[Crypto-chi] NSA to infect millions and bypass crypto

Thu Feb 19 01:42:46 CST 2015

hi everybody
Whilst it's  true that a lot of the stuff that the Feds are trying to do is not new like keylogging and there's a lot of going over stuff that's been done previously even by crime grade baddies (see https://blog.bit9.com/2015/02/18/equation-group-report-reveals-something-we-already-knew/) there are some disturbing topics with this new malware.  And other dubious  tactics adopted by the g-men to defeat crypto which is germane to the heart of this users group.
In addition to the tried and true webcam captures and all this stuff, the firmware in HDs is compromised which defeats at first appearance a lot of wot we're doing in the cryto space.http://www.pcworld.com/article/2884952/equation-cyberspies-use-unrivaled-nsastyle-techniques-to-hit-iran-russia.html
As a corollary , there's Fanny worm which cloaks itself a regular common crook malware whilst hiding its real nefarious deeds. To do reconnaissance. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2885192/fanny-superworm-likely-the-precursor-to-stuxnet.html
And the show doesn't stop there.  NSA has purportedly defeated crypto technologies with Google, Facebook etc by undermining SSL, VPNs, TLS. http://arstechnica.com/security/2013/09/nsa-attains-the-holy-grail-of-spying-decodes-vast-swaths-of-internet-traffic/
 Stay with me on this.
Intel allegedly weakened its RdRand processor instruction used to generate random numbers to make them cryptographically weak.  Even Bruce Schneier weighs in on this.https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2013/09/surreptitiously.html
Which caused Linus Torvald of Linux fame to discard call not to use RdRand in Linux. And give the camera the finger. Funny pic. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2013/09/10/torvalds_on_rrrand_nsa_gchq/
Now, as correctly pointed out we're not living in foreign countries (though I have), all of these tenebrous techniques can be turned against ordinary netizens like us. Some of us may indeed by members of an NGO.  Or have interests that may trigger review.  If viewed suspicious by the feds for WOTEVER the reason we could be targets. See for instance that readers of Linux Journal - I am one of them - has been flagged by the NSA for extra monitoring (http://www.linuxjournal.com/content/nsa-linux-journal-extremist-forum-and-its-readers-get-flagged-extra-surveillance). Tor users become Fed targets. http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/09/19/fbi_overseas_hacking_powers/
Aside from having a good lawyer defend us, we rely on crypto technology to defend our privacy and help keep us safe from prying eyes.  Thanks goodness we have folks like the Tor project team and Linus Torvald who said NO when approached by the Feds to implement back doors so they can get in. 
The point is all this technology we rely on is under attack.  And heaven forbid this malware falls into the hands of cyber criminals. Our bank accounts, medical records - all that stuff - would be at high risk. 
That is wot is so concerning about these hacks and malware. Don't you think? -Joe 
> Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2015 10:09:56 -0600
> From: brian at fiberoverethernet.com
> To: cryptoparty-chi at groups.sshchicago.org
> CC: joseph.fuentes at live.com
> Subject: Re: [Crypto-chi] NSA to infect millions and bypass crypto
> 
> There is a key sentence in the article: " [...] targeted computers and 
> to siphon out data from foreign Internet and phone networks."
> 
> You are not the specific target. The NSA is not your enemy. You don't 
> live in a foreign country, or run a foreign network that is used by 
> foreign governments, advocate groups, NGOs, or open source projects 
> intended to safeguard people like the Tor Project.
> 
> Key logging is nothing new. Webcam or Microphone monitoring is nothing 
> new. TAO is nothing new. This article rehashes everything we already 
> know.
> 
> The USG and others are trying to circumvent encryption in so many ways, 
> why you ask? Because strong encryption WORKS and they CAN'T defeat it.
> 
> -Brian
> 
> 
> On 17-02-2015 23:20, joe fuentes wrote:
> > Hello everyone!
> > 
> > Whilst this isn't surprising to read about the NSA - and its brit
> > lackey dog, the GCHQ - is up to its old bag of tricks, wot is a bit
> > disturbing is how it plans to get around crypto by utilizing implants
> > and enable keylogging, webcam and microphone captures and other
> > dastardly and diabolical shenanigans. The first part of the article is
> > standard stuff though very interesting read but pay close attention to
> > the section beginning with CIRCUMVENTING ENCRYPTION.
> > 
> > Now I pose a question to the group; whilst we use crypto tools to
> > guard our privacy _how in the heck do we cope with wot these
> > intelligence agencies are doling out as described in this article
> > _(which wuz based on the Snowden leaks)??
> > 
> > Thoughts?
> > 
> > https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/03/12/nsa-plans-infect-millions-computers-malware/
> > [1]
> > 
> > -Joe
> > 
> > 
> > 
> > Links:
> > ------
> > [1]
> > https://firstlook.org/theintercept/2014/03/12/nsa-plans-infect-millions-computers-malware/
> > 
> > _______________________________________________
> > cryptoparty-chi mailing list
> > cryptoparty-chi at groups.sshchicago.org
> > http://groups.sshchicago.org/listinfo/cryptoparty-chi
 		 	   		  
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