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"This is as big as it gets," security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey toldThe Intercept's Sam Biddle after news of the release. (Photo: Christiaan Colen/flickr/cc)
Hackers and security experts are raising alarm over a massive cyberweapons dump that they say underscores the danger of government spy agencies developing intrusive surveillance tools.
On Friday, the hacking group Shadow Brokers released a cache of cyberweapons developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) to access computers that run on Microsoft Windows, a release described by Vice New's Motherboard as "the hacking equivalent of a bomb."
This means that any computer-savvy individual could download the tools and hack into any of the millions of personal Microsoft computers worldwide.
"This is as big as it gets," security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey toldThe Intercept's Sam Biddle after news of the release. "Nation-state attack tools are now in the hands of anyone who cares to download them...it's literally a cyberweapon for hacking into computers...people will be using these attacks for years to come."
Microsoft told reporters that no one from the NSA or government alerted them of the security breach, but late Friday the tech company announced they were able to patch most of the exploits.
Regardless, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said the release makes clear that the "'lawful access' debate is over," and the government's claim that "nobody but us" has access to these surveillance tools is moot.
Trump and Musk are on an unconstitutional rampage, aiming for virtually every corner of the federal government. These two right-wing billionaires are targeting nurses, scientists, teachers, daycare providers, judges, veterans, air traffic controllers, and nuclear safety inspectors. No one is safe. The food stamps program, Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid are next. It’s an unprecedented disaster and a five-alarm fire, but there will be a reckoning. The people did not vote for this. The American people do not want this dystopian hellscape that hides behind claims of “efficiency.” Still, in reality, it is all a giveaway to corporate interests and the libertarian dreams of far-right oligarchs like Musk. Common Dreams is playing a vital role by reporting day and night on this orgy of corruption and greed, as well as what everyday people can do to organize and fight back. As a people-powered nonprofit news outlet, we cover issues the corporate media never will, but we can only continue with our readers’ support. |
Hackers and security experts are raising alarm over a massive cyberweapons dump that they say underscores the danger of government spy agencies developing intrusive surveillance tools.
On Friday, the hacking group Shadow Brokers released a cache of cyberweapons developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) to access computers that run on Microsoft Windows, a release described by Vice New's Motherboard as "the hacking equivalent of a bomb."
This means that any computer-savvy individual could download the tools and hack into any of the millions of personal Microsoft computers worldwide.
"This is as big as it gets," security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey toldThe Intercept's Sam Biddle after news of the release. "Nation-state attack tools are now in the hands of anyone who cares to download them...it's literally a cyberweapon for hacking into computers...people will be using these attacks for years to come."
Microsoft told reporters that no one from the NSA or government alerted them of the security breach, but late Friday the tech company announced they were able to patch most of the exploits.
Regardless, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said the release makes clear that the "'lawful access' debate is over," and the government's claim that "nobody but us" has access to these surveillance tools is moot.
Hackers and security experts are raising alarm over a massive cyberweapons dump that they say underscores the danger of government spy agencies developing intrusive surveillance tools.
On Friday, the hacking group Shadow Brokers released a cache of cyberweapons developed by the National Security Agency (NSA) to access computers that run on Microsoft Windows, a release described by Vice New's Motherboard as "the hacking equivalent of a bomb."
This means that any computer-savvy individual could download the tools and hack into any of the millions of personal Microsoft computers worldwide.
"This is as big as it gets," security researcher and hacker Matthew Hickey toldThe Intercept's Sam Biddle after news of the release. "Nation-state attack tools are now in the hands of anyone who cares to download them...it's literally a cyberweapon for hacking into computers...people will be using these attacks for years to come."
Microsoft told reporters that no one from the NSA or government alerted them of the security breach, but late Friday the tech company announced they were able to patch most of the exploits.
Regardless, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden said the release makes clear that the "'lawful access' debate is over," and the government's claim that "nobody but us" has access to these surveillance tools is moot.