Shipping giants FedEx and UPS haven’t said much since it was revealed Sunday that the National Security Agency intercepts electronics packages to install spyware, but what they have said implies they knew what the agency was up to.Read it all here.
Security researcher Jacob Appelbaum co-wrote a Der Spiegel article published Sunday detailing how the NSA intercepts newly purchased computer products mid-shipment to install surveillance malware before reaching the buyer without their knowledge.
“If a target person, agency or company orders a new computer or related accessories, for example, TAO [Office of Tailored Access Operations] can divert the shipping delivery to its own secret workshops,” Appelbaum wrote. ”The NSA calls this method interdiction. At these so-called “load stations,” agents carefully open the package in order to load malware onto the electronics, or even install hardware components that can provide backdoor access for the intelligence agencies. All subsequent steps can then be conducted from the comfort of a remote computer.”
Sorry. It is beyond a fact now. Snowden is a hero. We would never have learned about any of these abuses without him doing what he did. The scary part of all of this is that there is more to come. By the NSA and White Houses own admission, this is just a tip of the iceberg. The US is now spying on its citizens so efficiently now that the Soviet Union, Communist China or even the Nazis would be envious.
Forget Obama Care. The spying on its citizens by the government is the issue that has fundamentally changed America (although I hasten to add that centralized medical record keeping/access- think ready made nation wide DNA database-- could also be seen as part of total information warfare).
Snowden is a hero in full sense of the word ,he gave up a normal life and is now forced to live in exile he might be safe in Russia for now but you never know what Czar Putin comes up with and when Snowden becomes a liability . Remember at one time there was pressure to exchange Snowden for Viktor Bout
ReplyDeleteGuys I enjoy and support freedom on a fundamental level, but when the public's safety is at stake due to terrorism I'm willing to let a few things slide. Its been a long time since terrorists have been able to pull off anything on the scale of 9/11 because the government has been able to act.
ReplyDeleteDo we need another trade center bombing to understand what is necessary?
Just because its been a few years doesn't mean we can forget what happened and expect that it won't happen again.
In fact, with all the softening on the intelligence gathering and tying of the government's hand in pursuing terrorists I predict that future terrorists attacks are quite likely.
We can't invade a couple countries every time that happens, it wont stop it and and the rest of the world will revolt militarily.
The war on terrorism in large has to be won with information and support to international law enforcement with foreign government support.
Snowden is a spy, have you actually looked at what he did. Of course Russia gave exile Im sure the bastard is doing great work for their intelligence service right now that will cost us trillions of dollars, hes exactly like any mig 29 pilot that sold us a plane in the 80's he is a traditional traitor motherfucker. I praise the guy that shoots him in the head.
We ought to send a covert assassin over there and take his ass out
Delete''They who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.'' does that ring a bell.
DeleteYou are acting like 9/11 was the first terrorist act wordlwide. People in much of Europe lived with terror and for decades but never gave up as much freedom as US did in one go.
the safest societies ever known have been Communist style Police states. so you're telling me that you would rather have safety and security rather than freedom?
ReplyDeleteits a cliche but Bin Laden won when he got Americans to buy into that concept. he made an ass out of Bush and he did the same from the grave to Obama. they're wrecking our freedoms just to try to provide THE ILLUSION of security. remember the boston bombers? you can't guarantee life dude. bad shit happens everyday.
oh and i repeat. SNOWDEN IS A HERO. he shined light on what the executive and the legislative branches of government were doing in the dark. that takes guts. if he had remained in the US and "gone through channels" then the story would have been forever buried. i'm sure he's not the first to try to expose this stupidity and he won't be the last.
ReplyDeleteIf we are not willing to do what is necessary now, we will be willing to do what is necessary later. So letting the government do what it takes to stop the bastards before it escalates to a police state and americans retaliating with terrorism on foreign soil in kind and all the ensuing military dillemnas that follow is the best course of action
ReplyDeletethe FUCKING US GOVERNMENT is intercepting packages to insert spy gear that US citizens bought IN THE US. thats Soviet Union shit. we are teaching totalitarian governments how to do it better! you don't think China isn't going to use these same tactics against dissidents? it might be wrapped in a velvet glove but its a HUGE IRON FIST being shoved up the ass of the American people.
DeleteSnowden disclosed highly classified information about how our satellites and supercomputers gather and process information not just to the public but to our enemies. The media can empower themselves regardless of the expense it comes at by painting it in the light of civil liberties but it doesn't change what he did. The enemies of the United States (I.E. us= we the people) will probably use everything they learn form him to do it to us without any interest in our safety anyway
ReplyDeleteyou're not even trying to defend the illegalities being perpetrated on the American people by its govt. you ignore the story about them inserting SPY GEAR into citizens personal devices. you ignore all that and yet glom onto disclosures that the enemy already knew about.
DeleteTHE SPY GAME JUST WENT PUBLIC! we spy on friends and allies and they do the same. THAT IS NOT NEW. WHAT IS NEW IS THAT OUR GOVT SPIES ON US!
The point is that they shouldn't have done it in the first place to the extent that they did. That's why Snowden correctly revealed it, and we thank him for it. Not only was the program wrong, it was also ineffective. The government does not cite a single case in which analysis of the NSA's bulk metadata collection actually stopped an imminent terrorist attack.
DeleteAs far as General Alexander goes, he violated his oath of commission by not supporting the Fourth Amendment of the Constitution. . "I, _____, having been appointed an officer in the Army of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of _____ do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, ..." In fact Alexander is an enemy of the constitution.
Regarding "highly classified information" try that argument on somebody who doesn't know how the classification system is totally abused, not on us.
You know what? This is just plain stupid. The US Government spies on everyone. Including so-called "friends". They spied on heads of state. Anyone and everyone they can think off.
DeleteNSA employees have been investigated and asked to "move on" after they spied on their spouses for CHEATING.
Remember back in 1990's, after the first Iraq invasion? NSA spied on Saudi Arabia and found evidences that Saudi Government was buying Airbus instead of Boeing. Anyone want to tell me where was the so-called "security threat" here?
Don't even get me started about the first un-successful attempt to take down WTC building and the 9/11 fiasco. In both cases, ample intelligence was available. No actions were taken because each intelligence agencies involved refused to share information. Before 9/11 happened, AQ were already talking about sending planes into buildings. Intelligence agencies knew about it already.
US intelligence agency spies on everyone regardless of reason, including INDUSTRIAL ESPIONAGE. No "commercial-grade" encryption is going to make your internet traffic secure. PERIOD. Any individual who thinks that they can use the internet and send secure and encrypted messages need to get their head examined.
I agree that we should be always be concerned about the level of state infiltration into our lives. But really, when was the last time the FBI tapped your phone and after doing so searched your car based on what they heard. They don't have the power to get in your life that far and they don't want to. Do you vote, I vote.
ReplyDeleteThis is not the Russian secret police we're talking about. People don't disappear in the night for things they said about the government. This is the federal government that we elected to power trying to protect us from people that want to kill o ur men, women, and children alike.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk9uTjRNdVI
http://snafu-solomon.blogspot.com/2013/12/nsfw-dshk-headshot-gif-via-tacblog.html
Ladies and gentlemen this is your enemy.
I grew up going to school with a shia muslim (they were granted asylum when the shah was overthrown) Her dad taught helicopters and her brother is an interpreter for the military.They walk free today in america safely because mass terrorism and the following hysteria is contained.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZOajMkkCjI
Now if you'll skip the two announcers in this clip that are stirring the pot with inaccuracies trying to get ratings for their show, and listen to the CBS interview with Obama and the legal situation governing the surveillance you will see that the process respects our freedoms.
You realize illegally obtained evidence is insubmissible, a warrant must be specific, and cyberspace is stationary and therefore exempt from the exclusionary clause in the 4th amendment.
''
DeleteThis is not the Russian secret police we're talking about. People don't disappear in the night for things they said about the government. This is the federal government that we elected to power trying to protect us from people that want to kill o ur men, women, and children alike. ''
LOL remember post 9/11 detentions .People do disappear in the night and in many cases are held for years without trial(most of Guantanamo bay inmates will be proven inocent) .So worse than Russia.
Your biggest enemy are also your best buddies remember the Saudis (most 9/11 terrorists were Saudis,Bin Laden was Saudi ,Taliban and Islamic extremism is Saudi funded ,but oil money buys friends. NSA keeping tabs on you has nothing to do with fighting terror.
Obama is a liar and a criminal who spawned Clapper and Brennan and Alexander, also criminals. We have a government in order to protect out rights not remove them. As I said above, these people take an oath to do that. They do NOT take an oath to 'keep us secure' in nay way they desire. They do not. So priorities have to be ordered.
DeleteThe NSA has two conflicting missions: one to defend key American networks, and one to collect intelligence on our adversaries. General Alexander is a loose cannon in charge of this confusion, acting on his own volition against Americans and degrading security.
ReplyDeleteThe NSA actually has weakened Americans' security. Documents leaked by Edward Snowden have exposed more details about how the NSA's dual missions undermine each other. The agency uses court orders to oblige Google to turn over its users' data under the Prism program, while finding ways around Google's encryption when compiling contact lists of unsuspecting Google users in collection supervised by no court.
While the NSA points to vulnerabilities of American business networks and communications, it works with companies to "insert vulnerabilities into commercial encryption systems" and "influence policies, standards and specification for commercial public key technology". Even as NSA and other national security leaders warn that cyberattacks present the biggest threat to the country, NSA is leaving open or even creating vulnerabilities that our adversaries can exploit.
Good job NSA! Dispose Snowden and continue to protect US!
ReplyDeleteTwixter: I disagree. NSA didn't do a "good job". NSA was caught sleeping ... with their pants down.
DeleteThey let Snowden, a CONTRACTOR, leave the office with classified material. Then they let Snowden FLY OUT of the country un-detected. Heck, they didn't have proper audit what files he copied. To make it worst, NSA gave him nearly unrestricted access to classified materials.
If this ain't a significant breach of protocols, I don't know what is.