Meet the Guy Who Snitched on Occupy Wall Street to the FBI and NYPD

[Omaha Steve]

http://gawker.com/5850054/meet-the-guy-who-snitched-on-occupy-wall-street-to-the-fbi-and-nypd?tag=occupy-wall-street

The Occupy Wall Street protests have been going on for a month. And it seems the FBI and NYPD have had help tracking protesters' moves thanks to a conservative computer security expert who gained access to one of the group's internal mailing lists, and then handed over information on the group's plans to the authorities as well as corporations targeted by protesters.

Since the Occupy Wall Street protest began on September 17, New York security consultant Thomas Ryan has been waging a campaign to infiltrate and discredit the movement. Ryan says he's done contract work for the U.S. Army and he brags on his blog that he leads "a team called Black Cell, a team of the most-highly trained and capable physical, threat and cyber security professionals in the world." But over the past few weeks, he and his computer security buddies have been spending time covertly attending Occupy Wall Street meetings, monitoring organizers' social media accounts, and hanging out with protesters in Lower Manhattan.



Meet the Guy Who Snitched on Occupy Wall Street to the FBI and NYPDAs part of their intelligence-gathering operation, the group gained access to a listserv used by Occupy Wall Street organizers called September17discuss. On September17discuss, organizers hash out tactics and plan events, conduct post-mortems of media appearances, and trade the latest protest gossip. On Friday, Ryan leaked thousands of September17discuss emails to conservative blogger Andrew Breitbart, who is now using them to try to smear Occupy Wall Street as an anarchist conspiracy to disrupt global markets.

What may much more alarming to Occupy Wall Street organizers is that while Ryan was monitoring September17discuss, he was forwarding interesting email threads to contacts at the NYPD and FBI, including special agent Jordan T. Loyd, a member of the FBI's New York-based cyber security team.

FULL story at link.

[nichomachus]

1. He even looks like a scumbag

[girl gone mad]

5. He should spend less time undermining people exercising democracy..

and more time exercising that triple chin.

[CTyankee]

59. I thought that too...a litle too blimpie for the role he purports to play...

[Enthusiast]

64. Yes he does.

That's only because he is a scumbag.

[live love laugh]

69. Yep my scumbag meter went off the charts seeing his picture. nt

[yardwork]

2. He accidentally outed himself. What a security whiz.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

11. It does not appear to be accidental

[Rex]

3. This is a Right Wingers pipedream come true.

Fucking over the people for The Man...Repukes live for that kind of thing. And macing/assaulting innocent bystanders too.

[Donnachaidh]

4. forward this scumbag to anonymous

let THEM deal with this *black pimple cell*... :grr:

[yardwork]

7. At the link he claims in an email that "they" have been "heavily monitoring Anonymous."

Cyber wars.

[Donnachaidh]

20. didn't hbgarry also claim to be doing that, too?

And they ate his lunch.... :rofl:

[mod mom]

26. Didn't that just warm the cockles of your heart?

:rofl:

[Occulus]

42. The IRC chat log with them is a thing of beauty.

The anons in the chat sent the HBGary people home with their heads under their arms.

It was very lulzy.

[The Doctor.]

28. They don't know jack squat.

[tkmorris]

39. Translation: We hang out at 4chan.org/b/

What a knob.

[Occulus]

43. and the IRC channel #anonops

How old is this guy, six?

[formercia]

85. Now you know what Basement Wankers do after Mummy Dearest kicks them out.

They become Reich-Wankers because it's the only place besides Burger King or Taco Bell that will even risk giving them a job.

[Buns_of_Fire]

88. I'm sure that's got the Anonymous folks quaking in their collective boots.

The dumbass apparently hasn't learned that if you're going to screw around with someone, you sure as hell don't advertise it! Some security expert.

I wonder how long it'll be before his website is redirected to bigbutts dot com...

[snot]

65. WE are Anonymous. How many of us are waiting for someone else to fix things for us?

First it was "the man" – B.O. – now it's Anonymous, or whoever.

WE are the ones we are waiting for. THAT's what OWS is about.

[NNN0LHI]

6. There is more than one snitch there

[Electric Monk]

9. Yeah, I'd have to assume with a mailing list like that there'd be at least a couple

This shouldn't come as news in this day and age, should it?

[Donnachaidh]

8. go look at his linkedin page

This guy is a true pig in the worst form --

http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommyryan

[gateley]

23. The good ones don't have things like "hacking" and "finding legal loopholes"

on linkedin. :eyes: What a rube.

[peace frog]

66. He lists "Ethical Hacker" as a *certification*

Forgive me for being massively underwhelmed at his credentials.

[yardwork]

58. This is not a smart person. /nt

[wxgeek7]

68. Hacker wanna-be

Looks like he's all about showing off, and a hacker wanna-be. No where on that resume does it list any of the major programming languages, like C or Java. Guy seems like a poser.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

10. Dollars to doughnuts his is not the only group

Any movement like OWS has a significant number of infiltrators and those with other agendas, not all of them pro government. As someone pointed out early today here at DU, they were concerned about Black Blocs as well.

Welcome to the real world...

[ThomWV]

13. I'd bet you're right and I'd bet that there are many of them on the ground at all times

Just looking for an opportunity to disrupt and discredit, on camera if possible.

[yardwork]

21. I can see why you mentioned doughnuts. /nt

[lunasun]

80. HEAVY FBI/CIA EYE ON THEM 2

Also I think some photos show that infilth traitors ( I'll pen them that) are there with signs that will disenfranchise the couch potato middle class crowd /public
One I noticed was " I just want your money" which is how the RW tv boobs are painting this .
This is not exactly benign but my real worry is violence and I do not mean black blocs but professional instigators sent by those who want to degrade for purpose of ruin to put an end to OWS and of course scare people away who would peacefully protest

[Initech]

12. The first rule of the streets? Don't snitch.

What an asshole.

[ProgressiveProfessor]

27. A rule that wreaks havoc with the innner city...

[Initech]

31. That it does.

[lunasun]

81. yes time and place for that rule

[Dream Girl]

14. OWS seems to be pretty trransparent, what good

would snitching do with everything pretty much out in the open? Not like they don't broadcast what they have planned...

[Warren Stupidity]

61. shhh

I made the same point in yet another thread on this topic. This bozo has exposed open discussions! The horror!

[EFerrari]

15. Okay, that's it. Everyone stop now.

Lmao. Quail and tremble before the awesomeness that is the FBI, which can't find its own ass with both hands.

[Rex]

16. Yet they are experts at setting people up in terrorist plots.

Funny that.

[Hutzpa]

49. But that's the only thing they're good at. n/t

[formercia]

36. FBI

We had two nicks for them:

Fogarty Brothers Inc.

Fucking Bunch of Idiots.

This is what the CIA thought of the FBI

[EFerrari]

45. Bunch of thugs. Except for those interrogators that refused

to be part of the torture program, whatever their reason was.

[formercia]

87. Fogarty Brothers outsource to ex Basement Wankers

I guess that was an upgrade....:rofl:

[malthaussen]

17. Oooh, that dude looks so dangerous...

...to a plate of doughnuts.

-- Mal

[lunasun]

82. cross between Chris Cristie and Homer Simpson or is just me??

Doesnt matter really what he looks like
it is his heart and mind that worries me

[moondust]

18. I would expect some COINTELPRO activity.

It may have a different name and different methods now.

I was at a Vietnam protest in 1969 or 1970 when somebody nearby pulled a long hair wig off a guy in the crowd. People in the vicinity howled and the guy scurried off into the darkness.

[Downtown Hound]

19. Snitch on Occupy Wall Steet? How?

Hey guys, I just got word that there's going to be a movement that's going to occupy Wall Street! Aren't you glad that there are dedicated cyber professionals like me to bring you this exclusive info?

Oh wait, you mean that their plans are expressly spelled out in their name? Oh well.

[grasswire]

22. check the pron sites -- this guy looks like another Jeff Gannon

A real stooge.

[mod mom]

25. I hope he receives the wrath of anonymous!

[mike_c]

24. this dude needs some Anonymous attention, LOL....

Remember the last "highly trained" computer security consultant they took down? :rofl:

[dixiegrrrrl]

34. Which is why I am not concerned in the least.

"It;s not nice to mess with Anonymous".

OWS folks are savvy and smart as hell. They will know how to react to this.

[starroute]

29. I've been seeing references to this guy on Twitter for a while

Twitter being what it is, there wasn't enough context to know what to make of them -- so this explains a lot.

But you can be sure Anonymous is already well aware of him.

[FarCenter]

30. Infosec guys attending hacker gathering has been SOP for 2, 3 decades

Anyone who was thinking "gentlemen don't read others mail" is an idiot!

[blogslut]

32. d o x

WHOIS INFO for http://whois.domaintools.com/providesecurity.com">providesecurity.com

Registrant:
Provide Security, Inc.
86 Amber St
Staten Island, New York 10306-2022
United States

Domain Name: PROVIDESECURITY.COM
Created on: 08-Oct-00
Expires on: 08-Oct-15
Last Updated on: 29-Sep-10

Administrative Contact:
Ryan, Thomas
Provide Security, Inc.
86 Amber St
Staten Island, New York 10306-2022
United States
7322077916 Fax --

Technical Contact:
Ryan, Thomas
Provide Security, Inc.
86 Amber St
Staten Island, New York 10306-2022
United States
7322077916 Fax --

Domain servers in listed order:
NS1.LNHI.NET
NS2.LNHI.NET

PROVIDE SECURITY TWITTER ACCT: @providesecurity

Wikipedia link to article about fictional person, Robin Sage - a false identity created by Thomas Ryan: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robin_Sage

[Gin]

33. me thinks his business is slow....he seems to be pathetically promoting

himself to drum up business..

[Plucketeer]

91. Thanks

Me thinks a little letter of "appreciation" is in order for ol' Tommy boy!

[apocalypsehow]

35. Law enforcement agencies monitoring a movement that has shown disdain for authority. Who'd have

thunk it? :shrug:

[girl gone mad]

37. Law enforcement agencies are monitoring big corporations and banks?

Good news.

[lildreamer316]

40. Snap!

Good one...

[Kingofalldems]

89. Bang! Zoom!

[October]

38. Paging Anonymous! /nt

[mmonk]

46. +1

[TNLib]

41. I wonder if he's being paid and who's paying him.

Or if he's just some RW douche bag wanting bragging rights.

[lonestarnot]

44. So what's to yack? Ssssh OWS. It's a secret. ROFLMAO!

:rofl:

[Hutzpa]

47. Maybe he has an account on DU

you never know.

[glinda]

48. They should put up posters of his face all over at the rallies.

[avaistheone1]

50. Better than just a good idea.

I think it's a brilliant idea. I bet that would help stifle other snitches. That guy is a creep.


k&r



:kick:

[glinda]

76. In fact, identify many of them, hand out flyers as well as post them.

[Hutzpa]

51. recommended

:thumbsup:

[Quixote1818]

52. K and R

[EdMaven]

53. he looks like ex-military.

[Politicalboi]

54. Screw the FBI

Just wait till the "Fox Police" get involved. I hear they're a nasty bunch. :hide:

[progressoid]

55. Meh.

What did he tell them that wasn't already on the internets?

[sabrina 1]

56. Informer, there is no lower scum than an informer.

[AverageJoe90]

57. ......Damn.......FUCK YOU, Thomas fucking Ryan. nt

:mad:

[Hotler]

60. This guy needs his ass kicked. eom.

[Aerows]

62. "I'm Thomas Ryan"

"And I'm so smart, I'm here to expose that there are protesters in New York. And in other places, too. I'm so well connected, it only took me a month to figure out that there are people protesting!"

[CoffeeCat]

63. and what's even MORE HORRIFYING...

...is that these protesters are sending emails. EMAILS I TELL YOU!!!!

And they're actually talking about the media coverage at the protests and analyzing the coverage!!!!!!

Run!!!! Run for your lives!!!!!

Seriously?

Funny that this dude needs to dig and dig and dig into personal emails--to try and find dirt. If he'd attend a tea-party rally, he'd find guys with
guns standing right in front of him. No digging needed.

Hello?

[tcaudilllg]

67. Keep 'em comin' Ryan!

You only make yourself the bigger clown!

[Jakes Progress]

70. Would it be too much to ask

that Obama show some support for the movement by terminating all government contracts with this scum? A little presidential credibility would help here.

[Moosepoop]

73. What government contracts would those be?

I haven't read that this idiot's outfit has any government contracts. What "all government contracts" are you referring to?

[Jakes Progress]

86. Is not the FBI a government agency?

Or did you read the OP to say that this ass is working for free? If so, then he needs to be thrown out of FBI offices. Our government doesn't need to rely on covert surveillance by private citizens of other private citizens. If he is not under contract with the FBI, which would be disgusting, then that the FBI is using data gathered from private citizens on other private citizens is even worse. In that case, someone at the FBI needs to be looking for a job.

[CarrieLynne]

71. sounds like a job for anonymous!

[saras]

72. I believe the term is "red herring"

If everyone thinks he broke in, they won't keep looking for who's breaking in.

[quakerboy]

79. Who cares

Its not like we are holding this movement in secret.

[customerserviceguy]

74. Did we expect anything less in the post-9/11 era?

You know the old adage about how generals study to win the last war? Well, there have been cops who have replayed over and over in their minds how they would have dealt with the Vietnam antiwar protests, and today, they have not only the technology to do what was unthinkable 40-45 years ago, but the Patriot Act that enables them to use it fully.

I'm sure there are a lot of reporters who have gone over to the dark side who wish they had been around in that era, too, and see this as a chance to make up for it.

[orbitalman]

75. K & R

[BanzaiBonnie]

77. Wannabe...

Anyone with a mouth like that is pretend psyops.

[quakerboy]

78. Sorry...

Snitched? This is an open source kinda deal. We are not hiding our movement. We post every meeting online, we encourage video and audio and chat. IF the FBI cares to pay attention, its all there whenever they care to look over it.

The only thing that catches my attention... How does this guy have enough spare time to waste this much? If we could all have jobs like that, OWS would be unnecessary.

[drm604]

83. I would think that a public listserv was already being monitored by at least the FBI.

The same goes for public meetings and social media accounts.

This guy probably has an overblown sense of his importance.

[BreweryYardRat]

84. What an egotistical gasbag.

"...and he brags on his blog that he leads "a team called Black Cell, a team of the most-highly trained and capable physical, threat and cyber security professionals in the world." "

Okay, speaking solely from reading I've done over the years, as well as some basic common sense: If you lead a team like that, you don't brag about it, and you sure as shit don't give it a stupid-ass name like Black Cell. A bland name doesn't attract attention.

[Jackpine Radical]

92. A rich and thoroughly juvenile fantasy life, here.

He probly plays with Transformers and shit like that.

[AntiFascist]

90. On a side note...

my Journal link wasn't working yesterday. Glad to see its working today. (Not that I'm paranoid, but the latest post relates to the US Army :)

[Electric Monk]

93. Linky to another large thread on this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=439&topic_id=2127478&mesg_id=2127478

[AikidoSoul]

94. WTF is an "ethical hacker"? That's how he describes himself on

Linked-In.

http://www.linkedin.com/in/tommyryan

"Thomas Ryan's Certifications Certified Ethical Hacker (C|EH) EC-Council"

:wtf: