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Snowden Docs Show UK's Digital Spies Using Viruses, Honey Traps

Posted by timothy on from the at-least-it's-an-ethos dept.

An anonymous reader writes "At the start of this week, documents released by whistleblower Edward Snowden detailed DDOS attacks on chatrooms by a British online intelligence unit dubbed the Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group (JTRIG). Now he has released a new trove showing that JTRIG is about much more than purely online annoyances. According to the documents, released to NBC News, JTRIG's role is to "deny, disrupt, degrade and deceive" by any means possible. These techniques include destroying an individual's computer with a custom virus dubbed "Ambassador's Reception", setting up social media honey traps to harvest embarrassing information, actively attacking companies online and off, and planting data on people's systems."

8 of 92 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Running out of mod points by arth1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Oh, I won't make them money because I am allowed "to have ads disabled"...

    Even with ads disabled, you make them money by writing posts that others come to see. If the contributors cease to contribute, there will be no ad-viewing audience either.

    What upper management need to realize, is that without the contributors and deep discussions they have, Slashdot is nothing.

  2. reasonable doubt? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    "planting data on people's systems."

    I don't know what the laws are in the UK. I would imagine that could get many "cyber crimes" tossed. How can it be proven that any evidence wasn't planted now?

    1. Re:reasonable doubt? by richlv · · Score: 2

      so actually... slashdot media is not responsible for beta, it's JTRIG/GCHQ !

      --
      Rich
  3. Planting Data? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Like say, Child Pornography?

    How the hell is planting data legal? When did we start seeing that framing people for prosecution and incarceration was acceptable in ANY way?

    1. Re:Planting Data? by fustakrakich · · Score: 2

      When did we start seeing that framing people for prosecution and incarceration was acceptable in ANY way?

      The afternoon of 11th of September, 2001. Except now, we skip the incarceration and legal prosecution part and cut straight to the execution.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  4. Re:Running out of mod points by mikael · · Score: 2

    I am sure it would be possible for someone to create an Opera or Firefox plugin that filters downloads of slashdot beta articles and converts them back to slashdot classic.

    --
    Vintage computer adverts: http://www.vintageadbrowser.com/computers-and-software-ads
  5. Snowden should be given by Ralph+Spoilsport · · Score: 3

    a ticker tape parade and $10 million dollars. His revelations are critically important to our time. It is imperative the US Govt heed him and his supporters, on both the left and the right. Because if they continuing pulling this evil bullshit, eventually, there will be another Snowden. Only, the next Snowden might not be so nice or thoughtful.

    --
    Shoes for Industry. Shoes for the Dead.
  6. There goes ANY child porn conviction! by jraff2 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    The Government now will be the goto excuse for anyone with any type of computer hackery, virus, trojan, malwear, etc. including ilicit images and pornography. I am not to blame, the Gov.; NSA, FBI, CIA, other TLAs used "Ambassador's Reception" (http://yro.slashdot.org/story/14/02/08/1438242/snowden-docs-show-uks-digital-spies-using-viruses-honey-traps) to put it on my compuer. Prove me wrong! The Gov. reply will be some form of "we can neither confirm nor deny"... End of case,