PRISM - the spyware tool that got it's attention that it deserved by
the whistle blower Edward Snowden is one of the biggest topics in the
world now.
Documents leaked by Edward Snowden in June 2013 describe the PRISM program as enabling in-depth surveillance on live communications and stored information. It provides for the targeting of any customers of participating corporations who live outside the United States, or American citizens whose communications include web content of people outside the United States. Data which the NSA is able to obtain with the PRISM program includes email, video and voice chat, videos, photos, voice over IP conversations, file transfers, login notifications and social networking details.
It is a previously unknown programme run in the United States by the National Security Agency (NSA) to access data held by the world’s major internet companies, including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo and Skype.
Citizinlab had a nice research done about the Blue Coat software that you can find here.
History on PRISM
PRISM is a clandestine national security electronic surveillance program operated by the United States National Security Agency (NSA) since 2007. PRISM is a government codename for a data collection effort known officially as US-984XN.Documents leaked by Edward Snowden in June 2013 describe the PRISM program as enabling in-depth surveillance on live communications and stored information. It provides for the targeting of any customers of participating corporations who live outside the United States, or American citizens whose communications include web content of people outside the United States. Data which the NSA is able to obtain with the PRISM program includes email, video and voice chat, videos, photos, voice over IP conversations, file transfers, login notifications and social networking details.
Q&A on PRISM by British resource
Q. What is Prism?It is a previously unknown programme run in the United States by the National Security Agency (NSA) to access data held by the world’s major internet companies, including Facebook, Google, Microsoft, Apple, Yahoo and Skype.
Q. What data can it obtain?
Detailed information about online activity, crucially including the contents of emails and live chat.
Q. How long has this been going on?
It is said to have been established in 2007 under changes to US surveillance laws passed by President George Bush and renewed last year by Barack Obama.
Q. How has this emerged?
Through a secret NSA presentation to staff which talks of “collection directly from the servers” of internet providers.
Q. How have the companies responded?
They deny knowledge of the programme despite the detail of the NSA presentation.
Q. How does this affect Britain?
As the primary sites of all the world’s major internet companies are in the United States, it means every communication by a UK national can in theory be read by NSA agents.
Q. Is this legal?
This is not clear, and privacy campaigners in Britain are investigating whether there are grounds for a legal challenge. Experts say the legislation covering the issue is sketchy.
Detailed information about online activity, crucially including the contents of emails and live chat.
Q. How long has this been going on?
It is said to have been established in 2007 under changes to US surveillance laws passed by President George Bush and renewed last year by Barack Obama.
Q. How has this emerged?
Through a secret NSA presentation to staff which talks of “collection directly from the servers” of internet providers.
Q. How have the companies responded?
They deny knowledge of the programme despite the detail of the NSA presentation.
Q. How does this affect Britain?
As the primary sites of all the world’s major internet companies are in the United States, it means every communication by a UK national can in theory be read by NSA agents.
Q. Is this legal?
This is not clear, and privacy campaigners in Britain are investigating whether there are grounds for a legal challenge. Experts say the legislation covering the issue is sketchy.
Similar products that did not get the same attention :)
It amazes me on how many cyber weapons are emerging that will allow the buyer to spy on each individual that it wishes to spy on.Fin Fisher a.k.a FinSpy
FinFisher, also known as FinSpy, is surveillance software marketed by Gamma International, a software firm with a UK-based branch Gamma International Ltd in Andover, United Kingdom, and a Germany-based branch Gamma International GmbH in Munich which markets the spyware through law enforcement channels. Gamma
International is a subsidiary of the Gamma Group, specializing in
surveillance and monitoring, including equipment, software and training
services, reportedly owned by William Louthean Nelson through a shell corporation in the British Virgin Islands.
Controversy
has resulted from it having been marketed to government security
officials who were told it could be covertly installed on suspects'
computers through exploiting security lapses in the update procedures of non-suspect software.Egyptian dissidents who ransacked the offices of Egypt's secret police following the overthrow of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak reported they discovered a contract with Gamma International for €287,000 for a license to run the FinFisher software
Blue Coat spyware
Blue Coat got in the news when the Hacktivist cluster Telecomix released a 54GB censorship log that had been found on the Syrian domain. The data was collected from seven of 15 Bluecoat SG-9000 HTTP proxies used by Syrian government telco and ISP STE in #opSyria. This is not the first time that government tools end up in environments where the regime has the last word.Citizinlab had a nice research done about the Blue Coat software that you can find here.
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