Al-Qaeda's Growing Online Offensive

andy1307 brings us a story from the Washington Post about al-Qaeda's technological capabilities and the methods they use to protect themselves and their networks from opposing military forces. Quoting: "US and European intelligence officials attribute the al-Qaeda propaganda boom in part to the network's ability to establish a secure base in the ungoverned tribal areas of western Pakistan. Analysts said that as-Sahab (AQ's propaganda network) is outfitted with some of the best technology available. Editors and producers use ultralight Sony Vaio laptops and top-end video cameras. Files are protected using PGP, or Pretty Good Privacy, a virtually unbreakable form of encryption software that is also used by intelligence agencies around the world. [Al-Fajr, a propaganda distribution network] is heavily decentralized, with its webmasters generally unaware of one another's true identities for security reasons, intelligence analysts said. It also has separate 'brigades' devoted to hacking, multimedia, cybersecurity and distribution."

Comments

Re:Censorship is bad, OK?

[sumdumass]

Wow.. Any credibility you might have had was just shot down the tubed by your own association of misconceptions of Obama and Fox News.

There are quite a few misconceptions floating around, quite a few real and honest facts too. Attempting to blame them on one news outlet shows how selective and unrealistic you are. You have no evidence of your claim other then someone told you about it. I find it amazing that enough people have been brainwashed in the same light as you have that you think your comment has merit.

Re:Aw, c'mon.

[MrNaz]

"Your limited personal experiences are a drop in the ocean..."
It's a far bigger drop than the one most westerners base their views on. I don't see how people can quite happily believe that Fox News lies about the dangers from music piracy and hackers, yet completely swallow without question the FUD regarding Islam in the face of absolutely zero evidence that can be observed in real life.

"But many others don't (such as Muslim immigrants in Europe)."
Your point? There are plenty of Westerners living in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, former USSR states, South America etc who get all uppity and angry about problems they see with the place they are living compared to what they're used to back home.

"Oh, right. Well, I guess we'd better just ignore all those millions of people who hate the West, since you're here to assure us that everything is okay."
Actually, I think my point was that those millions don't hate "The West", they hate western governments propping up local tinpot dictators like the Saudis.

"Concessions and friendly gestures do not work, they are simply a sign of weakness and submission.
Great. Law of the jungle, might is right. Lets all stand up and beat our chests like a bunch of primordial apes, lest the Other Side think we're weak.

Re:Mission Accomplished

[Doc Ruby]

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Is this the fate of Republicans? Now in the minority, their legacy of catastrophe making their insane, cowardly bleatings nothing but the butt of jokes or cautionary tales, they merely anonymously snipe at the truth about their Reign of Error.