Drip, Drip, Drip

Silent Circle – an encryption firm that has made it its mission to defy NSA snooping – is releasing what it says will be the world’s most secure smartphone.

  RT

It’s called the Blackphone. And it will no doubt cost you a pretty penny. But, kudos to companies taking on the task.

Silent Circle was one of the biggest providers of encrypted email in the world in the past several years, but pre-emptively shut down its services in August last year ahead of an expected broad surveillance request by the FBI.

[...]

[Silent Circle and Lavabit (who also shut down rather than turn over information)] who style themselves after the Rebel Alliance who fought the Death Star in Star Wars, subsequently joined forces to develop Dark Mail, a new purportedly super-secure email service that is expected to be unveiled later this year.

[...]

The security of communication also depends not only on what device is used by the owner of the super-secure phone, but also, the location of the device he is communicating with.

[...]

[W]hile it is obvious that these phones will offer a superior level of protection when it comes to being tracked by business rivals or family members, it is not clear whether they are sufficient to escape the long reach of the NSA.

My guess is not.

In the latest of the revelations surrounding U.S. surveillance, The New York Times reports the National Security Agency has planted spying software in close to 100,000 computers around the world. The software allows for monitoring those machines and the creation of a new digital pathway to launch cyber-attacks on others. It works even if computers are not connected to the Internet by using a covert channel of radio frequencies. Reported targets since 2008 include the Chinese and Russian military, Mexican police and drug cartels, European Union trade institutions, and U.S. allies including Saudi Arabia, India and Pakistan.

  Democracy Now!

The NSA calls use of the infiltration software and radio technology - all part of a program known as Quantum - “active defense” against cyber-attacks, though it has condemned use of similar software by Chinese attackers against American companies or government agencies.

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The Chinese Army has been the most frequent target of Quantum.

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While not commenting on the scope of the program, the NSA said Quantum is not comparable to actions by the Chinese.

  RT

Of course not. ...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.