What Wikileaks dump means for you and your gadgets

[pnwmom]

http://www.tomsguide.com/us/wikileaks-cia-hack-impact,news-24622.html

Here’s what you need to know. The WikiLeaks revelation is likely part of a Russian disinformation campaign meant to undermine the U.S. intelligence agencies in general, and to more immediately lend credence to President Donald Trump's allegations that former President Barack Obama spied on him.

Some of the CIA hacking tools mentioned in the WikiLeaks dump are real. Some of them probably are not. We may never truly know which is which. (But we are intrigued by the one about turning a Samsung Smart TV into a listening device.)

For the moment, all we can tell you to do is to keep your PCs, Macs, iPhones and Android updated to the latest versions of their operating systems, to run antivirus software on Windows, macOS and Android, and to be wary of smart-home devices that are always listening to what you say. (And if your Android device can't be updated beyond Android 5.1 Lollipop, get a new one.)

WikiLeaks says the cache of information, reportedly "8,761 documents and files," came from "a former U.S. government hacker [or] contractor." That's possible. It's also possible that it came straight from the Russian intelligence services, which is how WikiLeaks apparently obtained emails stolen from the Democratic National Committee.

As such, we can't completely trust what's in the files. But let's go over the important stuff:

SNIP

[AngryAmish]

1. Jeez, the CIA really fucked this up

How could they let Russia get ahold of all these exploits? Are they that stupid?

[pnwmom]

2. We probably have a lot on Russia, too. And we don't know and can't know how much of this dump

is even real.

[Amishman]

5. WikiLeaks content seems pretty genuine, it's the timing and motives behind it

I can't recall any major content on their being proven to be fake.

It's their choice on what to release and when that is partizan.

[pnwmom]

6. No, most of what they released before was true but there were fake documents mixed in.

I don't remember the details but the originals were on another site and the Wikileaks versions had been altered.

And by releasing mostly true documents they set us up to be gullible the next time they toss in more fakes.

[GaiasResistance]

3. Surveillance Nation & A need to go old skool

We should probably all be living in communes,and it pains me to say, have underground bunkers ready, just in case( that made me feel super right wing nutbag) but there is some legitimacy to this considering this whole mess here and abroad (plus that a-hole Steve King decided to say Trump should get all McCarthy on all the leftist and potential insurrectionists- so, yeah) So maybe in a more Digger like fashioned- rewilding ourselves- just less weaponry, camo, and flags?
The fact people cannot bring their phones to the tamest of marches in Chicago without having the do the data sweeps, helicopters flying overhead with the surveillance machines, the cop cars with the mini cell tower things- I'm super bad with the names for these things and the methodology for how it works, but I had a friend help me change over my messengers,email,and search engine-but I don't bring my phone out anymore- and frankly I don't even trust that that the safety advocates aren't underestimating the level of hacking anyone can do to our personal biz, so it's safer to just assume everything is public. Disposable phones are good for going to protests etc - but frankly we should be using more off grid old school communications. Symbols,our own language- from my experience in some activist groups some time ago when the early patriot act witch hunt took hold, there was a big problem with infiltrators and rats, many people would pop up and it wasn't like they were playing some long game, there were obvious signs these people were not legitimate, but people are trusting and some love to talk about themselves and give people way too much info- and they ended up getting in trouble, for doing nothing, except having a big mouth and simply for being a part of groups associated with radicals, and suspect of participating in direct actions they actually had not- so now, with computers,people have to be smart about how they implicate themselves and especially in social media like twitter, where people post things they have done way too freely- and I'm not talking anyone hurting anyone- but simply affiliating and attending protests and having negative opinions on places like twitter- next thing you know you have 100 new followers- check them out! People with new accounts,not many followers, no media, their links and comments seem off- they are either trolls or looking for people to watch. I give up trying to be anonymous on the internet. I won't be thwarted by thought police and speech isn't illegal- but I don't expect privacy anymore in the digital world. Hence the need for somewhat of a taking a step backwards and finding ( old) new ways to communicate and act- and places where they can be safer and don't get much of a signal 😜- it's better for us in the long run.

[snooper2]

4. LOL