The great sim heist how spies stole the keys to the encryption castle

[onawah]

"AMERICAN AND BRITISH spies hacked into the internal computer network of the largest manufacturer of SIM cards in the world, stealing encryption keys used to protect the privacy of cellphone communications across the globe, according to top-secret documents provided to The Intercept by National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden."
BY JEREMY SCAHILL AND JOSH BEGLEY 2/19/15
Very long article here:
https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2015/02/19/great-sim-heist/

[Flash]

The article is really Worth reading, it shows a kind of 007 spying of regular folks like you and me for the acquisition of company's private and conrurrential information.

Once a government does that, it means they have become international crooks.

[TargeT]

I added something on this topic to the Snowden thread. (here (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?59919-Edward-Snowden-the-whistleblower-behind-the-NSA-surveillance-revelations&p=934877&viewfull=1#post934877))

Basically if you communicate electronically know this: your device and the medium over which you use to communicate are both so compromised it's almost funny, don't trust them for confidentiality.

[Lifebringer]

With all the ID thefts occurring thru bank cards, online pays and credit cards, looks like the electronic security of citizens worldwide, IS A BUST. Nomatter how many they put on security, there will always be another criminal octopus to steal it. After all they do hire the best, and make them an offer they "won't" refuse, if they value their life. Remember Capone's bookeeper? Same thing only now it's open season on what used to be put in your dresser draw or file cabinet for future thefts. Looks like it's back to the ATM or personal checks and bank appearances. Not that they'll get anything but practice on my poor behind, but for those who dodge taxes, and launder money the accounts can be monitored to see if money is being moved through an account w/in 24-72 hours after gaining interest for 2 days. Crooks incorporated.

[onawah]

New NSA Chief Declines Comment on Spyware Reports


The new Director of the National
Security Agency, Adm. Mike Rogers
refused to comment last Monday on
reports that the US government
implants spyware on computer hard
drives for surveillance purposes,
saying "we fully comply with the law."

US Navy Admiral Michael Rogers was
responding to reports that the NSA
had embedded spyware in computers
on a vast scale and that along with its
British counterpart, had hacked into
the world's biggest manufacturer of
cellphone SIM cards.

"Clearly I'm not going to get into the
specifics of allegations. But the point I
would make is, we fully comply with the
law," Rogers said at a Washington forum
sponsored by the New America think-
tank.

The Moscow-based security software
maker, Kaspersky Lab said last week that
the NSA had figured out how to embed
spy software deep within hard drives by
Western Digital, Seagate, Toshiba and
other top manufacturers, giving the
agency the means to eavesdrop on a
majority of the world's computers.

Another report, based on documents
provided by former NSA contractor Ed
Snowden and published by the Intercept
site, said the US agency and its British
counterpart hacked into Gemalto, which
produces SIM cards. That would potentially
allow intelligence agencies to monitor the
calls, texts and emails of billions of people,
the report said.

Rogers, whose agency has come under
intense scrutiny since 2013 when Snowden
exposed details of its widespread
surveillance programs, said: "I am not going
to chase every allegation out there. I don't
have time."

Even as he declined comment on the
reports of aggressive NSA operations,
Rogers argued that US intelligence,
along with law enforcement agencies,
needs the legal means to break strong
encryption increasingly built into
operating systems such as those of
Apple or Google.

30ciwi2ws5c
New NSA Chief Declines Comment on Spyware Reports

http://www.ForbiddenKnowledgeTV.com/page/27073.html