For months, a debate has been going back and forth between Apple and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). This corporate heavyweight and government heavyweight aren’t backing down anytime soon.
It started several months ago. Apple CEO Tim Cook announced the data of iPhone users will be shielded by strong encryption. The encryption will be so strong not even Apple can break in and interpret it. But FBI officials led by Director James Comey argue terrorists and criminals could use this shield to their advantage. The rhetoric intensified yesterday when it was discovered a San Bernardino shooter used an iPhone. A court ordered Apple to hack into the phone by disabling security measures. Apple has five days to legally challenge this order. If Apple does so, the debate will turn into one of the biggest legal boxing matches of our generation. And Apple is getting allies. Google CEO Sundar Pichai sent a series of tweets supporting Cook’s stand. Pichai tweeted forcing companies to enable hacking will compromise the privacy of innocent individuals. Then there is a coalition called Reform Government Surveillance. It’s made up of mega tech/computer corporations like Microsoft, Facebook, Yahoo and AOL. They say companies shouldn’t be forced to build back doors to spy on their door.
For three years, the struggle between government agencies and tech companies has brewed. Remember when the Ed Snowden story broke, and people thought the Feds and tech companies were in cahoots??Now we know that isn’t the case. Yes, I side with the tech companies. Hacking into the tech companies of terrorists and criminals may sound good on paper. But they probably won’t stop there. What’s there to stop them from hacking innocent human beings? Plus, it does little good to break into the iPhone of a terrorists that is already dead. You can’t put dead people on trial. Plus, if government agencies do start hacking into other peoples’ iPhones, isn’t that going to make it easier for cyber criminals to do the same? They can easily look up how the Feds did it and imitate the steps themselves. Whose side are you on?
Do you know what today is? Yes, it’s Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras. Yes, it’s voting day in New Hampshire. But it’s also Safer Internet Day.
Safer Internet Day began in 2002 and is celebrated every 2nd Tuesday in February. It’s now observed in 120 countries. It was first observed to help keep children and teens safe online. But over the years, issues like hacking and identity theft became so prevalent the day takes on another meaning. That meaning is keeping you safe from hackers, malware, cyber criminals, even national agencies and world governments. Safer Internet Day is observed by giving tips to keep you and your family safe. We at Computer Geeks honor that tradition.
Change your passwords and change them often. Don’t use easy passwords either. Use passwords that you and only you would know like the name of your elementary school, your first car, or first pet, and the year these things happened (it’s always good to mix alphabetical and numerical signs together).
Get and update anti-virus software. With free anti-virus services like Avast, there’s no excuse not to.
If an email or social media post sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you get one saying something like, “We have money waiting for you. But we need some information…”, don’t give in. Too many people had been had.
If someone calls you and claim they’re from a legit corporation, like Microsoft , and say you need to pay to get a virus removed, or need your credit card information, don’t do it! Some scammers have put up viruses, then call you claiming to be a Microsoft rep and demand money. Microsoft doesn’t operate like that. If a virus is holding your computer hostage, call Computer Geeks.
Parents, monitor your children and teenagers’ computer activities. They’re too many cyberbullies, pedophiles, trolls, con-artists, even terrorists out there to be too relaxed about your kid’s online safety. Talk with your kids and warn them about the dangers out there. Remember, you’re their parent, not their friend. What other tips would you offer to keep innocent people safe online?
In Fresno, California, local law enforcement is using Beware software to calculate how dangerous people like you and me are. They comprise criminal records, commercial databases, Internet searches, hard drives, even a person’s social media posts. Law enforcement can do this as easy as lenders can track your credit score to determine a loan application. For example, 911 was called on a violent ex-boyfriend threatening his ex-girl. Beware software ran a threat score. His score came up bright red: the most dangerous. Police say such software can prevent mass shootings and terrorist attacks and find wanted suspects. But privacy rights advocates and civil libertarians say this is a violation of the Constitution. They’re calling for laws to be in place to protect the public. According to a representative from privacy and digital rights organization?Electronic Frontier Foundation, Beware software and other technologies like it have been in the works since 9/11. The rep said at first, only the military was to use this technology, now it has trickled down to local police departments.
Even today, sime members of the law enforcement community point to tragedies like Paris and San Bernadino for the need of Beware software, and other surveillance tools needed. Would it prevent such terror attacks? I don’t know. But I do know this is a debate that needs to be continued. My concern is this: How much longer before they turn these tools on law-abiding citizens? Don’t think they won’t? I have it by good authority Black Lives Matters protesters are already being spied on. American Revolutionary Benjamin Franklin said it best, “Anyone willing to give up liberty for security deserve neither liberty nor security.” ?Is anybody listening?
The day of this attack, government counter-terrorism leaders and tech executives met behind closed doors. The main topic was combating terrorist organizations like ISIS and preventing events like what happened in Philadelphia. Companies represented included Apple, Facebook, Twitter, Microsoft, You Tube, Yahoo and Pay Pal. Leaders of the FBI and NSA were there as well. One topic was to launch a social media campaign against ISIS. Both sides are exploring ways terrorists use and exploit the Internet for financial, recruiting and training purposes. For example, there’s a system on Facebook that deals with people who are suicidal. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg told government agents in attendance how those expressing suicidal thoughts could be flagged. Some officials wondered if this could be used to flag a potential terrorist on the verge of committing a suicide attack. This was just one of the many scenarios discussed. ?Despite disagreement over civil liberties and First Amendment rights, a lot of common ground was found.
I could’ve added to that. Another scenario is jihadist could recruit those who are on the brink of suicide. Note how these terror groups usually recruit those who have little or nothing to live for. But it’s about time Washington and Silicon Valley come together and put their differences aside to fight this common, deadly, sadistic enemy. I don’t know if you believe in omens or not, but I find it interesting this conference happened the same day this Philadelphia terror attack took place. Is fate trying to tell us something? If you were in that room with tech and government officials, what would you suggest to them?
Well, we start off 2016 talking about one of the biggest concerns in 2015: keeping your computer system secure. Microsoft pledges to help.
On December 30 (last year), Microsoft announced to Outlook email consumers they will warn users when their email is being targeted by hackers. They didn’t just mean targeted by cyber criminals. They meant targeted by government and government agencies as well. Microsoft vows to take extra steps in warning of ‘state-sponsored’ attacks because those attacks are often more sophisticated. Around two weeks ago, Microsoft was chastised for not telling hacking victims of an attack aimed at China’s Tibetan and Uighur populations. Although former Microsoft employees confirmed the Chinese government was behind the email attack, Microsoft kept it secret. They already offer security alerts, but don’t tell you suspects. Now, they’re ready to name names, and in some cases, name nations. In recent years, Hotmail attacks (now called Outlook) targeted Chinese diplomats, media, human and environmental rights activists, and others on the Chinese governments’ naught list. They will warn you when you’ve been targeted before you might get compromised. The Microsoft announcement also includes suggestions for keeping your email safe. These suggestions include changing your password, two step verification and an up-to-date anti-virus program.
The turbulent world stage has crossed into the email stage. Don’t think for a minute China is the only country wrestling with this. There’s no telling which agencies are looking at our emails here at home. Notice how the Chinese government allegedly attacks activist, minority groups, renegade politicians, and anyone else who is a threat to their power and world order. What’s new? I’m glad Microsoft is stepping up it’s security against such action. I’m glad they’re naming names and nations. Maybe they’ll think twice before hacking. My question is: What took Microsoft so long?
We here at Computer Geeks want to wish you all a Happy New Year. May 2016 be your best year yet.
We all remember the Eric Snowden NSA scandal of 2013. We all remember the controversy that surrounded the government and telecommunication companies alike. Two and a half years later, this story is a dubious gift that keeps on giving.
We’re now learning the White House continued to spy on their ally Israel months after promises of curtailed eavesdropping of global allies. The alleged spying took place during the midst of the Iran nuclear deal, a deal Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently opposed. The NSA got plenty of conversations between Israeli leaders and members of the US Congress. Of course, that meant the NSA literally spied on Congress. White House leaders believed this NSA surveillance taught them just how bad Netanyahu hated this deal, and how to counter his campaign. It revealed the Israeli Prime Minister begged and negotiated with lawmakers to block the Iran deal. This surveillance campaign was so risky they made sure no paper trail was discovered. And this isn’t the first time the NSA was caught spying on it’s own allies. It was reveled they snooped on French President Francois Hollande and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In January 2014, US President Obama pledged to curb this sort of eavesdropping.
President Obama said curb the eavesdropping; he didn’t pledge to drop it altogether. The relationship between Obama (and many Congress members) and Netanyahu has been rocky for quite a while. Earlier this year, when Netanyahu spoke to Congress, many in the White House and Congress didn’t show up. I doubt these revelations will thaw matters much. I’m not writing this to take sides or to say who was right and who was wrong. But this episode goes to show what a powerful tool technology, especially surveillance technology, can be on the global political landscape. And it shows it can help or hinder global alliances. Did it help or hurt the decades long alliance between the US and Israel?
