Sandia involved in hacking private citizens
At the 2012 TCB Jamboree, presenters from Sandia National Laboratories, which is a contractor for the Department of Energy, described an attack on Xcode, the Apple software used to compile applications in Mac OS X and iOS. The “whacked” Xcode exploit, called Strawhorse, enables intelligence agents to implant a version of Xcode on developers' computers which, unbeknownst to the developers, would cause software they compile to include a backdoor or other compromise. If successful, the attack could enable a range of surveillance-friendly applications to be covertly made available to the public. The report suggests that the Sandia team discovered and employed a number of additional vulnerabilities in Apple’s hardware and software, including a vulnerability in Apple's secure element that enabled them to extract a secret key, and one that allowed modification of the OS X updater to install a keylogger
38 comments:
So Sandia does work for the intelligence community... maybe the other labs need to be doing the same to help fix their fiscal problems...
So Sandia does work for the intelligence community... maybe the other labs need to be doing the same to help fix their fiscal problems...
April 14, 2015 at 5:43 PM
As if the other NNSA labs don't do significant intelligence community work. They all have intel divisions that get their money from the intel community "off the books." Sandia just said a little too much about what they are doing. I'm sure their sponsor is not pleased.
Apple must be so happy that our national labs and the US intelligence agencies are destroying export sells of hardware and software with escapades like this one.
Nobody trust US company tech products any longer. The tech products are all a bunch of US government compromised spy-ware.
Re: April 14, 2015 at 7:17 PM
Good point. Sandians doesn't know how to keep their mouths shut.
US tech companies work closely with the intelligence community. In fact, the government just about demands their top executives have clearances:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102483901
In the US your top loyalty is to the government and the highest form of national service is to work the the intelligence community.
US tech companies work closely with the intelligence community. In fact, the government just about demands their top executives have clearances:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102483901
In the US your top loyalty is to the government and the highest form of national service is to work the the intelligence community.
In the US your top loyalty is to the government and the highest form of national service is to work the the intelligence community.
April 15, 2015 at 5:20 PM
No, just the highest form of security clearance involved. As for loyalty, each citizen makes his choice, but to disavow loyalty to the country (and therefore the government which according to our system and laws, carries out he will of the country) in peace time is reprehensible, in wartime is a felony called treason.
I know you will disagree that the the government carries out the will of the country, but that means you object to the Constitution and its establishment of a representative republic. That's your right, but it is a minority opinion.
Hitler and Stalin would love 9:15. Statists believe that people exist for the state. We have individual, God-given rights. Doing the government's bidding, like Cisco letting the NSA put bugs into their products, is blind loyalty.
The NSA carries out it's own delusional will. It has nothing to do with the constitution or reality for that matter.
I think 9:15 is right. The government does carry out the will of the loyal public. The people that disagree are in the minority. I think maybe those people should be separated from the loyal public, maybe in a camp, because they could be traitorous. I think trains could be used to transport those people to the said camps. People would probably need a shower when they got there. Hmmm.
If your lack of loyalty to your country is a source of satisfaction and pride to you, perhaps you should ask yourself why that is, and if there would ever be anything or anyone to whom you would feel loyalty. What exactly would it take for you to actively defend and protect the country you live in? What exactly is the difference in your mind between protecting and loyally defending your country, and protecting and loyally defending your family, your community, and yourself? Don't you live in your country? Or is the concept of having to actively, personally defend your loved ones and your way of life so foreign to you? Coddled, self-absorbed, and ignorant of the world.
April 16, 2015 at 8:59 PM
No one is asking you to justify actions you don't agree with. Your extremely narrow, partisan, nasty view of your country is sad, luckily your caustic view of things is only eating away your own sanity, and you are in the minority. I hope your bile is not infecting those close to you.
Snowden showed us all that the U.S. is not a country bound by the rule of law. We go around effectively spying on our own citizens by using little tricks and loopholes, which makes us no better than China. That is the truth of the matter. Doesn't mean that what the U.S. is doing is not helping improve security for the benefit of the country. But have no illusion that we are a country bound by the rule of law and that people who abuse civil liberties will be brought to justice.
April 17, 2015 at 8:25 AM:
If you think the only result of Snowden's unauthorized disclosure of classified information was to expose the NSA "spying" programs, your knowledge of that issue is as uninformed and narrow as the rest of your views.
I never said that "If you think the only result of Snowden's unauthorized disclosure of classified information was to expose the NSA "spying" programs".
To assure you that that was not my message, I will say it here... What Snowden was illegal, and I would never condone what he did. In fact, he did much more damage than good to this country, and he should be prosecuted to the full extent. The only message I was making was that he exposed certain illegal and potentially illegal acts, making the point that laws are applied very selectively, as they do in countries that do not have strong "rule of law" institutions. We only live in a country that "thinks" of itself as having strong "rule of law" traditions and institutions. The truth is that we don't.
We only live in a country that "thinks" of itself as having strong "rule of law" traditions and institutions. The truth is that we don't.
April 17, 2015 at 2:51 PM
For anyone who believes that, it is a self-fulfilling prophesy. You make your own reality and then you have to live in it.
Many of us take a solemn oath to defend the laws and rights that are defined in the US Constitution. I know of nothing regarding oaths to America being equated with loyalty to the NSA or any other government agency, department or politician.
The only thing that the national labs, agencies and government departments require is NDA (non-disclosure agreements) and willful violating our laws by government institutions over-rides any signed NDA.
It's frightening to witness how far some people have gone in defending the illegal actions of government agents. Hitler would be proud.
The only thing that the national labs, agencies and government departments require is NDA (non-disclosure agreements) and willful violating our laws by government institutions over-rides any signed NDA.
April 17, 2015 at 10:42 PM
You obviously haven't read the fine print of your NDA. Hint: there are severe civil and criminal penalties for violating it. Ask Snowden how his vacation in Ruddia is going.
If you signed an NDA, then I assume you have a security clearance. Keep in mind that if your words were to be attached to your identity (not a difficult task these days), that clearance would be gone, as would your livlihood.
The government is not allowed to engage in blatant criminal activity. Period.
Of course, anyone who signs an NDA and believes he is being asked to engage in blatant criminal activity as a government employee or contractor had better be damn sure of it before blowing the whistle. Having a "hunch" is not enough.
In the case of Snowden, the facts are still not clear. A legal trial might clear up the issue. He may have violated his NDA. He claims to have tried to post his concerns with his superiors but says he was repeatedly ignored. The truth is still unclear on that issue. Regardless of his legal culpability and whether he was morally right or wrong to make his disclosures, what was released to the public from the Snowden affair has started a badly needed conversation about what the government should and should not be doing in regards to surveillance of the American public. We still have an amazing Constitution that serves as the final law of the land for our nation.... for now, at least.
The only reason the true extent of what Snowden released, and how damaging it was, has not been made public is that the press saw the NSA story as the bigger issue. Listen to the testimony of the military people, not just the intel people, on how much damage was done to national security. The documents released were not just about NSA, not even predominantly so.
The big problem with Snowden is that he did not use any of the channels available to him for whistleblowing when it came to exposing classified information pertaining to illegal activity by the government. Furthermore, the "whistleblowing" aspect of his disclosures only applies to a narrow set of document disclosures. The rest was just criminal behavior on his part, and he damaged this country for these. He should be made to pay for his crimes.
Now, the illegal activities on the part of the government is a different story. Something needs to be done here. Just change the law to make spying on citizens legal, or prosecute those who took part in the programs to illegally spy on US citizens.
The rest was just criminal behavior on his part, and he damaged this country for these. He should be made to pay for his crimes.
April 19, 2015 at 10:23 AM
Which include treason.
Snowden is a narcissist. He's the ugly flip side of all the intelligence types who think they are saving the world with their actions. He thought he could change the world and the IC by exposing wrongdoing. He changed absolutely nothing but ruined his life and those of his coworkers. Classic narcissism - thinking your actions have far reaching consequences.
Most of the Snowden stuff is high-level briefings that are more bragging than anything else. The IC will continue to expand and manipulate our leaders. Americans love spying and intelligence.
April 19, 2015 at 3:42 PM
You have failed to realize how much of what Snowden released is NOT intel-related but jeopardized ongoing military operations and actually got people killed. That portion was much more volume and much higher damage than the Intel (NSA) stuff.
"You have failed to realize how much of what Snowden released is NOT intel-related but jeopardized ongoing military operations and actually got people killed. That portion was much more volume and much higher damage than the Intel (NSA) stuff.
April 19, 2015 at 8:29 PM"
How would you know what Snowden did or did not release?
How would you know what Snowden did or did not release?
April 25, 2015 at 9:13 PM
Uh, what, are you living in a cave? How about Congressional testimony from the CIA, NSA, DOD, and the National Intelligence Director? And if you are really interested, just look at Wikileaks. It isn't rocket science to stay informed on national issues. Try it.
"Uh, what, are you living in a cave? How about Congressional testimony from the CIA, NSA, DOD, and the National Intelligence Director? And if you are really interested, just look at Wikileaks. It isn't rocket science to stay informed on national issues. Try it.
April 25, 2015 at 9:29 PM"
Did it ever occur to you that all this government testimony might be somewhat tainted? Also by looking at Wikileaks you are encouraging it, perhaps you have an agenda? It isn't rocket science to figure out that we are not being told the who truth. Mr sheeple you should try questioning the information that they feed you.
Mr sheeple you should try questioning the information that they feed you.
April 26, 2015 at 8:59 PM
So I guess you mistrust ALL sources of information, except maybe anonymous blogs? It is a sign of extreme paranoia if you believe that from all sources you "are not being told the truth." So what is your source of "the truth"?? And exactly how does "questioning the information" result in "truth" if there are no truthful sources? If you truly believe that all the government employees of various agencies and various levels of authority are all marching in lockstep to some anonymous but omnipotent authority, when they testify under oath (and at risk of their careers) in front of Congress, you are way beyond paranoid; you are deranged. Go tidy up your bunker; the rest of us have lives to live.
April 26, 2015 at 9:55 PM
So you just blindly believe everything you are told.
So you just blindly believe everything you are told.
April 27, 2015 at 6:35 AM
Absolutely not. I'm just like you - I don't believe anything I am told. Unless of course it is a rumor on a blog, or the product of some insane conspiracy theory. Then of course I believe it. But sworn testimony from a large number of our country's leaders? Nope, nope, it's all lies.
Aside from this pissing contest, does anyone here actually think what Snowden did was right/legal? I'm just curious if the kind of idiotic support he gets from the uninformed masses shows up here on this blog. I'm just curious...
" uninformed masses "
And what makes you so "informed". I'm just curious...
And what makes you so "informed". I'm just curious...
April 27, 2015 at 8:29 PM
Uh, paying attention to what's happening? Duh. Oh, wait, you're the guy who doesn't believe anything. Difficult to be informed than, I guess.
"Oh, wait, you're the guy who doesn't believe anything."
Where did the person say they did not believe anything? I think they said they simply question some things. In any case it can be said that you believe everything even contradictory stories.
The pot calling the kettle black is just a form of trolling. Leave the trolls to themselves.
Complaining about the motivations of posters whose disagreement you happen to find distasteful is just a form of trolling. Leave the trolls to themselves.
This bill below would never have happened without the disclosures of Snowden. Something to ponder:
House reaches deal on bill to end NSA phone collection ( AP News - April 30, 2015 )
WASHINGTON (AP) — House leaders have reached a bipartisan compromise on a bill that would end the National Security Agency's controversial collection of American phone records, but the measure faces an uncertain future in the Senate.
The House Judiciary Committee on Thursday overwhelmingly passed the latest version of a bill known as the USA Freedom Act by a bipartisan vote of 25 to 2. The measure seeks to codify President Barack Obama's proposal to end the NSA's collection of domestic calling records. It would allow the agency to request certain records held by the telephone companies under a court order in terrorism investigations.
* Bid to end mass collection of phone data advances in U.S. Congress - Reuters
* US unveils 6-year-old report on NSA surveillance - Associated Press
* As deadline nears, Congress introduces new bills to end bulk NSA surveillance - ZDNet
* U.S. lawmakers seek to end spies' mass collection of phone data - Reuters
* Privacy advocates seek more openness on NSA surveillance - Associated Press
Jeffrey Dahmer probably loved his mother.
Adam Rowen a manager in Sandia Labs does not have a Ph.D. They split up his group. You should hear some of the things that the current staff members have to say about Adam Rowen!
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