NSA and GCHQ have had access to SIM card encryption keys for years, latest Snowden documents reveal

[Shawn Knight]

American spies with the NSA and British secret agents from the GCHQ were able to successfully infiltrate the world’s largest SIM card maker and steal its encryption keys according to a new report from The Intercept.

Gemalto, which produced roughly two billion SIM cards last year, lists the US’ top four wireless providers as customers in addition to more than 450 other carriers around the globe. It has a presence in 85 countries and operates more than 40 manufacturing facilities.

The report notes that agents went after individual targets, hacking their e-mail and Facebook accounts in an attempt to find a breadcrumb that could get them inside Gemalto. The process was likened to cyber stalking although it wasn’t limited to just Gemalto; employees at several major telecoms also fell into the joint effort’s trap.

The company claims it had no knowledge of an attack and after an investigation, could find no trace of a hack.

The coveted encryption keys are described by the publication as the keys to the castle. With them, the agencies can intercept and decrypt voice and data communications of phones on the majority of cellular networks around the world.

The report is based on documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, otherwise known to privacy advocates as the gift that keeps on giving. It’s pretty much game over for cellular encryption according to cryptography specialist Matthew Green. Such has likely been the case for years as the Snowden documents in question date back to 2010.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/59807-nsa-gchq-have-had-access-sim-card-encryption.html

 

[Footlong]

Somehow I'm not surprised. I mean, most countries in the world operate using this system. It is only natural from them to spend billions of dollars in such way. What bothers me is how effective this actually is. You see ISIS recent attack in France was said to be monitored previously, but it happened anyway. So why bother pretending you are protecting your country (France is one close ally to US and UK) when you are not?

 

[Uncle Al]

Love him or hate him, you have to admit that Edward Snowden did quite a favor for those that believe in personal privacy and the rule of law. I doubt most Americans really care that much but there is something about that FISA court and the way it operates that just screams illegal and unethical, regardless of that "no so Supreme Count" says today.

 

[Rippleman]

People still report on this guy? wow

 

[Darth Shiv]

All levels of phone comms is heavily infiltrated and the security on GSM for example is open book stuff. It's like turning on WEP for WiFi - completely worthless. The biggest problem is everyone, Govt, hackers etc know this and how to break it. There may as well be no security but hoping these revelations will give mainstream momentum to fix the security issues.

 

[Darth Shiv]

People still report on this guy? wow

He had thousands of documents. They are slowly being released publicly.

You should care because the stuff the NSA did to undermine security means your bank, all your online accounts are vulnerable to hacking because these clowns white-anted web, phone, technology security standards.

Snowden has done a bigger and better service to the people than all the other NSA employees combined.

 

[NeurotechHD]

So this pretty much gives them complete access to any phone, right?

 

[Rippleman]

He had thousands of documents. They are slowly being released publicly.

You should care because the stuff the NSA did to undermine security means your bank, all your online accounts are vulnerable to hacking because these clowns white-anted web, phone, technology security standards.

Snowden has done a bigger and better service to the people than all the other NSA employees combined.

How have you been affected by the NSA? be honest.

 

[NeurotechHD]

How have you been effected by the NSA? be honest.

Affected.

How is privacy not a concern for you? Look out your window. What if you saw a man standing there looking in at you? How would you be affected? Does it matter if you're not doing anything wrong? You would still want that man off your property.

 

[Rippleman]

Affected.

no one has said that I am not concerned. But you have to have a reason to be concerned. Example, aliens could be spying on you right now by being out of our detectable visible spectrum. What have you done to stop them? Nothing? Why not? Don't you care they could be spying on you right now?

Serious note: Can you share your story with the board on how you been directly affected by the NSA?

 

[NeurotechHD]

Can you share your story with the board on how you been directly affected by the NSA?

I don't understand what you're not understanding about privacy. Privacy, or lack of, is its own valid concern.

Maybe if you explain to me what you don't understand about privacy I can better help you.

 

[cliffordcooley]

But you have to have a reason to be concerned.

I do have a reason to be concerned. It's my own Goddamned home, they can stay out mentally and physically.

 

[Rippleman]

I do have a reason to be concerned. It's my own Goddamned home, they can stay out mentally and physically.

you are missing the point. Use my previous example: Aliens could be spying on you right now by being out of our detectable visible spectrum. What have you done to stop them? Nothing? Why not? Don't you care they could be spying on you right now?

Serious question: Why are you not worried about aliens spying on you in your home? (answer and you will see where I am going with this)

 

[Rippleman]

I don't understand what you're not understanding about privacy. Privacy, or lack of, is its own valid concern.

Maybe if you explain to me what you don't understand about privacy I can better help you.

I don't understand what you are not understanding about privacy as well. Use my previous example: Aliens could be spying on you right now by being out of our detectable visible spectrum. What have you done to stop them? Nothing? Why not? Don't you care they could be spying on you right now?

Serious question: Why are you not worried about aliens spying on you in your home? (answer and you will see where I am going with this)

 

[cliffordcooley]

Aliens could be spying on you right now by being out of our detectable visible spectrum. What have you done to stop them? Nothing? Why not? Don't you care they could be spying on you right now?

Any being who may or may not exist is irrelevant. And if they did show their existence, I'm sure everyone would be concerned.

 

[NeurotechHD]

Serious question: Why are you not worried about aliens spying on you in your home? (answer and you will see where I am going with this)

That's not a serious question. Please try again.

 

[Rippleman]

Any being who may or may not exist is irrelevant. And if they did show their existence, I'm sure everyone would be concerned.

This was my point. If the NSA DID show their existence to your "window" then you can be concerned. Why fear/worry about something that is a nonexistent threat to you? Why have a big fuss over something that will never happen to you? I mean this in a nicest way possible but you really aren't important enough to be looked at and to think the NSA would be looking at you is very vain.

 

[Rippleman]

That's not a serious question. Please try again.

This is exactly my piont. The question is irrelevant and stupid just the same as you fearing the NSA is looking at you. It is a non-existent threat that you are worried about. The nsa looking at you is just as likely as the aliens looking at you. You just aren't as big as you think you are.

 

[Uncle Al]

you are missing the point. Use my previous example: Aliens could be spying on you right now by being out of our detectable visible spectrum. What have you done to stop them? Nothing? Why not? Don't you care they could be spying on you right now?

Serious question: Why are you not worried about aliens spying on you in your home? (answer and you will see where I am going with this)

In answer to the basic question, every one of us has been affected by the NSA. Simply take a look at the various presidential and congressional approvals & changes to our laws in regards to privacy and security. It has become a systemic issue across all of law enforcement. Simply look at the Supreme Courts ruling that makes prosecutors immune from prosecution, regardless of the act or conduct (as part of their job). This creates a police state where the private citizen should fear for their personal safety, privacy, and everyday way of life. It wasn't always this way. There was a time when police, politicians, government employee's were answerable to the citizens. The onus was on them to explain their actions and the theory of "the honest man" and "assumed innocent until proven guilty" were the law of the land, not just a pleasant memory from the past. How have we become personally affected ... look at the 90 year old woman in Florida, living in her house for 25 years had her door kicked in, flashbanged, cuffed and frightened nearly to death because the police got it wrong. They have not acknowledged their mistake, not apologized to her and it has been over three months and the state has not repaired the damage they did. This kind of garbage is happening all over the US every day. People that work for the government, no matter what capacity, are OUR employee's, answerable to US, not the other way around. That is what your constitution and bill or rights is all about. Read it, then go on to read the Jeffersonian Papers as well as Blackwell's Law. These are the very foundations of our system, our way of life, and when we choose to shrug our shoulders and show indifference, we are well on our way to a completely totalitarian government.

 

[Rippleman]

In answer to the basic question, every one of us has been affected by the NSA.

Since the creation of the USA, every single generation has said just what you just said about their country. This is a necessary changing of the times. If the laws and police where the same now as they were at the creation of the country, I would probably be a criminal since it would be easy as pie to get away with anything. Innocent until proven guilt is a myth and always has been. Do you hold a public office position? If not, why not? If not, aren't you part of the problem that you say exists? What you call totalitarian is only so because of your individual perception. I am guessing you are an Alex Jones fan?

 

[cliffordcooley]

Search and seizure laws must also apply to the digital space, or else they mean nothing. Our government does exist and they do have the ability to violate your space. Ignoring their existence as if they are not there is exactly what they want you to do. Governing without regulations is why they don't want you to know what their capabilities are. And some people are naive enough to think it is for their own good, not to know how they are being violated.

Just look at what happened to Snowden for holding them responsible for their secretive actions. If Snowden had of taken any other action his efforts would have been thrown under a rug. And he became most wanted over night, for spreading the truth. As long as we do nothing to threaten their grip on maintaining power, we probably don't have anything to worry about. Snowden let us know they do exist and that they needed their code of conduct put in check. Now it is up to us to make sure that code of conduct is created, or we can do it your way and forget it ever came up. After all no one is standing outside your window, right?

 

[Rippleman]

After all no one is standing outside your window, right?

It would be interesting to see how much anarchy there would be when AleX Jones types would be making the laws (or lack of laws). Would be something like the middle east I imagine. And yes you are correct, no one is standing outside your window either.

 

[cliffordcooley]

And yes you are correct, no one is standing outside your window either.

I said what I did because there is no need in anyone standing outside our windows. When they intercept everything we do in the digital world, as if we never had privacy rights in our history at all. Like you said times change and so does the need in changing/adding laws, so stand back out of the way while we continue moving forward since you obviously don't care.

 

[Rippleman]

I said what I did because there is no need in anyone standing outside our windows. When they intercept everything we do in the digital world, as if we never had privacy rights in our history at all. Like you said times change and so does the need in changing/adding laws, so stand back out of the way while we continue moving forward since you obviously don't care.

Back to the original question: How have you been affected by the NSA? What data of yours have they looked at? How do you know "they are at your window"?

 

[cliffordcooley]

Rippleman, I'm only going to say this once. We have laws to prevent people from doing thing, regardless of whether they would have done those things to begin with. I can't say whether anyone "is or is not" outside my window and want laws to help prevent the occurrence. Please stop asking that stupid question, that's right it is stupid because you know it is.

Your question is asking whether a Peeping Tom is in violation, if the person being watched never knew they were. You know the answer to this question and choose not to think about it. There are regulations allowing the activity, under specific guidelines. And under these guidelines the person being watched, knows they are most likely being watched because they likely did something stupid and violated their own right to privacy.