Tuesday, July 15, 2014

GCHQ's dark arts: Leaked documents reveal online manipulation, Facebook, YouTube snooping

Summary: A fresh set of documents leaked by Edward Snowden show how the UK intelligence agency can manipulate online polls and debates, spread messages, snoop on YouTube and track Facebook users.
Screen Shot 2014-07-14 at 08.11.51
GCHQ in Cheltenham (Image: GCHQ via CNET)
GCHQ has developed a toolkit of software programs used to manipulate online traffic, infiltrate users' computers and spread select messages across social media sites including Facebook and YouTube.

The UK spy agency's dark arts were revealed in documents first published by The Intercept, and each piece of software is described in a wiki document written up by GCHQ's Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG). The document, which reads like a software inventory, calls the tools part of the agency's "weaponised capability."
Some of the most interesting capabilities of the tools on the list include the ability to seed the web with false information — such as tweaking the results of online polls — inflating pageview counts, censoring video content deemed "extremist" and the use of psychological manipulation on targets — something similar to a research project conducted with Facebook's approval, which resulted in heavy criticism and outrage levied at the social media site.
A number of interesting tools and their short descriptions are below:
  • ASTRAL PROJECTION: Remote GSM secure covert Internet proxy using TOR hidden service
  • POISON ARROW: Safe malware download capability
  • AIRWOLF: YouTube profile, comment and video collection
  • BIRDSTRIKE: Twitter monitoring and profile collection
  • GLASSBACK: Technique of getting a target's IP address by pretending to be a spammer and ringing them. Target does not need to answer.
  • MINIATURE HERO: Active skype capability. Provision of realtime call records (SkypeOut and SkypetoSkype) and bidirectional instant messaging. Also contact lists.
  • PHOTON TORPEDO: A technique to actively grab the IP address of MSN messenger user
  • SPRING-BISHOP: Finding private photos of targets on Facebook
  • BOMB BAY: The capacity to increase website hits, rankings
  • BURLESQUE: The capacity to send spoofed SMS messages
  • GESTATOR: Amplification of a given message, normally video, on popular multimedia websites (YouTube)
  • SCRAPHEAP CHALLENGE: Perfect spoofing of emails from Blackberry targets
  • SUNBLOCK: Ability to deny functionality to send/receive email or view material online
  • SWAMP DONKEY: A tool that will silently locate all predefined types of file and encrypt them on a targets machine
  • UNDERPASS: Change outcome of online polls (previously known as NUBILO).
  • WARPATH: Mass delivery of SMS messages to support an Information Operations campaign.
  • HUSK: Secure one-on-one web based dead-drop messaging platform.
The list, dated from 2012, says that most of the tools are "fully operational, tested and reliable,” and adds: "Don't treat this like a catalogue. If you don't see it here, it doesn't mean we can't build it."
"We only advertise tools here that are either ready to fire or very close to being ready," the document notes.
The release of these documents comes in the same week that the UK intelligence agency's spying activities are being investigated by surveillance watchdog the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). Civil liberty groups set a legal challenge against the GCHQ in order to question the legal standing of schemes such as Tempora — a project revealed in the NSA scandal that showed the agency placed data interceptors on fiber-optic cables that carry Internet traffic to and from the UK.

http://www.zdnet.com/gchqs-dark-arts-leaked-leaked-documents-reveal-online-manipulation-facebook-and-youtube-snooping-7000031598/

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

“In an age of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act,” -George Orwell

Anonymous said...

What emergency data law means for you.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-28245589

Anonymous said...

Commons backs emergency data laws despite criticism.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-28305309

Anonymous said...

GCHQ's dark arts: Leaked documents reveal online manipulation, Facebook, YouTube snooping

Summary: A fresh set of documents leaked by Edward Snowden show how the UK intelligence agency can manipulate online polls and debates, spread messages, snoop on YouTube and track Facebook users.

http://www.zdnet.com/gchqs-dark-arts-leaked-leaked-documents-reveal-online-manipulation-facebook-and-youtube-snooping-7000031598/

Anonymous said...

'You're ignoring the WHITES!' Tory MP slams plans for equal opportunities

A TORY MP yesterday accused the BBC of ignoring the white working class.

http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/389163/BBC-Boss-accused-by-Tory-MP-in-race-row

Anonymous said...

'No Illeagles' graffiti investigated as hate crime by Maryland State Police

Read more: http://www.wjla.com/articles/2014/07/-no-illeagles-graffiti-investigated-as-hate-crime-by-maryland-state-police-105123.html#ixzz37e23OQgn

Anonymous said...

"THE RESULT OF BUYING INTO JEWISH RELIGION - MADNESS"


Priest who killed nun by crucifixion in botched exorcism chased out of town

A PRIEST crucified a young nun to death during a BOTCHED exorcism, it has emerged.

http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/489229/Priest-killed-nun-crucifixion-botched-exorcism

Anonymous said...

Former Front National candidate jailed for calling black minister a chimpanzee.

In the severest sentence of its kind ever handed down in France, a former far-right local politician has been sentenced to nine months in prison for comparing a black cabinet minister to a chimpanzee.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/former-front-national-candidate-jailed-for-calling-black-minister-a-chimpanzee-9609357.html

Anonymous said...

BBC1 TONIGHT IMMIGRANT'S 10 OUT 10 FOR PROPOGANDA!!!

Anonymous said...

Belgian town blasts out music to drive out gipsies

A group of Roma camped by a Belgian town faced a rude awakening on Wednesday: the mayor ordered that they be blasted with music to drive them away.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/belgium/10971605/Belgian-town-blasts-out-music-to-drive-out-gipsies.html

Anonymous said...

"A MAD MAN SPEAK'S"

Pope Francis Calls on U.S. to Welcome Illegal Immigrants.


http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2014/07/15/Pope-Welcome-Them

Anonymous said...

Hundreds of cities fight back against 'invasion'

Massive 'surge' in national protest this week

Read more at http://www.wnd.com/2014/07/hundreds-of-cities-fight-back-against-invasion/#O4OUUXfZ3GlSloxW.99

Anonymous said...

"SOME GOYIM NEVER LEARN"

Police investigate Kent and London mosque visits by Paul Golding of BF.

The Right Reverend James Langstaff, Bishop of Rochester, said he thought Jesus would have been "affronted and outraged" at the targeting of the mosques.

"Not least because Jesus tended to take the side of people who were in the weaker position," he said.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-28340271

Anonymous said...

Another international conference regarding the high rates of “anti-semitism” took place on the 7th and 8th of July, in Berlin. The Conference, organized by the Centre for Research on Antisemitism (ZFA). This event was held at Berlin’s Technical University, and included representatives from the Center Of Hellenism and the National Center For Social Research (EKKE).

What the board concluded at this conference, as was described by a professor from the Department of Jewish History at the University of Haifa, Mina Rosen: Greek “anti-Semitism” is thanks to the national religion of Orthodox Christianity, rather than any political catalyst: “[Greek anti-semitism] stems from religious intolerance and specifically the age old accusation that the Jews were responsible for killing Christ. And it goes on to this day. Once anti-Semitism interacts with a nationalism, then it begins to take an economic character. The basis is the fundamental beliefs and traditions of the people. If it is said again and again that Jews
International Zionist Congress says: “Orthodoxy Is Responsible For Anti-Semitism”

killed Christ, ie, their Lord, then what else can you expect to happen?”

It is beyond any reasonable doubt that global Zionism and their pawns within Greek borders have worked tirelessly to undermine, reform and attack the various traditions within Orthodoxy.

Anonymous said...

Fed-backed group drops plan to buy fancy hotel to house illegals.


http://www.foxnews.com/us/2014/07/16/feds-to-house-illegal-immigrants-at-multimillion-dollar-hotel/

Anonymous said...

PM Cameron’s porn filter adviser fronts court over child indecency rap.


http://rt.com/uk/173552-porn-filters-advisor-charged/

Anonymous said...

Another night about the joys of having more and more Immigrants brought to us by Mr Tim Samuels care of the BBC. Of course the Holohoax was forever ready to be used by Timmy to silence anyone who looked remotely like objecting