A warning by the FBI said that hacker activist group Anonymous broke into computers and obtained sensitive information. This campaign started around last Christmas.
A series of electronic break-ins that started last December left ‘back doors’ for the hacktivists to return, and they have been returning. The warning said the attacks have hit the US Army, US Energy Dept. and US Dept. of Health and Human Services at least. An investigation is still ongoing. Computer operators and others are told what to look for in case of an attack. According to the US Energy Dept., some stolen data includes bank account info on 2,000 people. If you recall, the group launched a cyber attack on eBay/Pay Pal, in retaliation to Pay Pal blocking donation to the controversial site Wikileaks.
Got mixed feelings on this one. One on hand, it’s never good when someone’s banking information is put out there. What if an innocent person has his ID stolen and is wiped out because of this cyber attack? I must admit, I do have a soft spot for anonymous. At least they’re raising awareness about what really goes on in government. At least they’re trying to keep them honest and expose corruption. Some of their methods are questionable, but it’s better than being apathetic and complacent. Who do I side with?
According to one Google blog, government requests for Google use have more than doubled in just four years around the world. The request have more than tripled in the US. Between January-June 2013, more than two-thirds of those request (10,918 during that period alone) were subpoenas, 22% were warrants. By far, the US leads the world in government request for info on their citizens. India, Germany and France placed distant runner-ups (about 2600-2000) a piece.
What’s to make of this? I think Google should be given props for even giving us this release! When this story broke several months ago, many thought the NSA and tech companies were in cahoots. Now I’m starting to see things differently. Not only that, this blog doesn’t apologize for letting us know either! Plus, it sort of reinforces what many of us already know. This surveillance didn’t just start; it’s been going on for years. Though the US leads the league in this activity, they’re by no means the only ones. I believe knowledge is power. The more we know the specifics about this, the more awake, alert and aware we will all be. Do you wonder how much information requests we will have three years from now?
This weekend, of October 26-27, 2013, in Washington, DC, thousands gathered to protest what they call ‘mass surveillance’ under the National Security Agency, as revealed by former agent and whistle blower Edward Snowden.
The event was held by the Capitol’s reflecting pool. It was sponsored by an unlikely coalition of conservative and liberal groups, such as the American Civil Liberties Union, Green Party, Libertarian Party, and Freedom Works. Even the Tea Party was represented. The event started at Union Station. Props included a mock drone, large parachute, and one protester dressed as President Barack Obama with a big cardboard camera. Others carried picket signs like, ‘Don’t Tap Me Bro.’ Thomas Drake, a former NSA agent who revealed the NSA spying on our European Allies, especially German Chancellor Angela Merkel, was one of the key note speakers.
They’re not the only ones voicing their outrage. Back in my city, on the 4th of July, many took the streets to protest the NSA’s alleged surveillance of our computers and smartphones. In fact, I see the protests almost every weekend. I only expect the cries to get louder as more people are becoming aware of what’s going on. And with people more dissatisfied than ever with our government, you can bet more rallies like these are coming our way.You know when conservatives and liberals are marching together towards this cause, you’ve got something special.? Do you think the NSA is reading this very blog?
Late yesterday, October 25, 2013, the National Security Agency website crashed. It lasted a few hours. Whose to blame?
The NSA blames a glitch and internal error. In an email, the government agency said, “?NSA.gov was not accessible for several hours tonight because of an internal error that occurred during a scheduled update.” But some claim different. Hacktivists groups have claimed responsibily for the crash. One group said they used a DDoS attack to bring it down. DDos attacks pump a website with so much stuff from traffic to spam that eventually that sites is overwhelmed and forced to shut down.
Keep in mind the mass controversy the NSA has been in lately. A few months ago, secrets reveled by former agent Edward Snowden claim the NSA was listening to our smartphones and watching what we do on our computers. So I can see why someone wants to take credit for this. I know about as little as everybody else; it’s one group’s word against another. Now there’s news international relations have been strained because of surveillance spying on international governments such as Germany and the European Union, never mind what’s been happening in our own nation.? This reminds me of that. So who and what brought town the NSA?
Surveillance isn’t just for the NSA anymore. Just ask Dennis Gray, General Manager of pest control company Accurid Pest Solutions.
Gray suspected something wasn’t right with two of his employees. He got GPS tracking on their company issued smartphones for his…troublemakers. The GPS tracking showed this guys weren’t where they were supposed to be. When confronted with the evidence, one admitted slacking off during business hours. One admitted to having an affair with a customer during business hours. Needless to say, neither work for Accurid Pest Solutions anymore. Gray says since then, more employees are telling him they need to take time off rather than just take matters in their own hands.
Dennis Gray’s story isn’t unique. Throughout the blue-collar work world, employers and bosses are turning to technology software to monitor their employees. Employers insist this technology monitoring isn’t just about discipline, it’s about safety and morale. They say this kind of monitoring does everything from reduce theft to help investigate claims. Much of the laws favor the employers. Only in two states, Connecticut and Delaware, are bosses required to tell employees they’re even using such devices on their employees.
I have mixed emotions about this. I do understand from the bosses’ point of view.? Slacking off on the job can costs them money and can lead to other unnecessary problems. And let’s face it, ‘When the cats are away the rats will play.’ But what if something more severe happens on the job, like cries of sexual harassment, theft, workplace bullying, or a serious crime? Without this technology, it would simply be one word against another. Maybe this tracking technology will get to the bottom of such claims. What if someone was injured on the job? Maybe the GPS system can help people learn from these mistakes and prevent them.
But that’s best case scenario. What’s the worst? I wouldn’t take much for an employer to abuse this technology. I wish I can say they wouldn’t, but welcome to the real world, especially the 21st century world. I’m sure someone won’t hesitate to use this technology to follow them outside of business hours and try to spy on them 24 hours a day. What if the boss/employee relationship ends badly? Whose to stop that boss from using this technology to ruin the employee’s life forever? And if they can do this, what’s stopping them from checking your social media accounts every day, and firing you for something you put on these accounts? Lets’ face it, ‘Give an inch and they’ll take a mile’. So is this kind of surveillance helpful or hurtful?
As Blackberry continues it’s free fall, companies are vying for it’s buy out. One of those companies is China’s Lenovo. But what are their intentions for attempting to buy Blackberry?
According to some security sources, even the Pentagon, say Lenovo wants Blackberry not to turn it around, but to hack into that system. It’s not like they haven’t done it before. Back in the 2000s, the Chinese hacked Nortel, a Canada based company. It went on for most of the decade. The hacking got so bad that in 2009, Nortel filed bankruptcy and the company was split and sold in parts. But Blackberry isn’t Nortel, and I’d like to think people learn from previous choices. The Canadian government is working around the clock to make sure Lenovo doesn’t get Blackberry. They’ve already blocked several foreign attempts to get Blackberry. Lenovo’s bid was rejected too.
The American government is doing it’s part to keep Blackberry from China’s grip. The US Defense Department estimated over 75% of it’s mobile devices are blackberries. Lenovo’s equipment is banned from five major English speaking countries: United States, Canada, Great Britain, Australia and New Zealand. I hope all of this and more is done to prevent Lenovo from getting Blackberry. Call me old fashioned, but when a company is bought, I believe the purchasing company’s job is to help turn the bankrupt company into a winner, not destroy it some more. Think of the global ramifications if China keeps it’s hacking up with no accountability or nobody to stop it. There’s already talk that China’s calling for the de-Americanizing the world. I don’t think this is junk talk; I think they actually mean it! What should happen to Blackberry?
