Cyber-security specialists have been examining an encryption software package released earlier this month by the Global Islamic Media Front, a Web forum for supporters of Islamic terrorists.
The software package, dubbed “Mujahedin Secrets” by its authors, is an executable file that can be installed on removable media, like a thumb drive, and used on computers in libraries other public places to encrypt e-mail or other files being sent over the Internet, according to iDefense, an Internet security consultancy which is analyzing the program.
The package does not offer any capabilities not available in commercial encryption programs, according to ZDNet blogger Mitch Ratcliffe. “The difference is an Islamist skin,” he wrote, “which seems more a gimmick to inspire confidence in the software than a guarantee it will be effective.”
“Publicly available encryption has helped far more than an Islamist-branded product will ever hurt,” wrote Ratcliffe. “The ability to hide messages, among many good works, has helped democracy movements thrive around the world, supports the work of human rights activists and, most recently, was probably used to help members of Islam in anti-Ahmadinejad campaigns organize to rebuke Iran’s belligerent president.”
Encryption is one of those delights from the world of geeks that can give ordinary citizens a chance at privacy from those dedicated to spying — on ordinary citizens. Because it’s freely available doesn’t make it inherently evil. Just makes it free.
Open source supports terror. Film at 11.
When they successfully decrypted the package after torturing several canadians for the access key they found a DivX rip of an Aqua Team Hunger force DVD.
Thus began Aquagate 2.
OMG! What ever you do don’t tell the terrorists about PortableApps.com, TinyApps.org or PortableFreeware.com.
Remember this from a few years back :
http://www.geeman-headquarters.com/nopgpregrets.htm
NO REGRETS OVER PRIVACY SOFTWARE
-SAYS INVENTOR 28th September, 2001
A PsyOpNews.com Alert
There are lies, damm lies and bad journalism.
After a Washington Post article described him “in tears” because his encryption software might have helped terrorists to communicate covertly, PGP inventor Phill Zimmerman denounces a gross lie.
The article states that as the inventor of PGP, I was “overwhelmed with feelings of guilt”. I never implied that in the interview, and specifically went out of my way to emphasize to her that that was not the case, and made her repeat back to me this point so that she would not get it wrong in the article.
I remember when the CIA/FBI were royally pissed at Zimmerman for releasing his PGP software for free world-wide.
My POV is that another programmer would have reversed-engineered the same functionality in another country, only perhaps a little later in time. The 9/11 and terrorist use of PGP would have been done anyways, with another software.
If you don’t encrypt your private data, you run a risk even when returning a hard disk for a warranty replacement, not to mention the risk if your home is burglarized. Some degree of encryption should be part of your S.O.P., even if you’re not a terrorist.
I’d be a little leery of the BitLocker encryption available in Windows Vista, despite Microsoft’s claims that it has no backdoor.
#5,
Naw. I don’t think our government is that smart. If there is a backdoor, it will be found post haste, and be a major embarrasment for the LE complex in the US and microsoft. Im certain such a thing would trigger an congressional investigation.
Anyhow, we just torture people and murder their famlies, and rape their little girls in front of them when we want information out of someone now days. You know, it’s the modern thing to do.
#5,
Naw. I don’t think our government is that smart. If there is a backdoor, it will be found post haste, and be a major embarrasment for the LE complex in the US and microsoft.
Anyhow, we just torture people and murder their famlies, and rape their little girls in front of them when we want information out of someone now days. You know, it’s the modern thing to do.
i want to pass a secret message on the net, how do i do that ? YAH RIGHT!
i now have a lot more respect for john c dvorak, i don’t have the patience for stupid people.i dispise being politically correct,& i’m not,nor do i have sponsors.
pass a secret message? on the net! go right ahead..look @ all the resources that takes up..good..it’s your $..
back door on your computer,,nooo! your government wouldn’t spy on you.
encrypt–as a diversion,,hey, you look over there as i do my thing over here,but never on a computer..the more you look @ others, the less you can look @ me.
my point being that your acceptance of giving up your privacy is not helping you or your country in any way, just a government scam to ftrghten you.,,ala Iraq.(just made a connection with that “ala”)
I didn’t see in the article which software was used — PGP and Zip?
I think the new Zip software has large-key encryption. Do you some some tech-stupid senator like Ted Stevens is going to ban Zip software?
Before banning privacy tools, Stevens probably won’t take the time to learn that LOTS OF CHRISTIAN MINORITY GROUPS and PRO DEMOCRACY MOVEMENTS also use these tools.
Not to sound paranoid, but I suggest you keep a few of these tools safely downloaded in case the Department of Homeland Security decides to take them down:
PGP
http://www.pgpi.org/products/pgp/versions/freeware/
This is a free double-key encryption system perfect for email.
(Don’t be worried by all the versions — I use and suggest PGP 6.0.2 f or Windows which is just the basic tools. The encryption is compatible in all the later versions.)
* TRUECRYPT
The second software I suggest you get is TrueCrypt
http://www.truecrypt.org/
Which creates encrypted mountable volumes — perfect for flash drives.
Also, if you use TrueCrypt for your email directory files and then use a SSL email server (like GMail) it gives you some safety from “little brother” snoops like your employer.
This program is very stable and robust — even though it is freeware.
If I were a director at the CIA/NSA/24’s CTU, I would definitely plant such a software with an Islamic ‘skin’, while holding all the encryption keys…. letting those terrorists believe this is safe to use……
Deception is the key to every successful intelligence operation…