35322467
submission
AHuxley writes:
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering an expansion to the Universal Service Fund. Submarine cable operators with landings in the United States could face a 15.7 percent levy on quarterly revenues. Some history on US telco rates can be found at: http://www.commsday.com/commsday/2012/comment-bad-timing-proposed-undersea-cable-tax/
28499439
submission
AHuxley writes:
delimiter.com.au has news on ISP data retention ideas in Australia.
Australia would like to follow the EU down the "European Directive on Data Retention" path.
Australian law enforcement agencies may have the option to request a log of all a users of interest telco usage without any review or time limits.
Another option would be for local politics eg. an activist community. Data retention over a postcode (suburb).
The data collection could also be out sourced to private contractors.
26237146
submission
AHuxley writes:
A law enforcement Trojan seems to have used the now patched unencrypted HTTP version request in Apple's media software.
A new update request would direct the target to a fake webpage. Apple now uses https.
More at http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2011/11/21/surveillance-company-says-it-sent-fake-itunes-flash-updates-documents-show/
23299604
submission
AHuxley writes:
Follow the trial of interception technology as it is exported and supported around the world.
Documentation is divested and NDA's protect the deals done by telcos. Western-made and supported surveillance software offers tracking and transcripts that end in windowless rooms and torture.
19462100
submission
AHuxley writes:
Using Freedom of Information requests the Guardian has listed how the UK are spending £42bn on IT.
12 departments and two non-departmental bodies.
On the top are BAE Systems and Detica. Hewlett Packard is third getting £1.63bn from five departments. GCHQ has an exemption.
19288340
submission
AHuxley writes:
The hometownannapolis reports on a new cyber curriculum at a local high school to feed the ever growing needs of the NSA and Cyber Command.
A quote from Dutch Ruppersberger (D-MD) about job growth in the local national security sector stands out: “In 10 years, we will be larger than Silicon Valley,”
Could the new funding for the expansion of the National Security Agency and the Army's new Cyber Command be the next big growth area for the US?
19059700
submission
AHuxley writes:
secret-bases.co.uk reports: Back in early 2010, Lockheed Martin – the prime contractor for the UK Census programme starting on 27th March 2011 – acquired a "secret" building on a 30-month lease for use as the data processing centre for uploaded census forms. The location was found after a senior Lockheed Martin / UK Data Capture employee registered an associated domain on a server whose IP address network, belonging to Lockheed Martin, was itself registered to the precise address of the building. The US spelling of "centre" was also noted.
18984662
submission
AHuxley writes:
U.S., U.K. companies helped Egypt shut down telecommunications and identify dissidents. Support for deep packet inspection, texting via cell phones tracked to identify dissidents and routers that that filter and spy. Kill switch support for the larger joint venture cell phone communications.
The same options are been offered to the US gov via the "Protecting Cyberspace as a National Asset Act" introduced by Senators Lieberman (ID-Conn) and Collins (R-Me). http://hsgac.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Press.MajorityNews&ContentRecord_id=227d9e1e-5056-8059-765f-2239d301fb7f
18968990
submission
AHuxley writes:
Inspectors from the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will more involved in roadside inspections of commercial vehicles, according to TSA officials.
VIPR (Visible Intermodal Prevention and Response) started in the aviation sector and has now been expanded into surface transportation, bus terminals and train stations.
VIPR operations are conducted at weigh stations, rest areas with truck stop under consideration. Backscatter x-ray devices will be used on the trucks.
18923244
submission
AHuxley writes:
cloudprivacy.net has an open letter to Google's CEO, Eric Schmidt about ssl usage. The six page letter signed by 38 researchers and academics supports HTTPS encryption by default. Google Voice, Health, AdSense and Adword all have HTTPS on and it is hoped all of Googles products can offer users the same protection soon.
A hosted paper by Christopher Soghoian and Sid Stamm proves insight into a certificate creation attack, in which government agencies may compel a certificate authority to issue false SSL certificates that can be used by intelligence agencies to covertly intercept and
hijack individuals’ secure Web-based communications.
18847772
submission
AHuxley writes:
Consumer Watchdog, an advocacy group focused in recent years on Google's privacy practices, has called on a congressional investigation into Googles secretive relationship with the US government.
In a letter sent on Monday they note ".. NSA also has legal power to force Google to hand over the private information of its users [ie signals intelligence information.] How Google executives handle this potentially conflicted relationship is largely unknown: neither Google nor the NSA are talking."
A $26.7 million dollar renewable sole-source contract for Google Earth spatial imaging software with the secretive National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency(NGA).
A sole-source US Patent and Trademark Office contract and the use of servers outside the USA is also noted. The FBI has spent $600,000 on Google Earth Enterprise software since 2007. DHS and FCC issues are listed.
The 32 page pdf file.
18784662
submission
AHuxley writes:
cnet.com is reporting Apple has tapped security expert and author David Rice to be its director of global security.
A 1994 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and has a master's degree in Information Warfare and Systems Engineering from the Naval Postgraduate School. He served as a Global Network Vulnerability analyst (Forbes used cryptographer) for the National Security Agency and as a Special Duty Cryptologic officer for the Navy.
He is executive director of the Monterey Group, a cybersecurity consulting firm. He's also on the faculty of IANS, an information security research company and works with the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit.
In a 2008 interview with forbes "A Tax On Buggy Software" Rice talks of a "tax on software based on the number and severity of its security bugs. Even if that means passing those costs to consumers"
"Back in the '70s, the U.S. had a huge problem with sulfur dioxide emissions. Now we tax those emissions, and coal power plants have responded by using better filters.
Software vulnerabilities, like pollution, are inevitable--producing perfect software is impossible. So instead of saying all software must be secure, we tax insecurity and allow the market to determine the price it's willing to pay for vulnerability in software. Those who are the worst "emitters" of vulnerabilities end up paying the most, and it creates an economic incentive to manufacture more secure software."
18783832
submission
AHuxley writes:
D.C.'s Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency has plans to centralize the feeds from thousands of private security cameras.
A plan for 2011 submitted to the city administrator by HSEMA says the agency plans to centralize cameras at private businesses and those run by Metro and the D.C. Housing Authority.
Banks, corner stores and gas stations around the nation's capital will have their camera streams watched 24/7 by officials from different departments at the Joint All-Hazards Operation Center.
Feeds from 4,500 cameras operated by the District's department of transportation and school system are already connected.
Regulations make it illegal for a HSEMA camera to be focused on literature being carried by someone in a protest.
18726838
submission
AHuxley writes:
City officials in Ogden, Utah are considering getting a military style dirigible to help fight crime.
One person will be able to operate the semi automated blimp for four to six hours before been recharged.
Flying up to 40 miles per hour at 400 feet above the city two cameras will allow the metropolitan police force scan the city below on a pre-programed course.
The helium filled surveillance system will cost $100 per month in operational costs and maintenance.
The cost to tax payers would be in the high five-figures due to the night vision cameras.
