It's just metadata (NOT classified)

Bain · Jul 8, 2013

akphidelt2007 said: ↑

Lol, my compsci buddy actually used that on me at the fraternity. Was able to print, was typing messages on my instant messenger (really embarrassing ones of course) and then brought up a word document that said I had 10 seconds to leave the building before I died. At first it was a little crazy but then he showed me how it was done and it was actually pretty cool.

But the software still had to be installed on the computer.

I still have yet to find real evidence that the government can turn any phone in to an open mic regardless of it being turned on or off without a physical bug placed in the phone.
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You know exactly what I am talking about. We had a lot of fun with it and could of gotten in a lot of trouble for invading people's privacy. I think a phone would need to be turned on. I was not trying to say otherwise....

bclark · Jul 8, 2013

Ctrl said: ↑

What is metadata? How much of it do we broadcast, what can you do with it, and what impact does this have on our world? I am going to attempt to explain why metadata is much more actionable from an espionage perspective than even the content the metadata describes.

Let's start simple. You take a picture. What can we learn from that picture? This is just a normal dumb camera image I grabbed exif from.

Now... your smartphone also has latitude and longitude data. Then there is the image itself. If you want to see what can be done with that... download google goggles to an tablet or smart phone... then set it loose on things in your life. It doesn't much care for 3d objects, like a chair... but a painting? It will tell you who painted it. A signature? All sorts of things. Take a picture of your tv while a good scene in a movie is on... it can identify it. This is just a commercial app that works on nothing more than snapping an image. It doesn't say "this is a picture of a clock" it says "this is an Oyster Rolex" and tell you where you can buy them... but lets leave the image contents alone... and stick with the metadata.

Here... upload one of your own.
http://www.fileformat.info/convert/image/metadata.htm

Let's move to something a little more complicated... the people you email, and their relationship to you.

This is an image from an MIT project that just analyzes your gmail metadata. You can map yourself here... or view some random persons.
https://immersion.media.mit.edu/

So what are we looking at here? Blue is "your people". What the program thinks are people related to you... then there are friends... and colleagues... and how they all relate to each other, and you, and their general proximity geographically.

Now let's think a little bit about phones... the ultimate tracking device.

Here is a screen cap of the sort of information. Please go there and actually play with the app, and peer into the good Mr. Spitz's world.

Now... the ability for the international espionage partners to follow politicians, military leaders, in our country... justices... etc... anywhere anyone is at any time. Who they know, how often they communicate... and when... with indications of what is being discussed. Not to mention the ability to pull the actual conversations... or... turn on your phones mic and bug you live when it is not engaged... even if it is off.

http://news.cnet.com/2100-1029-6140191.html

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/headlines/2006/12/can_you_hear_me/

Ok... let's say you just have BLIND trust in the NSA to "play nice", not analyze the people's domestic data, and not attempt to influence world politics or it's own desire for more power...

Millions of agents of at least 5 nations have unfettered access to these systems we have developed with virtually 0 oversight (5% of GCHQ accesses have been audited).

That you want to put health records in the hands of the administration is obscenely stupid in this case, as each agency involved is involved in obscene abuse of power scandals of varying flavors... but I digress. So... political and military figures. Are we using the system on them? Damn right we are.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/technolog...hat-is-metadata-nsa-surveillance#meta=0000000

Now on that link, they have a bunch of devices. You can click on each and see the sort of data available in each one.

I would ask that you not buy the "it's just metadata" line from the powers that be.

Especially since it isn't.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/29/glenn-greenwald-nsa-cell-phone-calls_n_3520424.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/interactive/2013/jun/12/what-is-metadata-nsa-surveillance
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Can you please specify your exact GPS coordinates so that we can mail you a thank you letter (drone) for your efforts.

FearandLoathing · Jul 8, 2013

bclark said: ↑

Can you please specify your exact GPS coordinates so that we can mail you a thank you letter (drone) for your efforts.
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Good one!

But in the real world they would not need to ask for your co-ordinates, they would simply read it off your phone....or follow you via satellite.

Wave...

dudeman · Jul 8, 2013

I've had this question for a while. If you access to "big data", show a grid of porn viewing as a function of geography. The simpleton mindset would be that all porn viewing would be in New York, New Jersey and California (and now West Virginia in that I live there part of the year). Is that true?

Jazz · Aug 1, 2013

webrockk said: ↑

I understand an uncomfortably small amount of that...
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Me too. It is completely new territory.

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It's just metadata (NOT classified)

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It's just metadata (NOT classified)

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