Archive for the 'Surveillance' Category
New Docs Show How Reagan-Era Executive Order Unbounded NSA
October 1st, 2014Via: Ars Technica: A set of newly declassified documents shows definitively and explicitly that the United States intelligence community relies heavily on what is effectively unchecked presidential authority to conduct surveillance operations, as manifested through the Reagan-era Executive Order (EO) 12333. And at a more basic level, the new documents illustrate that the government is […]
California Governor Vetoes Bill Limiting Drone Surveillance
September 30th, 2014Via: CBS: Gov. Jerry Brown has vetoed a bill that would have placed strict limits on law enforcement agencies using unmanned aerial drones for surveillance. The governor’s office announced that the bill was one of more than a dozen pieces of legislation he vetoed Sunday. AB1327 by Republican Assemblyman Jeff Gorrell of Camarillo would have […]
Los Angeles County Planning Massive Biometric Database
September 30th, 2014Via: KPCC: Without notice to the public, Los Angeles County law enforcement officials are preparing to widen what personal information they collect from people they encounter in the field and in jail – by building a massive database of iris scans, fingerprints, mug shots, palm prints and, potentially, voice recordings. The new database of personal […]
Unmasking the Five Eyes’ Global Surveillance Practices
September 29th, 2014Via: GIS Watch: The Five Eyes alliance – comprised of the United States National Security Agency (NSA), the United Kingdom’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ), Canada’s Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC), the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD), and New Zealand’s Government Communications Security Bureau (GCSB) – is the continuation of an intelligence partnership formed in the aftermath […]
Argentina Uses Drones to Spot Wealthy Tax Cheats
September 26th, 2014Via: AP: Argentine tax evaders beware: The government is using a drone to spot you. The Buenos Aires province’s tax agency said Wednesday that it has used drones to identify some 200 mansions and about 100 swimming pools that haven’t been declared by their owners.
Bash Bug May Pose Bigger Threat Than Heartbleed
September 26th, 2014Unbelievable. Via: Reuters: A newly discovered security bug in a widely used piece of Linux software, known as “Bash,” could pose a bigger threat to computer users than the “Heartbleed” bug that surfaced in April, cyber experts warned on Wednesday. Bash is the software used to control the command prompt on many Unix computers. Hackers […]
Entire Australian Web to be Monitored and Whistleblowers to be Jailed
September 25th, 2014In terms of the surveillance side of this, I guess that they want to be able to have a legal framework for what has been going on for decades. Via: Sydney Morning Herald: Australian spies will soon have the power to monitor the entire Australian internet with just one warrant, and journalists and whistleblowers will […]
Australian Government Scrambles to Authorize Mass Surveillance
September 24th, 2014Via: EFF: This week, Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott used recent terrorist threats as the backdrop of a dire warning to Australians that “for some time to come, the delicate balance between freedom and security may have to shift. There may be more restrictions on some, so that there can be more protection for others.” […]
FBI Plans Rapid DNA Dragnets
September 24th, 2014Via: Nextgov: The FBI is preparing to accelerate the collection of DNA profiles for the government’s massive new biometric identification database. Developers of portable DNA analysis machines have been invited to a Nov. 13 presentation to learn about the bureau’s vision for incorporating their technology into the FBI’s new database. So-called rapid DNA systems can […]
Hundreds of Floating Robots Could Soon Surveil the Oceans
September 24th, 2014Via: cNet: Boeing and Liquid Robotics today announced a partnership to make water-borne robots that can handle a variety of surveillance jobs, ranging from hunts for submarines to the detection of drug traffickers. Silicon Valley’s Liquid Robotics is the manufacturer of the Wave Glider SV3, a $300,000 self-powered, seafaring data center that offers customers — […]
