NSA Can Spy On Data From Smart Phones, Including Blackberry

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."

Comments

Secret oversight

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Re:Secret oversight

[Anonymous Coward]

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.

Re:Secret oversight

[gmuslera]

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.

And the saga continues....

[xystren]

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.

Re:And the saga continues....

[Anonymous Coward]

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

Thank you Edward Snowden

[rvw]

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.

Re:Let me guess, BIS

[edman007]

Or BES just has an NSA backdoor.