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This is a lot of words to say that Google found and caused the patching of security exploits in consumer devices such as Safari, iPhones and Android phones. An
by Jonnax 6y ago
This is a lot of words to say that Google found and caused the patching of security exploits in consumer devices such as Safari, iPhones and Android phones.
And the users of the exploits were a state actor that was friendly to the USA.
Which is effectively saying that wanting vulnerable software is a patriotic thing.
Especially calling it a "counter terrorism" operation. Where did the author of the article get that information from?
It seems like a hit piece.
- adamcstephens 6y agoThe article quoted anonymous and named intelligence officials. Not a stretch to see where they’re getting their info from.
- ok123456 6y agoThey glow in the dark.
- dillondoyle 6y agoThis is probably an intentional story. The spooks reached out to reporters with approval. I find it is unlikely information as sensitive as means and methods, with no seaming whistleblower spying on the people type motivation, would be disclosed by leakers without approval. Strategic leaks like this are done all the time. Though I guess there is precedent of releasing post-mortem facts like in the charges of the alleged vault 7 leaker.
- asdfasgasdgasdg 6y agoIt's an interesting tactic. I think a lot of people in the tech community are a bit skeptical of the NSA, CIA, etc. I wonder if the publicist's notion here is to gain some ground in public sentiment by pitting the intelligence apparatus against a yet more hated enemy -- big tech.
- elliekelly 6y agoI don’t hold Google in high regard and actively avoid using their products but this article has raised my opinion of them ever so slightly. I’m pleasantly surprised to see they aren’t (yet) completely in bed with the “counter terrorism”-justifies-all thinking that seems to be prevalent among western governments and their surveillance tactics.
- throwaway671 6y ago> I’m pleasantly surprised to see they aren’t (yet) completely in bed with the “counter terrorism”. I think it would leak! At least having seen Google from the inside, I don't think Google can keep a nefarious secret.
- deelowe 6y agoMost conservatives I know put three letter agencies on a pedestal and loathe big tech. I remembering being baffled by the previous apple iphone fiasco. They we adamant that apple should have backdoors in everyone's phone so the fbi could catch anonymous bad people while at the same time espousing how they don't trust apple. It was baffling.
- AnthonyMouse 6y agoImportant to notice that political parties aren't a person. The people saying those things were neocons, and they've mostly switched parties now. Witness the liars from the CIA who used to appear on Fox now appearing on MSNBC or CNN instead. Meanwhile arch-neocon Liz Cheney, who presumably hasn't switched parties because a Democrat would lose in Wyoming, is facing a primary challenger from within the GOP.
- jessaustin 6y agoLiz knows she has a long future in public life, without ever having to win an election again. There will always be a place for a previously-elected legacy reptile in the bureaucracy, as she gradually takes over her father's client book. She'll never have a problem getting Senate confirmation, no matter where they decide to stick her.
- matheusmoreira 6y agoFunny... I'd expect conservatives to believe in less arbitrary government interference, not more.
- jessaustin 6y ago"Conservatives" have pretended to be "libertarians" for so long that neither term really has a meaning anymore (in USA). Those who actually value freedom are anarchists. ISTM "conservatives" were always happy to oppress unfortunates, and likewise happy to enlist the help of the state in doing so. They invented police and FBI for that purpose.
- casefields 6y agoYes, that's why they used the active voice with counterterrorist operation. It's essentially the same debate of enhanced interrogations and the ticking time bomb. A lot of the time it's mentally ill people like this: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_City_Seven https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liberty_City_Seven They want you to picture Osama in these cases, when usually it's a bunch of buffoons.
- pavel_lishin 6y agoIt seems like the article didn't have a problem with patching the flaws, but rather publicizing their operation and outing the government hackers.
- tumetab1 6y ago"counter terrorism" is the information/military agencies "why doesn't someone think of the children". They were just annoyed that their OPSEC failed to protect their exploits.