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PODCAST: Initial Thoughts: Wikileaks CIA Vault7 (Patreon)

Published:
2017-03-08 21:06:06
Edited:
2017-03-08 21:07:21
Imported:
2026-06

Downloads

Content

A monologue regarding some initial thoughts about the Wikileaks CIA Vault7 leak, just a day after it hit the mass media.

Comments

Sean Smith

I want the actual applications. That is what I am actually interested in. I am way more interested in the exploits and other stuff, not what might have been gathered from me.

Fabian

Hallelujah, some sanity! OMG, the CIA has tools to hack me! - Guess what, the CIA has tools to murder you, if they so choose. In fact, your local cop has them. In fact, Karl has them. And I do.

Joshua Fairhurst

FINALLY someone who not only knows what they're talking about, but presents it in a reasonable manner. Please do keep us updated, I hunger for more, but be wary of the typical political pitfalls.

Kyle Freidel

Good stuff, Karl. It's nice to have a realistic and informed person's opinion.

Samuel K Harsha

I remember a time when an application on one of our public facing sites was hit by a high volume SQL injection attack. We could only determine part of the route that was being used but I believe (not certain) it was bounced from china to Australia to Dallas back to japan and then to us. It might have actually come from elsewhere. What gets me is that my organization was not terribly concerned about it. Individuals including myself were and started building our applications with a little more security in mind though. And whats more... the longer I have been in this industry the more disturbing rumors I hear about how people are storing their sensitive data. Some companies rely solely on the obfuscation of data and don't even encrypt it. "WHAT?!?!"

Bartosz Jakusz

Karl I agree that CIA is just using tools and the intention make it good or bad. However who will watch the watchmen.

Ashley

Not only is this leak totally unsurprising, and it's unsurprising to anybody familiar with how technology works and how many gaps in security there are, it should also be unsurprising given the Snowden leaks. None of this is new information.

InRange TV

I think I avoided political nonsense here, no? ~Karl

Grant Howard

Just finished listening to this and loved it! Your sensible and knowledgeable approach to this is really nice to hear.

Powers

I would have been surprised to have ever learned that any state wasn't in some way actively doing any kind of testing, or actively doing this stuff. It's part of panning, research and of course leverage. Don't agree with the aspects of spying on individuals specifically without a specific legal process, but I sure want them to know how to hit back to those who use these tools against us. Unfortunately, stuff gets abused. Always.

Matthew Sabins

As a person who writes operating systems for big banks for a living. There are ways to make these systems impenetrable. Its just a pain in the ass for the users to deal with an invulnerable and uncompromising system.

Matthew Sabins

Karl, a Poughkeepsie reference? I lived there for 10 years, as part of my IBM stint. I worked at the IBM that used to manufacture M1 Carbines.

Don Logan

Karl, more of this content please! Thanks!

Ethereal

You can't hack my Gundam.If Wikileaks really represented any realistic credible threat It could easily be handled in a very permanent manner.Tempest in a teapot.Privacy ended when Reagan made the SSI card into a de facto National ID.I'd worry but It's time for my SOMA.

Angus Anderson

As a tech novice, I found that highly informative. I disagree with commenters complaining this is political content. Yes, political notions considered, but necessary to explain the topic. I appreciate the spread of content too. More please.

InRange TV

Of course I don't agree with or condone such behavior but I also think it's unfortunately inevitable. The populace isn't engaged enough to prevent it. ~Karl

thormusique

Absolutely correct and very well stated! There's so much misinformation floating around regarding all this stuff. Modern technology is magic to most people, and I think that causes them to ascribe qualities and draw conclusions that are themselves magical and fanciful. I also happen to know something of this net-security world, but I'd be the first to admit that our ability to create amazing technology seems to have exponentially outpaced our ability to deal with it. Makes for one helluva scary scenario. In my weaker moments, I can't help but think that humanity is wasted on us humans. ;-)

Mark Osborne

Well stated. Sometimes people have to be reminded of reality by folks that actually know what they are talking about. Thanks Carl

Michael Paul

This was awesome. Thanks for taking the time to do it, Karl.

Paul Craig

I'm not surprised that people are surprised by the fact they can be hacked anytime. I work in residential home automation. I install the IoT for people that want it in their "smart home." Every once in awhile a spouse will worry if they are being spied on by some device I installed. I let them know that yes it is possible but that they were already being "spied" upon by with their smart phone, social media provider, internet search provider, etc. I then point out that nobody is really interested in them as an individual. Companies just want to gather marketing information for better sales. What I dispise is all the companies installing equipment and then leaving default passwords enabled. Atleast make the wierdos go to some effort before they can watch your security camera!

Mike F

Very educational for me, more please.

Denis Bowman

Thanks for the insight. I would enjoy more content like this.

Ernie Anderson

That's right Karl giving enough time and resources most anything secure can be gotten into...!!! Exspecially anything online. I'm kinda sorry to say that if you do not know this by now your probably pretty gullible...... good work Karl 👍👍👏🏻

Ernie Anderson

Very nicely avoided sir..... although everyone is in titled to their opinion. We as adults should be able to hear something we disagree with without losing our shit. I think that is why this country is so divided..?

Farmer Brown

As an active participant/bystander in the "crypto wars" of the 80's and 90's (Google it), this revelation should be nothing more than "ho hum". After the US Govt tried fighting, and looked like losing, the battle to control the crypto genie, they basically went quiet. Said little, stopped fighting, gave up. A few naïve folk saw a victory for freedom, etc etc. But that was foolish. The govt rightly figured out that encryption was out there and only going to get better and more widespread. The better approach was to focus on the data BEFORE/AFTER it gets encrypted. So, it was obvious to anybody with a brain that they'd started working on compromising the user device and didn't bother worrying about crypto any more.

Farmer Brown

I'm now working on a proposal to develop a product for IoT security - it's becoming a massive headache.

TheOlsonOutfit

Given your professional background, I really appreciate you giving your opinion on this.

Candice C Voets

Pretty much my thoughts Karl, our operatives need tools to fight their battles. The sticky part is ensuring that these tools remain pointed outward. How we ensure that however is something beyond me though. Maybe we could create a retrovirus that infects people with an inability to violate the constitution, then make contracting said virus a prerequisite for holding office or working for the government. If only it was that easy......

Darby Metcalf

Super cool content, and congrats on the recent goal being met!

Mark Bruns, et al.

The problem is NOT with the CIA/NSA/other agencies and other loyal, faithful public servants who are gathering data, ie spying on people, in order to Constitutionally protect American citizens ... doing their jobs OR serving the public is NOT a problem. The PROBLEM is the UNCONSTITUTIONAL activities used by certain people who do not keep their oath to "support and defend" and informal professional networks of deeply-entrenched solidly-connected rogues, aka the "Deep State" who operate within government, using the power of large government AGAINST American citizens ... the problem with the "Deep State" or this secret society within government is that their PRIVATE agendas led to a problem with Ineptitude-At-Scale, so they LOST control of the tools (ie no one should be naive enough to believe that Wikilieaks was the first to know about the Vault7 secrets) -- in other words, instead of shrinking a target-rich environment, they prolonged/expanded the vulnerabilities rather than alerting the necessary actors [eg, the Linux Foundation, Torvalds, Greg KH, et al] to develop patches that generally close the holes to common, ordinary, everyday criminals. In general ... it's not specific to IT or digital infosec ... this informal network of rogues or "Deep State" acted in a manner similar to that of J. Edgar Hoover of preserving their PRIVATE treasure trove of tools for blackmail and serving their own private agenda RATHER than STRICTLY abiding by the oath to faithfully support and defend the Consitution ... the failure to faithfully abide is "spirit of the law" thing, it is probably NOT going to be matter violating the "letter of the law" ... in other words, Wikileaks prosecutes its cases in the GLOBAL court of public opinion and does not bring formal legal charges or try cases in US federal court. It is worth reiterating ... the agenda of "opening governments" or Wikileaks's stated agenda is NOT about IT systems ... it is about VIGILANCE that all citizens owe is to the defense of their lives, liberties and property AND to the liberties of their fellow citizens who reflexively defend others ... IT systems and digital infosec changes absolutely NOTHING about the game ... there is NOTHING really new about what Wikileaks put out there with Vault7, although the specificity of the details and scope/scale of the investment should be something that functioning, productive ADULTS are aware of and consider. What a group like Wikileaks does, ie manipulate the news cycle, appears to be NECESSARY ... there are not other ways to accomplish the aim of REMINDING people to be vigilant ... it's a PSA, like reminding people that daylight savings time is going to happen, except a LOT MORE IMPORTANT ... people forget that liberty is pretty much always under attack; it is under attack by because the "Deep State" and the most unsavory characters of all unsavory characters depend upon people trusting government too much, particularly trusting those who never stop advocating for bigger and BIGGER government ... the "Deep State" depends upon the shadows of BIG GOVERNMENT to conduct its legalized, govt-authorized otherwise-criminal activities. It is NOT a new problem ... it goes back to the Latin question or much further [as long as there have been governments] ... Quis custodiet ipsos custodes? ... how is one to be defended against the very guardians who have been appointed to guard us?

Marv Fritts

We have all become to fat and lazy and don't defend the principals of basic honesty and demand from our govt. and our dishonest news media.