NSA Security – Why the surprise?
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As a self-confessed ‘Security Geek’ and “Professional Paranoid”, I’ve been watching the recent scandal related to Internet privacy with an equal measure of annoyance, curiosity and amusement. Now I’m pretty sure there is more to come from the story which has highlighted the fact that the USA’s National Security Agency (NSA) has a significant surveillance programme going on – but why has this come as a surprise to anyone?
NSA Prism Security
Firstly, if you’ve missed the story then here it is in a nut-shell… The NSA has a surveillance program in place called ‘Prism’ which (allegedly) allows it to monitor emails, internet ‘chatter’ on Skype, AOL, YouTube, FaceBook and Twitter and allowing it to collect data directly from these servers and other technology companies.
Having seen this story played out I am amused by the response by the NEWS media and the general public who seem to go from one of incredulous outrage to apathetic shoulder-shrugging. It seems no one is quite sure how to react to the news that America has the ability to monitor what’s going on in Cyberspace.
If you ‘fear’ the established Government (for whatever reason) then you are likely to be shocked and alarmed at this news. If you are involved in any political groups with a political agenda then you could be concerned about what the Government is monitoring and how they might use it in the future (against you personally or the group you are involved in). Obviously if you are involved in any criminal activity then you will clearly be worried about this news. However, if all you ever do is use FaceBook or Twitter to post funny pictures of ‘Cats’ then you’re less likely to care that they are monitoring your activity.
Security is not to be laughed at! (well… maybe it is)
My amusement is based on the fact that people seem genuinely surprised that this capability exists and that they believe their communications are private. Let me be blunt; In terms of online activity – Your privacy has GONE. If you believe you are doing something privately (online) then principally you are wrong. The definition of ‘Privacy’ is “the state or condition of being free from being observed or disturbed by other people.” Yet what people neglect to consider is that the moment you put finger to keyboard, you become a publisher. Once you hit ‘send’ on a keyboard you no longer have control over what happens next. You may believe that what you are saying is private but it is still communication between two (or more) individuals, is stored somewhere and therefore can easily be observed by a wider group.
The subject of privacy and the rights to privacy will always be a debatable topic which is why the news coverage has fluctuated between disbelief and anger to acceptance and apathy.
But it seems to me that people give away their privacy so easily anyway so what’s the big deal? People on FaceBook, Twitter, Tumblr and the countless other sites have made people complacent about their private information, without any regard for who might be able to see what they’re posting. Ask the average user of these sites how to set up their security permissions and they’ll give you a blank vacant stare.
And I would challenge anyone using a computer for personal or professional reasons to honestly say they do EVERYTHING in their power to protect themselves online anyway. Sounds like a bold statement? Not really. Let me ask you one question which will illustrate how easily you give up your right to privacy…
When asked the following question, how honestly can you say “YES! I have done this”
“I have Read and Accepted the Terms & Conditions”.
When signing up to a new service or installing new software how many times have you been asked the above question and answered ‘Accept’ without reading the terms of use? You may have been told that your communications will be made public, that you will be monitored, that someone can come to your house and use your lawnmower without asking and all because you ‘Accepted’ the terms and conditions without checking.
Monitoring the internet and those who use it is here to stay. Get used to it. Your [online] privacy has gone. Mourn the passing of the day and move on. The irony is that if you are involved in anything REALLY bad you will have the tools and technology to bypass these attempts and you’ll most likely be operating in the Deep Web anyway. I doubt you’ll have a FaceBook page where you ask people to ‘Like’ your latest brand of terror or illicit wrong-doings. If you do then the Prism is the least of your worries.
What can I do?!
All of this said, there are ways you can protect yourself online and ensure your security is maintained. Privacy maybe a thing of the past but that doesn’t mean you can’t be safe and secure on the Internet. It simply means that you have to be proactive and realistic about what is possible.
I started out by saying I am a Professional Paranoid and that is a tag I’m happy to carry. Being Paranoid is no bad thing but it’s also about being realistic about these large companies (who hold our data) and the Governments who ultimately have control over them.
Privacy has gone. Security is here to stay. You should lament the former and work towards the latter.
