Paris | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Wed, 18 Nov 2015 09:12:57 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png Paris | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Anonymous knocks out thousands of ISIS Twitter accounts https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/anonymous-knocks-out-thousands-of-isis-twitter-accounts/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/anonymous-knocks-out-thousands-of-isis-twitter-accounts/#comments Wed, 18 Nov 2015 09:12:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=275474 In the wake of the Paris attacks last week, Hacktivist movement Anonymous recently announced its intention to go after so-called Islamist State militants and recruiters on Twitter. So far it seems to be having some real success, with claims of more than 5,500 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts taken down, and a larger number still reported to …

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In the wake of the Paris attacks last week, Hacktivist movement Anonymous recently announced its intention to go after so-called Islamist State militants and recruiters on Twitter. So far it seems to be having some real success, with claims of more than 5,500 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts taken down, and a larger number still reported to authorities and placed on vigilante ‘watch' lists.

Although Anonymous has in the past been linked with less serious actions, its loosely affiliated ‘members' have recently gone after targets like the Ku Klux Klan, revealing potential members and supporters of the white supremacist organisation. The assault on ISIS' social media presence however is much more aggressive. It's not all about hacking accounts and deleting them, or reporting them to authorities though. Some of it involves digital surveillance.

opparis

In a chat with BBC, one of those said to be helping to organise the attack on ISIS said that the idea was to acquire as much intelligence on the terrorist group as it can, in order to help facilitate the identification of all those involved in the Paris attacks. Disabling their propaganda was just one aspect of what Anonymous is doing, they said.

Of course with such an emotionally charged topic, and calls for blood from many quarters, Anonymous has to be careful not to go on a witch hunt. To avoid this, the spokesperson says, they have a vetting procedure for accounts. If one is identified as being potentially run by someone connected to ISIS, it goes on a list for further investigation. Only if it turns out to be an ISIS run account, is it subjected to true scrutiny and potentially shut down.

Although the argument has been made that intelligence agencies may prefer ISIS accounts to remain public for monitoring, Anonymous counters that propaganda is a terrorist tool that ISIS often wields online. Eliminating its ability to do so helps prevent others from joining and the fearmongering of the organisation itself to spread.

https://twitter.com/opparisofficial/status/666857505553694720

As well as the consistent attacks on ISIS, the @OPParisOfficial account driving the campaign has repeatedly Tweeted messages of solidarity. It points out that the one thing ISIS fears the most, is unity. Because it cannot combat that.

This also isn't the first time that Anonymous has gone after ISIS. It downed many social networking accounts related to the pro-intolerance network earlier this year.

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KitGuru Says: How do you guys feel about vigilante action like this? Does it make you feel represented, or do you feel like it's likely to do too much collateral damage?

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Cameron may fast-track surveillance bill after Paris attacks https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/cameron-may-fast-track-surveillance-bill-after-paris-attacks/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/security-software/jon-martindale/cameron-may-fast-track-surveillance-bill-after-paris-attacks/#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2015 15:15:59 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=275224 “Never let a good crisis go to waste,” is a saying most often attributed to Winston Churchill, but he was far from the first person in a position of political power to consider this motto; he won't be the last either. David Cameron has announced that following the attacks in France just a few days …

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“Never let a good crisis go to waste,” is a saying most often attributed to Winston Churchill, but he was far from the first person in a position of political power to consider this motto; he won't be the last either. David Cameron has announced that following the attacks in France just a few days ago, that Britain should reconsider the plan for the draft Investigatory Powers Bill announced last week.

The bill, named by many as a successor to the Theresa May backed “Snooper's Charter” – which was shot down in 2013 – would force internet service providers to store the browser history of their customers for up to 12 months. It was initially set to be debated in both houses of parliament next year, with a plan to potentially bring it into law in 2017.

However following last week's attacks, the British Prime minister now believes we should “look at the timetable,” of the possible legislation and perhaps bring it forward.

cameron5

Image source: Wikimedia

His statement was backed up by several other MPs who also called for a quicker look at the legislation, which defenders claim would make it easier for the police and intelligence agencies to crack down on organised crime and terrorist actions. Detractors however claim that it does not have enough safeguards in place to prevent abuse, and that serious criminals do not use general web browsing, without obfuscation, to communicate with one another.

As a further measure to help prevent any such attacks taking place in the UK, Cameron also announced that the budget for British intelligence would be expanded, allowing for the hiring of 1,900 new agents who would be deployed within MI5, MI6 and GCHQ to expand current spying operations, as per Wired.

KitGuru Says: It does seem a little ridiculous to suggest that attacks similar to the ones in France could be prevented if GCHQ could look through the browser history of everyone in the UK. Security is so important, but we have to be incredibly careful in the wake of emotional attacks like the one last week, as it creates a reactionary atmosphere that can send us down a road that will very hard to retread.

 

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