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NSA Can Spy On Data From Smart Phones, Including Blackberry

Posted by timothy on from the ask-not-how-you-can-spy-on-your-country dept.

An anonymous reader writes with a report from Spiegel Online that the U.S. government "has the capability of tapping user data from the iPhone, [and] devices using Android as well as BlackBerry, a system previously believed to be highly secure. The United States' National Security Agency intelligence-gathering operation is capable of accessing user data from smart phones from all leading manufacturers. ... The documents state that it is possible for the NSA to tap most sensitive data held on these smart phones, including contact lists, SMS traffic, notes and location information about where a user has been." As a bonus, the same reader points out a Washington Post report according to which "The Obama administration secretly won permission from a surveillance court in 2011 to reverse restrictions on the National Security Agency's use of intercepted phone calls and e-mails, permitting the agency to search deliberately for Americans' communications in its massive databases ... In addition, the court extended the length of time that the NSA is allowed to retain intercepted U.S. communications from five years to six years — and more under special circumstances, according to the documents, which include a recently released 2011 opinion by U.S. District Judge John D. Bates, then chief judge of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court."

23 of 298 comments (clear)

  1. Secret oversight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Secret oversight can't be trusted, and anyone who thought it could be trusted was a moron.

    1. Re:Secret oversight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The Nazi hunters had to dig thru millions of paper documents. I think it would be the right thing to do to start keeping track of all the people who have thrown our country away. A centralized site where people can upload pictures of the agents and any information they may have on them.

      Whether it is federal agents 'only doing their job' or federal judges making it possible all the way down to the DHS agents at airports acting as thugs.

      We need a single place where all this information can be consolidated for the future so they can all be held accountable for the damage they contributed to.

    2. Re:Secret oversight by Jawnn · · Score: 3, Insightful

      And yet the sheeple just keep bending over and taking it.

    3. Re:Secret oversight by gmuslera · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The worst part of the no trust is that they can't even know if the data they are collecting from is being misused. Not just they are lowering on pourpose your security (weakening crypto, planting backdoors, etc), and syphoning everyone's private information, but is already proved (to the public, with Snowden) that they don't know who access their information and how is or will be using it.

      So if tomorrow your bank account shows a pretty rounded zero because the backdoors NSA planted on you was used by one of the employees of one of the companies the NSA hires (he just sold in the black market that backdoor information and someone else did it), don't be sad, the country must be defended from the terrorists.

    4. Re:Secret oversight by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Would you lose the idiotic term "sheeple"? It's smug and condescending, and is the sort of expression used by conspiracy nutjobs to distinguish themselves from the unwashed masses who don't understand the Truth as revealed on some guy's blog. In short, it makes you sound like a complete twat.

    5. Re:Secret oversight by noh8rz10 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I think it would be the right thing to do to start keeping track of all the people who have thrown our country away.

      You mean a list of all voters and nonvoters too?

    6. Re:Secret oversight by centipedes.in.my.vag · · Score: 3, Insightful

      You're implying that the voting function changed any outcomes; and that is arguably not true. Further, being so aggressively victim-blaming is a pretty horrid view - and amazingly ironic given your username.

      --
      Only on /. can I lose karma with 2x "5, Funny" posts.
  2. And the saga continues.... by xystren · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Yet again, the extent of government overreaching continues. Lie about what really is really being done, and with a subtle move along, nothing to see here... "Ohh, look over there,Kim Kardashian."

    Simply amazing that what is being assured is not being done, is in reality being done.

    1. Re:And the saga continues.... by AdamSalisbury · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Please tell me what you think I should do to stop it. As an average citizen, I have no power over anything this government does. I am just a victim.

    2. Re:And the saga continues.... by cdp0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Please tell me what you think I should do to stop it. As an average citizen, I have no power over anything this government does. I am just a victim.

      Protest.

      Not protesting means you agree with what happens. You can't be neutral on a moving train.

    3. Re:And the saga continues.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The authorities' response would be:

      A. "Smithers, release the drones!"
      B. Abundant supply of tasers and riot gear for law enforcement agents
      C. Look! Another sport event on cable!
      D. Market yet another manufactured crisis, giving politicians yet another opportunity to divide public opinion
      E. All of the above

    4. Re:And the saga continues.... by DarkOx · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yes you do. Keep spreading the word that Government can't be trusted and that you and your fellow citizens should NOT cooperate with agents of government. They ask for info tell them to get a warrant. You see something, say NOTHING. They want to "contribute" to your project attend your conference etc, you respond get lost FED. Start excluding people who work for three letters from social events, etc.

      If all of us citizens stand up and just say no; it will make these programs way less effective. If we treat these Constitution shredding collaborators like the criminals they are and black ball them; it will be increasingly hard for government to find people to do this stuff.

      We can change this thing but voting in the horse race won't do it. Its gotta be done from the ground. Make working for the NSA something to be embarrassed about.

      As long as these methods the military/security complex are working right or wrong the power hungry will use and abuse them. We need to make them no longer work. Make the price tag of this type of signals intelligence the loss of all good human intelligence and being subject to disdainful stairs and "we don't serve your kind here" everytime a badge comes out; things would start to change.

      --
      Repeal the 17th Amendment TODAY! Also Please Read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/right-to-read.html
    5. Re:And the saga continues.... by gmuslera · · Score: 4, Insightful

      What about supporting the ones trying to do something about it? Raising awareness on the clueless majority of US population (and correcting the one with the wrong clues, like i.e. the ones that buys the shoot the messenger mantra) could help too, you have a voice, use it.

    6. Re:And the saga continues.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The only possible outcome of your strategy is to ensure that any remaining well-adjusted people working in government will leave and that there will be new laws making your countermeasures illegal. Both of those outcomes are horrible and directly opposite of what you want. Other than, obviously, voting for third parties, what you need to do is to make genuine connections with people in government and influence them to change their ways - which is the opposite of what you are advocating.

      Yelling at people generally doesn't make them see things your way. In fact, I imagine that it is precisely people with your personality in government that are making these horrible decisions - they are looking for a fight and taking whatever measures they feel is necessary to help them win that fight. Did that kind of behavior from them make you more or less likely to work with them in peace? That works the other way too.

    7. Re:And the saga continues.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      George W. Bush, who damn near destroyed us with his tax cuts for the wealthy

      Not even Obama is repeating this anymore. When those tax cuts were about to expire, what happened? He did his best to extend them for the middle class because it would have devistated the economy even worse.

      I think you are the last idiot who thinks that statement is true. Everyone else had to finally admit it was a lie a few years ago.

  3. Re:Open Source Android by zidium · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The exploits and backdoors on Android devices are put in there by the manufacturers themselves, usually for monetary compensation and / or risk of harm from the agencies doing the threatening. There's no way around them.

    --
    Slashdot Valentines Beta Massacre: iT WORKED! The boycotts killed Beta!!
  4. Re:Happy now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Hey Obanaistas, ready to admit your guy is even worse than Bushitler?

    No, we'll just accuse you of being a racist. Hope you understand.

  5. Re:Happy now? by Narcocide · · Score: 4, Insightful

    NOPE but I'm willing to admit I'll probably never vote Democrat or Republican again.

  6. Re:Happy now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    In fact, I don't. How about explaining it to me?

    It's all we have left.

  7. Thank you Edward Snowden by rvw · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I cannot thank you enough for making all this information public, and for giving up your normal life to inform us. I hope that one time you will be recognized by the UN, EU and most hopefully for you the US, so you can return to your own country without being prosecuted.

  8. Re:Let me guess, BIS by edman007 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Or BES just has an NSA backdoor.

  9. FISA court should be impeached by whoever57 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    The Obama administration secretly won permission from a surveillance court in 2011 to reverse restrictions on the National Security Agency's use of intercepted phone calls and e-mails, permitting the agency to search deliberately for Americans' communications in its massive databases,

    That is so obviously unconstitutional that the FISA court is clearly in violation of its oath to uphold the constitution.

    --
    The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  10. Re: Happy now? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    How has voting for the major parties worked out for you would be a better question.