NSA Couldn't Hack San Bernardino Shooter's iPhone; Now Working On Exploiting IoT (theintercept.com)

The FBI did turn to NSA when it was trying to hack into the San Bernardino shooter's iPhone, according to an NSA official. But to many's surprise, one of the world's most powerful intelligence agencies couldn't hack into that particular iPhone 5c model. "We don't do every phone, every variation of phone," said Richard Ledgett, the NSA's deputy director. "If we don't have a bad guy who's using it, we don't do that." According to Ledgett, apparently the agency has to prioritize its resources and thus it doesn't know how to get into every popular gadget. According to the report, the agency is now looking to exploit Internet of Things, including biomedical devices. The Intercept reports: Biomedical devices could be a new source of information for the NSA's data hoards -- "maybe a niche kind of thing ... a tool in the toolbox," he said, though he added that there are easier ways to keep track of overseas terrorists and foreign intelligence agents. When asked if the entire scope of the Internet of Things -- billions of interconnected devices -- would be "a security nightmare or a signals intelligence bonanza," he replied, "Both."

Comments

WTF kind of idiot question is this?

[Nutria]

When asked if the entire scope of the Internet of Things -- billions of interconnected devices -- would be "a security nightmare or a signals intelligence bonanza,"

The very fact that it's a security nightmare means that it's a SIGINT bonanza.

Internet of Total Control

[Sax Russell 5449D29A]

When we know for a fact that IoT will only subject us to even more intrusive data collection, spying and constant privacy violations, why would anyone willingly put something like that in their homes? We can also assume that bad actors know of these capabilities and they're practically useless in preventing them from carrying out whatever they would do. To me it seems this is all about mass crowd control. Creating an extensive backlog of every citizens life, one that can be revisited when necessary.