When it comes to looking up information on the web, most people default to “googling” it—Google’s search engine has become so dominant that it’s now a verb, much like Photoshop. However, using Google for your searches comes with a privacy trade-off. Google’s business relies on advertising, and every search you make contributes to the profile … Read more
The DAS program resembles several previous mass surveillance initiatives, such as a Drug Enforcement Agency program launched in 1992 that compelled phone companies to hand over records of nearly all calls to and from over 100 other countries. Additionally, it draws parallels with the National Security Agency’s bulk metadata collection program, which was deemed illegal … Read more
Speculation is rife on Capitol Hill about a purported effort by US congressional leaders to rescue a contentious surveillance program, with sources suggesting that this plan may involve discreetly adding a last-minute provision to a crucial defense authorization bill that must be passed. Republican and Democratic senior aides informed WIRED that news of private discussions … Read more
For those seeking some engaging weekend reads, WIRED has a variety of articles. A senior reporter has revealed the intriguing story behind the teenage hackers responsible for the 2016 Mirai botnet. Another contributor discusses the 1947 “discovery” of aliens in Roswell, New Mexico, and finally, an in-depth article explores how communities are solving cold cases … Read more
The House Intelligence Committee has proposed 45 “improvements” to be included in upcoming legislation to continue the 702 program. These include criminal liability for leaks involving an American’s communications, enhanced penalties for federal employees who violate FISA procedures, and the appointment of a court-approved counsel to scrutinize FISA applications aimed at surveillance of US citizens. … Read more
According to Whittaker, Signal operates its services with the utmost efficiency, but she also acknowledges that many of its features incur higher costs compared to other communication platforms. This is due to the additional expenses involved in implementing these features in a privacy-preserving manner. For example, Signal’s encryption not only applies to the content of … Read more
The database contains a wide range of personal information, including names, professions, blood groups, parents’ names, phone numbers, call durations, vehicle registrations, passport details, and fingerprint photos. However, this isn’t just your typical database leak—these categories of information are all associated with a database held by an intelligence agency. Over the past few months, the … Read more
Lawmakers in the United States are facing a wave of warnings from various civil society organizations urging them not to yield to the efforts of certain members of Congress who are attempting to thwart a much-anticipated discussion on the future of a potent yet divisive US surveillance program. House and Senate party leaders are gearing … Read more
Creating your own AI chatbot no longer requires coding skills. OpenAI has made it possible for anyone to build and publish their custom versions of ChatGPT, also known as “GPTs”, since the beginning of November. Thousands of these custom GPTs have been created, each with its unique capabilities. For example, there’s a GPT dedicated to … Read more