NSA Using Hacker Research and Results
In the latest article based on the Snowden documents, the Intercept is reporting that the NSA and GCHQ are piggy-backing on the work of hackers:
In some cases, the surveillance agencies are obtaining the content of emails by monitoring hackers as they breach email accounts, often without notifying the hacking victims of these breaches. “Hackers are stealing the emails of some of our targets…by collecting the hackers’ ‘take,’ we…get access to the emails themselves,” reads one top secret 2010 National Security Agency document.
Not surprising.
Andrew • February 6, 2015 10:24 AM
Do I remember someone saying something about the public-private surveillance and how the spooks piggyback on the existing user tracking technologies on the internet?
Also in recent talk between Mr. Schneier and Mr. Snowden it was mentioned how the government hackers would use intermediary when hacking someone in order to cover their tracks.
So this is hardly an earth-shattering surprise. Rather an evolution along the same line of behavior.
And it kinda makes sense for a secretive government agency – why expose themselves hacking a target if someone else is up to the task already. Let the freelance hackers do the dirty work and take what you need from them. Added benefit – the freelancers take the fall for the whole digi-shindig.