and rape.

He maintains that if extradited to Sweden, he will be subsequently extradited to the US to stand trial for his work on Wikileaks, a whistleblowing platform.

On Friday, theUN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention announced the results of an investigation that has been underway since 2012:"The Working Groupon arbitrary detention considers that the variousforms of deprivation of liberty to which Julian Assange has been subjected constitute a form of arbitrary detention."

However, the UK government says that it will arrest Assange if he leaves the embassy. Likewise, the Swedish ambassador to the UN said: "Mr. Assange has chosen, voluntarily, to stay at the Ecuadorian Embassy and the Swedish authorities have no control over his decision to stay there. Mr. Assange is free to leave the Embassy at any point. Thus, he is not deing deprived of his liberty there due to any decision or action taken by the Swedish authorities."

See the original post here:
Julian Assange press conference at Frontline Club after UN ...

How to Encrypt Files on Windows – Tutorial – Toms Guide

If you're looking for a simple way to keep files and folders private on your Windows computer, you have several options right in front of you. Thanks to the Microsoft Office Suite, you can use a built-in encryption feature to password-protect Office files, such as Word documents or PowerPoint presentations.

Some Windows operating systems also come with Encrypting File System (EFS), which lets you encrypt any kind of file, as well as whole folders and subfolders. Note, however, that EFS is only available for Windows 10 Pro, Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7 Enterprise, Windows 8 Pro or Windows 8 Enterprise. Users with a Home edition of Windows will need to use either Office Suite encryption or a third-party solution, such as TrueCrypt, VeraCrypt or 7-Zip.

Illustration: Toms GuideTo set up your Windows encryption, you'll want to follow these step-by-step instructions.

MORE: Best Password Managers

Before you start altering your files, there are some tips you need to keep in mind.

This process encrypts individual files compatible with Microsoft Office applications such as Word, PowerPoint or Excel. Once you encrypt a file this way, you'll need to reopen it in Microsoft Office; you won't be able to open it in Google Docs, Adobe Reader or LibreOffice. These steps work for all up-to-date versions of Office, across Windows 7 and Windows 10.

1. Open a Microsoft Office program and click Open Other Documents.

2. Click Browse.

3. Select a file you want to encrypt and click Open.

4. Click the File tab at the top of the page.

5. Click "Protect Document" on the left side.

3. Select Encrypt with Password from the pop-up menu.

4. Enter a password for the file. You'll be prompted to re-enter the same password, then click OK. After you exit this file, you'll have to enter the same password to reopen it. Be sure to store this password in a separate, safe place.

You're not quite done yet, though. One of the flaws with Microsoft Office's encryption is that unencrypted versions of recently opened files might still be stored in your computer's temporary memory. You'll want to go clear that out after you've encrypted a file.

1. Click the Start button.

2. Type "Disk Cleanup" into the text field and select Disk Cleanup.

3. Wait for the loading bar to complete, it's calculating how many files it will be able to delete.

4. After the window "Disk Cleanup for OS (C:) appears, check the box next to "Temporary files" (you may need to scroll down) and click OK.

5. A new pop-up window will appear asking you to confirm the deletion. Click Delete Files.

6. Youll see a new pop-up window (pictured below) with a loading bar running as your files are deleted. Once it's finished, the window will disappear and the temporary files are gone.

EFS works by letting you apply encryption to already-existing files or folders in your file system. You can still edit or modify these files or folders following the encryption process. With EFS you won't notice any change in the way you access your files; all you have to do is log in to your Windows account at startup and the files will be accessible. However, this means that you need to pick a strong, difficult-to-guess password for your Windows user account. Note: Step 7 is time-sensitive, so make sure to click the "Back up your file encryption key" prompt after confirming attribute changes in step 6. Missing that prompt means you'll need to start over again.

1. Right-click on the file or folder you wish to encrypt.

2. Click Properties selection at the bottom of the menu.

3. Click Advanced under the General tab. This will bring up a second pop-up window entitled Advanced Attributes.

4. Check "Encrypt contents to secure data."

5. Click OK.

6. Click Apply.

7. Choose how extensive you want the encryption to be, click OK. You can choose to encrypt just that folder, or to encrypt all of the folder's subfolders and files. We recommend the latter. Whichever you choose, click that option and then press OK.

8. Make sure to click the "Back up your file encryption key" pop-up message before it disappears. If you miss the pop-up message, you'll need to restart your machine and try again.

The computer creates an encryption key using an encryption certificate provided by Microsoft. Now your file or folder is encrypted, you won't need a password to access it other than the password you use to sign into your Windows profile when you turn the computer on.

You should back up that encryption key to a separate device, because if that key is ever lost or damaged, you won't be able to access your encrypted files. The easiest method is with an external USB drive, so plug one into your PC before starting.

1. Click the option "Back up now (recommended)."

2. Click Next.

3. Click Next again.

4. Check the box next to Password, enter your password twice and click Next.

5. Click Browse.

6. Navigate to a directory, such as a USB drive, name your encryption key and click save.

7. Click Next.

8. Click Finish.

9. Click OK, now eject your USB drive (or wherever you stored the file) and keep it somewhere safe where you'll remember it.

Windows' built-in encryption isn't a perfect solution. If you encrypt a single file, the computer stores an unencrypted version of that file in its temporary memory, so a savvy snoop can still access it.

It's fairly easy for an attacker to break Windows encryption using a brute-force attack, which is when an attacker uses a program that methodically guesses every possible combination of letters and numbers, starting with common passwords.

MORE: Your Router's Security Stinks: Here's How to Fix It

If you're very serious about security and privacy, you might not trust a Microsoft solution. The FBI and NSA can require U.S. companies to hand over data or encryption keys. For those reasons, we suggest using a free third-party service, such as TrueCrypt, its successor VeraCrypt or WinZip.

Read this article:
How to Encrypt Files on Windows - Tutorial - Toms Guide

Schneier on Security: Applied Cryptography

1996John Wiley & Sons784 Pages

20th Anniversary Hardcover:ISBN 978-1-119-09672-6$70.00

Paperback:ISBN 978-1-119-09672-6$60.00

Books>

A book by Bruce Schneier

This second edition of the cryptography classic provides you with a comprehensive survey of modern cryptography. The book details how programmers and electronic communications professionals can use cryptography -- the technique of enciphering and deciphering messages -- to maintain the privacy of computer data. It describes dozens of cryptography algorithms, gives practical advice on how to implement them in cryptographic software, and shows how they can be used to solve security problems. Covering the latest developments in practical cryptographic techniques, this new edition shows programmers who design computer applications, networks, and storage systems how they can build security into their software and systems.

The second edition of Applied Cryptography is a major rewrite of the first edition: 50% more words, 7 more chapters, and over 1600 new references. Not only did I make corrections to the first edition and add developments since it was published, but I also included topics left out of the first edition.

The second edition has lots of new algorithms (including GOST, Blowfish, RC4, and A5), more information on the Clipper Chip and key escrow, dozens of new protocols, more information on how PGP works, detailed information on key management and modes of operation, and new source code.

...the best introduction to cryptography I've ever seen.... The book the National Security Agency wanted never to be published....

Wired Magazine

...monumental...the definitive work on cryptography for computer programmers...

Dr. Dobb's Journal

...easily ranks as one of the most authorative in its field.

PC Magazine

...the bible of code hackers.

The Millennium Whole Earth Catalog

More Praise for Applied Cryptography

Later printings of the second edition incorporate some corrections to the text. They didn't correct everythingonly changes that didn't affect page breaks. Still, I counted over 250 individual corrections.

All the 20th Anniversary hardcovers are corrected. For copies of the 2nd edition without the "20th Anniversary Edition" banner on the cover, the fifth and later printings are corrected.

You can check which printing you have by turning to page iv (it's opposite the "Contents in Brief" page). The last line (under "Printed in the United States of America") is a series of numbers, counting down. The lowest number is the printing. For example, you have a fifth printing if your last line looks like:

up to Books

Photo of Bruce Schneier by Per Ervland.

Schneier on Security is a personal website. Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of IBM Resilient.

View original post here:
Schneier on Security: Applied Cryptography

Practical Cryptography

A branch of both mathematics and computer science, cryptography is the study and practice of obscuring information

Cryptography refers almost exclusively to encryption, the process of converting ordinary information (plaintext) into unintelligible gibberish (i.e., ciphertext). Decryption is the reverse, moving from unintelligible ciphertext to plaintext.

A cipher (or cypher) is a pair of algorithms which creates the encryption and the reversing decryption. The detailed operation of a cipher is controlled both by the algorithm and, in each instance, by a key. This is a secret parameter (ideally, known only to the communicants) for a specific message exchange context.

This site aims to provide a practical approach to cryptography. We attempt to provide javascript examples and detailed diagrams where possible, in order to make the learning process much smoother.

Understand the fine details of a wide range of cryptographic ciphers. Find information on block ciphers, symmetric ciphers, public key encryption, and many more.

Discover how often under public scrutiny, holes are poked and cracks begin to form, in algorithms which were once considered secure.

If you've exhausted our site, find other great material online from our comprehensive list of resources.

Read more:
Practical Cryptography

Chelsea Manning, Parkland teens docs to debut at Tribeca

NEW YORK (AP) A documentary about Chelsea Manning, Werner Herzogs latest and a film about Parkland students in the aftermath of the Florida high school massacre are among the selections that will premiere at the 18th Tribeca Film Festival.

Organizers for the annual New York festival on Tuesday announced a lineup of 103 feature films, 40 percent of them directed by women. In the festivals three competition sections, that figure is 50 percent a mark that many film festivals (with some notable exceptions) have recently sought to achieve.

At Tribeca, we believe in amplifying fresh voices as well as celebrating the continued success of artists in the industry, said Paula Weinstein, vice president of Tribeca Enterprises, which puts on the festival.

Highlights include Tim Travers Hawkins XY Chelsea, which chronicles the former Army intelligence analysts life after her 35-year military prison sentence for the largest leak of classified documents in U.S. history was commuted by former President Barack Obama. Manning, whos set to speak after the films Tribeca premiere, on Tuesday unsuccessfully challenged a subpoena requiring her testimony before a grand jury investigating WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Showtime will release the film.

Emily Taguchi and Jake Leffermans After Parkland is about students and parents following the 2018 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. The film is one of a number of documentaries to follow the Parkland massacre, including Song of Parkland, which aired last month on HBO.

Also to premiere at Tribeca is Herzogs Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin in which the filmmaker makes a journey inspired by Chatwin, the travel writer and author who died in 1989; A Womans Work: The NFLs Cheerleader Problem, Yu Gus documentary about NFL cheerleaders; and Erin Lee Carrs documentary After the Heart of Gold, on USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar who was convicted of serial child molestation last year.

There will be a number of music documentaries, including the DAngelo profile Devils Pie and The Quiet One, about Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman. Antoine Fuqua will premiere his Muhammad Ali documentary Whats My Name, an HBO release executive produced by LeBron James.

Jared Leto and Christoph Waltz will both premiere their feature directorial debuts. Letos A Day in the Life of America is a documentary filmed in all 50 states on a single Fourth of July. Waltzs Georgetown is a murder thriller in which Waltz stars alongside Annette Bening and Vanessa Redgrave.

Also on tap are: the Alec Baldwin-led hybrid documentary Framing John DeLorean; the Zac Efron-starring Ted Bundy tale Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile; and the Billy Crystal-Ben Schwartz comedy Standing Up, Falling Down.

The Tribeca Film Festival runs April 25-May 5. The festival previously announced that the HBO documentary The Apollo will open the festival at the iconic Harlem theater.

___

Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP

Read the original post:
Chelsea Manning, Parkland teens docs to debut at Tribeca

Chelsea Manning loses bid to quash subpoena in Virginia

(Reuters) - Chelsea Manning on Tuesday lost a bid to quash a subpoena compelling her to testify in front of a grand jury, according to media reports and a group supporting her.

Manning is a transgender U.S. Army soldier who served seven years in military prison for leaking classified data while she was working as an intelligence analyst in Iraq. She was granted clemency by former U.S. President Barack Obama.

Manning is expected to return to the courthouse in Alexandria on Wednesday, according to Chelsea Resists!, a group that supports her.

It is not clear why Manning is being compelled to appear in court. In remarks made outside the Virginia courthouse, Manning said she opposed grand juries in general and that her team thinks they "still have grounds to litigate," the Washington Post reported.

Manning was convicted by court-martial in 2013 of espionage and other crimes because she furnished more than 70,000 documents, videos and diplomatic cables to Wikileaks, an organization that publishes information from anonymous sources.

In November, U.S. prosecutors revealed they were pursuing a criminal case against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange and had obtained a sealed indictment against him.

Lawyers for Manning and representatives from the courthouse did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

(Reporting by Makini Brice; Editing by Tom Brown)

Follow this link:
Chelsea Manning loses bid to quash subpoena in Virginia

Chelsea Manning continues to fight grand jury subpoena – SFGate

Matthew Barakat, Associated Press

Photo: Matthew Barakat, AP

Chelsea Manning continues to fight grand jury subpoena

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) A judge rejected an effort from Chelsea Manning to quash a subpoena demanding her testimony in an apparent investigation of Wikileaks, the former Army intelligence analyst said Tuesday.

But Manning said after the hearing in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, that she will continue her legal efforts to avoid testifying to the grand jury.

"I'm going to be back here tomorrow" to continue fighting the subpoena, Manning said as she left the courthouse.

Tuesday's hearing before U.S. District Judge Claude Hilton was closed to the public, and prosecutors at the hearing, including U.S. Attorney Zach Terwilliger, made no comments afterward.

In a brief statement after the hearing, Manning confirmed that the judge rejected her motion to quash the subpoena as well as efforts to open the hearing to the public.

She said she opposes the grand-jury system as a matter of principle.

"Grand juries are terrible, to say the least," Manning said, noting the rules prohibit her lawyers from accompanying her during her testimony and other rules she said bend the process to suit prosecutors' whims. "The idea that there is such a thing as an independent grand jury is long gone."

Manning who had about a dozen supporters at the courthouse carrying signs that read "Solidarity with Chelsea" and "defend Grand Jury Resistance" said she does not know why here testimony is being sought.

"I just know there were an awful lot of government lawyers there" at the hearing, she said.

Prosecutors in Alexandria have long been investigating Wikileaks. Manning served seven years of a 35-year military sentence for leaking a trove of military and diplomatic documents to the anti-secrecy website before then-President Barack Obama commuted her sentence.

Last year, prosecutors in Alexandria inadvertently disclosed that Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is facing unspecified, sealed criminal charges in the district.

Wikileaks has emerged as an important part of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into possible Russian meddling into the 2016 presidential election, as investigators focus on whether President Donald Trump's campaign knew Russian hackers were going to provide emails to Wikileaks stolen from Democratic organizations, including presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's campaign.

But the Alexandria prosecutors' investigation of Wikileaks predates 2016, so there's no obvious link between the efforts to subpoena Manning and Wikileaks' role in disseminating the hacked emails.

See the original post here:
Chelsea Manning continues to fight grand jury subpoena - SFGate