Forbes | Latest WikiLeaks Show The CIA Has Been Hacking WiFi Routers For Years Forbes On Friday, ZDNet reported that documents released by WikiLeaks show how the CIA has been remotely tapping into routers in private homes and businesses with a variety of tools so as to gain access to those computer networks. Included in the "dozens of ... |
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Latest WikiLeaks Show The CIA Has Been Hacking WiFi Routers For Years - Forbes
The Central Intelligence Agency likes to hack Wi-Fi routers.
Thats the major takeaway from a new dump from Wikileaks that includes the details of software used by the agency to spy on all and sundry.
Called Cherry Blossom, the CIA-designed hacking softwareuses a modified version of a routers firmware to turn it into a surveillance tool. The firmware allows the agency to monitor thetargets internet traffic remotely, scan for useful information such aspasswords and redirect the target to a desired website.
The idea of the CIA spying on people isnt particularly groundbreaking, but what is more interesting is that Cherry Blossom can be installed remotely with zero physical access to the router itself. It uses a process called FlyTrap by which an implanted device can then be used to monitor the Internet activity of and deliver software exploits to targets of interest, the CIA manual noted.
The method of attack is to hijack the over-the-air firmware upgrade functionality. Many wireless devices allow a firmware upgrade over the wireless link, meaning a wireless device can often be implanted without physical access, the manual noted. Supported devices can be implanted by upgrading the firmware using a variety of tools/techniques.
The document would appear to be somewhat old, given that it includes references to as of August 2012. Still, no router would be safe from Cherry Blossom. The manual described different versions of the hacking tool tailored to a multiplebrands and models of routers, including devices from Asus, Belkin, Buffalo, Dell, DLink, Linksys, Motorola, Netgear, Senao and US Robotics.
Once the new firmware on the device is flashed, the router or access point will become a so-called FlyTrap, Wikileaks noted in its press release. A FlyTrap will beacon over the Internet to a Command & Control server referred to as the CherryTree. That beaconed information contains device status and security information that the CherryTree then logs into a database.
In response to this information, the CherryTree sends a Mission with operator-defined tasking, Wikileaks continued. An operator can use CherryWeb, a browser-based user interface to view Flytrap status and security info, plan Mission tasking, view Mission-related data, and perform system administration tasks.
Althoughthe CIA is legally restricted from operating within the borders of the United States, if youre reading this from another country and are doing something untoward, it may be advisable for you to turn off your router very quickly.
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Wikileaks dump details how the CIA can easily hijack routers - SiliconANGLE (blog)
Common Dreams | Chelsea Manning's Persevering Spirit Shines In Interview For ABC's ... Common Dreams Whether in an imperfect or hostile setting, Chelsea Manning's persevering spirit and humanity never fails to shine. That was certainly the case in her exclusive ... Chelsea Manning Is Still Confusing 'The Right Thing' With 'Treason' |
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Chelsea Manning's Persevering Spirit Shines In Interview For ABC's ... - Common Dreams
The proposal has to be approved by Parliament and then reviewed by the EU Council, so there's still a chance that the rules will be softened if and when the amendments pass.
If they do clear, though, they could set up a conflict between the EU and countries that aren't so fond of encryption. The UK is undoubtedly the main concern, even after it leaves the EU. A ban on backdoors would make it difficult for the country to enforce the Investigatory Powers Act's requirement that companies remove "electronic protection" when possible. How would that be meaningful when virtually every tech company in Europe is encrypting data traffic? You're not likely to see UK-specific versions of apps that introduce security holes.
This would also thwart the efforts of some American politicians (such as Senators Richard Burr and Dianne Feinstein) to effectively ban airtight encryption. While those proposals have largely stalled, they'd face an even tougher battle in Congress if it meant pitting American and European security policies against each other. Simply put, the EU could wind up dictating encryption strength well beyond its member states' borders.
The Hindu | A quantum step to a great wall for encryption The Hindu Modern, electronic secrecy works by two parties encrypting the messages they want to exchange and sending each other 'keys' (which are chains of numbers) that can be used to decrypt the information. The trouble is that a third eavesdropper can ... Global Quantum Communication Might Be Closer Than We Think China set to build a 'completely new internet' Satellite sends First Quantum Signal to Earth |
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A quantum step to a great wall for encryption - The Hindu
A former official of China's central bank is set to give a lecture on cryptocurrencies later this month.
Ping Xie wasthe first bureau chief of the People's Bank of China's Financial Stability Bureau. During his time at the PBoC, Xie worked inthe central bank'sNon-Banking Supervision Department andResearch Bureau, while also serving as the governor of its branch in Hunan Province, according to Bloomberg. He began his stint at the PBoC in 1985, departing in 2005.
Xie's lecture on cryptocurrencies is part of a series of nine lectures he plans to give on the topic of digitalfinance. The first lecture will beposted online on 23rd June, according to promotional materials.
It's a notable development for a long-time fixture in China's regulatory space who played a role in the economic reforms undertaken by China's government.
Beyond his work at the central bank, Xie served asgeneral manager ofCentral Huijin Investment Company, a state-owned company that manages state-owned assets and investments on behalf ofChina, where he focused on overseas investments.
Xie isalso the author ofthe book focused on digital finance entitled "Internet Finance in China: Introduction and Practical Approaches".
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Former People's Bank of China Official to Give Cryptocurrency Lecture - CoinDesk
More money in circulation will ultimately lead to more investments in cryptocurrencies.
A lot people wonder where the sudden interest in cryptocurrencies is coming from. Rising prices certainly help to raise more awareness. However,it appears the global central bank woes are the biggest driving factor right now. Up until recently, demand for Bitcoin was small other than from a speculative point of view. A recent Federal Reserve decision will drive more people to cryptocurrency in the future. Central banks are making the swithc to Bitcoin a lot easier these days.
It is evident central banks around the world are slowly losing an uphill battle. Consumers are less eager to trust banks, for obvious reasons. Moreover, despite plenty of evidence suggesting otherwise, central banks feel printing more money is always the solution. Helicopter money has always been ineffective, now more than ever before. When financial turmoil occurs, investors do not buy bonds anymore. Instead, they flock to cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Ethereum.
The Federal Reserve plans to keep raising interest rates. On paper, this is a good idea for US consumers. In reality, however, things are very different. The US economy is not in a good place and raising interest rates will stress the economy even more. Moreover, these hikes will only be provided by printing more money. More money in circulation will ultimately lead to more investments in cryptocurrencies.
One thing that sets cryptocurrencies apart from central banks is how there is no inflation. At least, where Bitcoin is concerned, as other currencies may not follow the same path. Cash and traditional assets are in high demand to hedge against inflation. Bitcoin has a fixed market cap, although the amount of coins in circulation will continue to grow until the year 2140. At the same time, Bitcoin can be seen as deflationary. Its purchasing power per unit increases, whereas cash has the opposite effect.
It is evident central banks have their work cut out for them. Printing more money is not a solution under any circumstance. It only makes matters worse for the local and global economy. If central banks continue down the path of helicopter money, they will effectively push people toward cryptocurrency. No one would mind that outcome, though. It is due time people learn to take back control of their own wealth. Now is as good a time as any.
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Helicopter Money Policy by Central Banks Will Benefit Global Cryptocurrency Adoption - newsBTC
New York Post | Chelsea Manning takes selfie with her photo on Times Square billboard New York Post Government secrets leaker-turned-ex-con Chelsea Manning popped up in the heart of Times Square on Monday looking more like a wide-eyed tourist than espionage criminal in a striped tee, jeans and sneakers. just hanging out at times square, with ... Chelsea Manning: I leaked reports after seeing how Americans ... Chelsea Manning Speaks Out First Time Since Prison Release ... Media: Chelsea Manning speaks out |
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Chelsea Manning takes selfie with her photo on Times Square billboard - New York Post
DEFINITION of 'Encryption'
Encryption is a means of securing data using a password (key). The encryption process is simple data is secured by translating information using an algorithm and a binary key. When the data needs to be read back, the code is decrypted using either the same key or a different key depending on the type of encryption used.
Encryption strength is based on the length of the security key. In the latter quarter of the 20th century, 40 bit encryption, which is a key with 240 possible permutations, and 56 bit encryption was standard. Those keys were breakable through brute force attacks by the end of the century, and the 128 bit system became standard in web browsers. The Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is a protocol for data encryption created in 2001 by the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology. AES uses a 128 bit block size, but key lengths of 128, 192 and 256 bits. AES uses a symmetric-key algorithm, meaning the same key is used for both encrypting and decrypting the data. 128-bit encryption is standard but most banks; militaries and governments use 256-bit encryption.
Cyber-attacks are now constant, threats to privacy are increasing, and more rigid regulations are looming worldwide. To help IT folks relax in the face of these challenges, Jetico updated its BestCrypt Container Encryption solution to include Container Guard.
This unique feature of Jetico's Linux file encryption protects container files from unauthorized or accidental commandslike copying, modification, moving, deletion and re-encryptionresulting in bolstered security and more peace of mind. Only users with the admin password can disable Container Guard, increasing the security of sensitive files.
The BestCrypt update also adds the Resident feature, an automatic password prompt for mounting containers at startup. That same feature will dismount containers after a time period of inactivity as set by the user.
While user-friendly and time-saving, these added features also provide an extra layer of protection when working on shared computers. On endpoints or in the cloud, data encrypted with BestCrypt can be accessed via Linux, Android, Windows and Mac devices.
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Jetico's BestCrypt Container Encryption for Linux - Linux Journal