Whistleblower: Surfer Has No Chance Against NSA

Internet users have no chance to defend themselves against surveillance by the NSA, says whistleblower Bill Binney, which 37 years worked for the US Secret Service. Binney already warned of Edward Snowden, in 2011, for the surveillance practices of the NSA.

As Snowden Binney left ultimately with the Secret Service. In his own words because he saw how technology was meant to spy on terrorists was used to monitor US citizens. Since then, he seeks to address the privacy violations by US intelligence and investigation services. This week he made ​​an "Ask Me Anything" on the social news site Reddit.

When asked what people can do to protect themselves on the Internet and anonymous are advising him to use smoke signals. "With a budget of more than $ 10 billion a year that the NSA, they have more resources to collect your data than you ever can defend against," said the whistleblower. He sees the solution whatsoever in legislation. Binney therefore calls Americans to call their local politicians and complain about this. "If you do nothing, we are the cigar!".

It does not because if users use closed or open source software. "No software is safe for surveillance," claims Binney. He also makes it clear that the NSA large amounts of data it gathers not know how to use successful. Analysts can not meet the continuous data stream and therefore miss important information. Still, the NSA continues with the mass data storage.According to Binney deliberately, as this provides more funding.

NSA Launches Open Source Security Tool On GitHub

The US National Security Agency has placed an open source security tool on GitHub that enables organizations to protect their networks. The Integrity Management Platform ( SIMP ), as the tool is called, must keep networks compliant with security standards.

In recent years, several governmental and industry organizations have developed similar technologies. By SIMP release the NSA hopes to avoid duplication and promote cooperation within the community. "The wheel does not by any organization to reinvent," said the intelligence service. According to the NSA open source is a very effective way of "government lab" to get the technology marketplace.

"The open source community can benefit from the work that the NSA has produced, and the government can benefit from the expertise of the community. Everyone wins this way," said Linda Burger, director of the NSA Techology Transfer Program.Through Transfer Program can share the NSA technologies with other parties, such as academics, government and industry.

Research: NSA Spying Cost Billions Of US Tech Companies

The espionage activities of the NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealed and is still not enough suitable legislation that would possibly cost US tech companies billions of dollars. Thus, the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF) in a new report ( pdf ).

By not sufficient reform of American surveillance policy would reach US tech companies damage, which in turn will cost American jobs and American trade weakened. The ITIF estimated in 2013 that a small decrease in foreign companies that do not use American cloud services in 2016, the US could cost between 21.5 billion and 35 billion dollars. According to the foundation now appears that only the new cloud sector has been hit by the NSA spying, but other sectors underachievement.The damage will probably also unpack much higher than the estimated $ 35 billion.

"In summary, foreign clients avoid US companies," the researchers conclude that describe different economic consequences in their report. They also argue that, since recently the Congress a espionage law modified so that the NSA should not massively collect phone records of US citizens, other controversial digital surveillance activities of US intelligence to be addressed.