Snowden To China Paper: US Hacking Millions of Text Messages

[DeSwiss]

Source: Common Dreams

"There’s far more than this."

Published on Saturday, June 22, 2013 by Common Dreams
- Common Dreams staff


[font size=1]A banner supporting Edward Snowden is displayed at Central, Hong Kong's
business district on June 19, 2013. Photo: AP[/font]

The US is hacking Chinese mobile phone companies to gather data from millions of text messages, whistleblower Edward Snowden told the South China Morning Post in a report published in China Saturday. And Snowden claims he has the evidence to prove it.

National Security Agency (NSA) spies have also been hacking China's prestigious Tsinghua University in Beijing and Asia Pacific fiber-optic network operator Pacnet, the South China Morning Post quoted Snowden.

Snowden has been charged with espionage by the Obama administration after revealing the US governments massive data and phone spying program.

Read more: http://www.commondreams.org/headline/2013/06/22-0

---

- I finally understand what he meant......

“Stupidity was as necessary as intelligence, and as difficult to attain. For the first time he perceived that if you want to keep a secret you must also hide it from yourself.”
~George Orwell, 1984

[msongs]

1. now that is hardly news about this administration is it nt

[DeSwiss]

6. Unfortunately, no it is not. :-| n/t

[Skink]

2. So we are hacking

[PatrynXX]

5. yeah yawn. where's James Bond

like wow. media catches up to modern world from 50 yrs ago to 2013. took em that long

Cept like Goldeneye. 006 is snowbus and he turned traitor straight to china. although he has a single out. Dick Cheney did the same thing. as long as Dick isn't charged bit hard to convince the Chinese to turn him over but never know.

[DeSwiss]

7. Once due process was gone and Murikans could be murdered on a whim......

...they prolly said: "Hey! what the hell? Fuck it, let's hack the Chinese while we're at it! And fix this parking ticket too, dammit!!!

- Or something like that. I'm sure they'll have a transcript.....

[tblue]

33. Probably on the Kill List now

Our gov't terrifies me.

[Iliyah]

3. Freedom for Snowden

but not the Chinese people? What a world.

[Control-Z]

4. I've read in multiple

places that text messages were encrypted so they couldn't be captured or read. Was that not accurate?

[bemildred]

8. Depends on who holds the keys.

Most commercial software, the spooks can get the keys, there is a scandal about that too.

Private keys is a different matter. With cell phones, I'd expect most of it to be decryptable, but if the Chinese use their own keys, maybe not, and I would not know.

They could also attempt forced decryption, if the encryption is not high grade, which it might not be for WiFi because of performance issues, but again, I don't keep up.

[delrem]

11. Snowden says that the very fact that it's been encrypted

means it's saved out for special duty by the NSA. And of course the NSA, either directly or indirectly via the UK, Canada, NZ, or Australian partners, has *all*.

He also says the big problem is "end point security", whatever that means. I suppose it means that an encrypted message, sent to Jack, means that Jack gets special NSA treatment, Jack's computer and online life gets sifted through by pro's who give it special attention, and the likelihood that these pros with their virtual keylogger software can come up with the password is high.

I'm appalled by the level of debate on DU. That there's a whole community on DU who defend and *promote* not just this but everything that's been done by this administration to accelerate the neocon "War on Terror" program. I even saw a post quoting Markos Moulitsas likening Dem progressives with Rep tea-partiers, suggesting that in some "center" everyone is gung-ho to continue this farce (like to read more on *that* one).

The friggen *game* is to pretend that civil liberties are a matter of opinion polls, of some easily orchestrated battle between "left", "right", and "center", where whadyaknow but the movement is ALWAYS toward corporate/military control.

Ah, excuse me for sneezing but I'm totally appalled and thinking if THIS doesn't wake people up, nothing will.

[bemildred]

14. "End point security" mean keys, passwords, and "social engineering".

Everything but brute force decryption.

Snowden is self-motivated, apparently, but if he was being "handled", then he would be a case of "social engineering", which is theft of keys, passwords by the deception or suborning of a trusted person to get stuff. Richard Feynman did a very good basic book on the subject. He liked to crack safes.

Snowden himself is an example of a failure of "end point security".

[DeSwiss]

9. Anything made, can be unmade was what they told me.

Although the truth may be somewhere in the middle, where it is usually found. But I'm thinking that the guys with the super computers have the edge in technology. The problem is: The techs are smart but their bosses (that we elected) are IMO largely made up of narcissists, sociopaths and morons.

- Narcissists, sociopaths and morons with control of super computers, drones, satellites and nukes. This has already proven to be ''not a good mix.....''

[delrem]

13. It can't be unmade if the vast majority is asleep at the switch. nt

[DeSwiss]

16. I know, I know......

...but no prophet is ever accepted in his own country. Until its too late.

- Then they knew you were right all along.....

[Grassy Knoll]

10. DUH. What A Shock!!!!!!

[blkmusclmachine]

12. We can hear you now.

[DeSwiss]

18. More can hear. And see.....

...but not enough. Yet.

[MrMickeysMom]

15. Check out Booz Allen...

They are "visionaries"... heh-heh... get it? Hilarious, America!

http://www.boozallen.com

[bemildred]

17. Voyeurs maybe. nt

[DeSwiss]

19. Booz Allen: A wholly-owned subsidiary.......

...of the USA/MIC.

[SoapBox]

20. Blah, Blah, Blah....

you are just a bundle of never ending news, Mr. Chinese Citizen Snowden.

What a great American you are...oh sorry, WERE...Your family must be so proud.

Hope you enjoy spending the rest of your life in China...I'm glad to see that all your "bravery" got you out of America.

[Hekate]

21. What? The Chinese government isn't doing a thorough enough job on their own people?

Busy, busy, busy. The Chinese send us malware. The Chinese try to hack the Pentagon. And we are supposed to be surprised that the NSA is trying to do the same back at them?

I doubt that Twitter accounts are of much interest whatsoever, but Snowden is digging himself a deeper and deeper hole. This is just weird.

[DeSwiss]

22. And I'll bet he hasn't even gotten to his aces yet.

Not to mention the jokers. I don't think they know what he's got, which is why he scares them so. Interesting strategy though. I wonder when they'll STFU? The whole world is becoming more and more pissed with each revelation. Where's the tipping point? When does it become politically unwise to pursue this on the possibility he has a gigantic bombshell that, if released to the public, would tear Washington a new ass?

- Stay tuned.....

[Hekate]

23. I'm not going to gloat about what he is doing. For one thing, he is playing with fire...

... like a kid with matches in the attic, and he's going to get himself killed by someone. This is not a game any more.

For another thing, he is aiming to do real damage to my country, not just stop or change programs he passionately disagrees with. He's gone beyond that. He's going to end up damaging our national security with friend and foe alike.

At this point his motivation has become academic.

I don't even know what you mean by "I wonder when they'll STFU?" They? Why would the government "shut up"? Do you mean by that that you think the government will drop its case against him? How would that be "politically wise"?

If there's a tipping point at all it lies in the fact that he is no doubt convincing the feds more and more with every revelation that he MUST be stopped before he drops the "gigantic bombshell" you think he has.

I don't know why you think this is amusing.

[BumRushDaShow]

24. Sadly, DU has been infested with anarchists

and pseudo-anarchists, who spin and distort news events with speculative rantings in order to promote and cheer on the collapse of this government.

[Kolesar]

28. Flamebots spreading discord on the DU

That is an end in itself.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

35. THe full ignore function freezes flamebots flat. Fun Fixture for future follies of flamebots

Whenever people tell me about China and I correct them (you know, living in China for almost six years and a year in Suwon, Korea before than), they tell me I don't know what I'm talking about, even though I am on the ground here.

That gets the full ignore button, as does the anti-Chinese venom because my Chinese national wife reads this website with me and takes the anti-Chinese attitudes personally, asking me why Americans hate her so much.

[Hekate]

38. I am rethinking my opposition to the Ignore feature

When I returned after my two year hiatus I decided to let it ride, but now I'm going to see if DU makes more sense if I delete the loonies. Because, really, the inmates are currently running the asylum. We'll see.

[DeSwiss]

40. I think this was a long time coming.

It is not amusement that I have within me, it is joy! Mr. Snowden was the straw that broke the camel's back. And I thank him for his courage and unwillingness to compromise principle over party and lies. He is truly the hero in this scenario. But what I'm mainly glad about is that he's given us an opening -- a chance really -- to stop where we're headed.

- Before it's too late.

Peace.

[Kolesar]

27. That is Glenn Greenwald's fantasy: Snowden blackmails the US to get his charges dropped

Glenn Greenpaul is an awful legal advisor.
He stated that blackmail threat on Chris Hayes' show on a Thursday

[Nanjing to Seoul]

25. Hong Kong is not part of mainland China. It is pretty much it's own deal

Under the two system/one country philosophy. They have their own laws, system, currency and elections.

Learn something about China before you burp treif.

[BeyondGeography]

26. Ugh...here's how the supposedly independent Hong Kong

picks its Chief Executive:

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/22/world/asia/beijing-switches-support-in-race-for-hong-kong-chief.html?_r=0

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/world/asia/Leung-Chun-ying-Elected-as-Hong-Kong-Chief-Executive.html

Hong Kong is a wholly-owned subsidiary of China.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

29. Let's see. Because I lived there for a year and am now on the mainland.

In your second link: Leung-Chin-ying-ELECTED.

Hong Kong has them. Mainland does not.

For the love of God, I love when people who have never lived someplace try to educate someone who has since 2008.

[BeyondGeography]

31. You are woefully uninformed or guilty of wishful thinking

Residency doesn't insulate you from that.

Hong Kong's elections are a rigged sham. And it's Beijing's call if the first free election even happens in 2017. Fortunately, the pro-democracy movement there understands that even if you don't.

[Nanjing to Seoul]

32. You believe that, buddy. And you're ignored for the ad-hominem attack.

Whatever, buddy. Live here and we'll talk. Until then, take you ignorance and your ad-hominem attacks and leave me alone.

[Violet_Crumble]

34. It doesn't even take living there to know what yr saying is correct...

I've noticed the tendency of some to pretend Hong Kong *is* China. It's not...

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/06/05/world/asia/thousands-rally-in-hong-kong-on-tiananmen-square-anniversary.html?_r=0

I visited Hong Kong a few years ago. I really loved it, but I don't think I could stand living there coz I'm used to quarter acre blocks with single storey homes and it was a bit claustrophobic there for me

[treestar]

37. The outrage line should be drawn here

If they think Snowden did OK by revealing the metadata kept on American, that at least has some reasoning behind it, but if they're going to be outraged over our spying on CHINA, that's going to show they are deranged loons and Eddie worshippers beyond reason.

[Hekate]

39. +1

I'm going with deranged loonies for being either surprised or outraged that we spy on China and they spy on us.

[Progressive dog]

30. National Security Agency (NSA) spies have also been hacking China's prestigious Tsinghua University

What is wrong with that and why would an "American" tell them?

[DeSwiss]

41. Oh, I don't know......

...because it's right?

I know doing what is right is a strange concept for many. Jaded political types think it naive. But it is an actual way of life conceptualization. One that we were supposed to evolve to at some point, but of course we never will if we can't understand something simple like how to treat other people.

We're here where we are right now, because of greedy, selfish, uncaring people and those who work for them. Mr. Snowden, risking all, pointed it out for us. And the Chinese. It is my hope that an avalanche of citizens working in similar posts, will recognize the value and truth of his acts and do likewise. Expose all of it. The whole damned thing. We, the blind who will not see can't look away now. Mr. Snowden knows as do I, that until we stop this shit in it's tracks it will only get worse.

The other strange concept for many people, is TRUTH. Some people can't stand the TRUTH and they want to crucify anyone who speaks it. What many apparently don't fathom, is that this is the Time of the Great Unraveling. All the lies will be exposed for what they are. All secrets will be told. A great reckoning is before us. Freedom or slavery is around the corner. It's our choice.

- Thanks to Mr. Snowden we can no longer claim we didn't know what they were doing.....

[Progressive dog]

43. Mr. Snowden stole and gave government secrets to the Chinese

It is really as simple as that. We did not need to know what foreign countries we spied on, there is, never has been, and could not be a Constitutional issue with spying on persons not under control of the US government.
Governments have always used secrecy. You can't expect the police to announce to the local bars where and when sobriety check points will be. Yes, I know how simplistic that comparison is, but I'm trying to stay at the level of someone using "crucify" and "freedom and slavery" when writing about an accused criminal who fled to avoid prosecution.

[DeSwiss]

44. Mr. Snowden gave away government secrets of the USA's illegal acts.

And THAT is all I need to know. Governments use secrecy to coverup their asses. Governments use secrets to avoid prosecution for crimes they committed (as in this case). Governments use secrets to coverup the MURDERS of innocent people they commit.


- And the fact that you're apparently okay with this kind of heinous behavior (since you never mention it - AT ALL), means this convo is over.

BTW - Some police actually do announce where and when the DUI checkpoints will be.

Have a nice life.......

[Progressive dog]

45. Snowden gave away secrets he decided are illegal

to other governments that do worse.
That is all I need to know. Governments use secrecy to protect their peoples' asses, too. That is part of their reason for existence.

[DeSwiss]

46. I know.

That's why the world is as fucked up as it is.

[Beacool]

36. Save Freedom?

Coming from China that's just so ironic to be hilarious. Ditto for Russia. Snowden is a useful idiot. Doe he think that the Russians, Chinese, and many other nations too, are not doing the same?

[DeSwiss]

42. And who are the ones who've been involved in continuous war since the end of WWII?

I agree China and Russia don't have the market cornered on freedom. Neither do we.

- Particularly when our current WH occupant believes he can unilaterally ''due process'' any American into their grave.