Free tool detects government spyware

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308Mike
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Joined: Wed Aug 13, 2008 3:47 pm

Free tool detects government spyware

Post by 308Mike »

Linkarooni - and although this is published and supported by Tom's Guide, I still maintain a cautious eye ANY TIME you run an application on your system without a LOT of folks already having checked it out THOROUGHLY (and possibly even gone through the code too) - as with everything else, buyer beware - and I certainly hope they haven't twisted Tom's Guide into supporting something new and backdoor to get access to people's computers - even though something like that might show up immediately if the machine wasn't connected to the Internet to report back. YMMV:
Free tool detects government spyware
Tom's Guide
By Jill Scharr
Published November 21, 2014

Governments all around the world use malware and spyware to keep tabs on people, from visitors to residents. But a security researcher's tool can now determine if your computer is infected with spyware.

The Detekt tool was developed by Berlin-based security researcher Claudio Guarnieri and supported by several human-rights groups. Detekt is checks for malware that is often used against journalists, activists and other people frequently targeted by governments.

MORE: Blackphone Review: All-Encompassing Security

Available as a free download, Detekt is primarily a scanner; its primary purpose is to warn users if they're being spied on, not to remove that spyware. If Detekt does detect spyware, the researchers recommend users disconnect that computer from the Internet and stop using it immediately. Then, users should contact an expert via a computer they don't normally use.

Lists of experts who may be able to help, along with their PGP keys for sending encrypted emails, are available from Detekt's website.

Detekt is currently compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1. It's available in English, German, Italian, Spanish, Arabic and Amharic, the national language of Ethiopia.

According to Amnesty International, one of Detekt's co-sponsors, an early version of the tool was used to investigate surveillance practices in several countries. Detekt discovered that several human-rights lawyers and activists in Bahrain were being spied on with a commercial piece of spyware called FinSpy.

Amnesty International warns that Detekt can't magically detect all spyware; rather, it is designed to recognize some of the most commonly used and encountered commercial spyware. The developers will continue to update Detekt as the spyware it targets evolves and changes.

"The growing trend in indiscriminate mass surveillance on a global scale was laid bare by the Edward Snowden disclosures," writes Amnesty International in its post on Detekt. "Following the lead of the USA and other industrialized countries, governments everywhere now justify the use of such surveillance. This has a chilling effect on the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly in countries across the world."
Here's a direct link, but it also says (especially for those on dial-up):
Detekt v1.8
Nex botherder released this Nov 25, 2014

Fixed dependency. Windows 8.1 64bit is not supported yet. You can download the main application by clicking on the detekt.exe button. Beware: the file is about 27MB in size.
Go to the links (from the DIRECT LINK I POSTED ABOVE) to download the tool you need, in the format you need for installation/running.

Also, if you don't mind, PLEASE let us know if you happen to find any of this shit on your computers. So far, I haven't found it on any of mine, but when browsing the Internet, I usually use a Live Linux/Knoppix disk - all running in RAM, so it would be rather difficult for them to install something and it sticks on my system. No doubt (mostly due to laziness), almost all their little bugs are programmed ONLY for Winblows users/computers (in a variey to languages). As far as I can tell, this particular tool runs ONLY on WINBLOWS computers - but that doesn't mean other OS's might not be compromised. It's just that this tool is only designed for WINBLOWS.

But it would be interesting to find out if any of our members came up with this little POS spy tool installed. RIP IT OUT and tell the .gov ASSHOLES to pound sand all the way up until it affects their vision and hearing - and then POUND IN SOME MORE!!!!

FUCK-'EM!!!
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON

A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.

I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
Aesop
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Joined: Sat Apr 27, 2013 9:17 am

Re: Free tool detects government spyware

Post by Aesop »

You're assuming Detekt isn't, itself, government-designed spyware. :lol:
"There are four types of homicide: felonious, accidental, justifiable, and praiseworthy." -Ambrose Bierce, "The Devil's Dictionary"
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skb12172
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Re: Free tool detects government spyware

Post by skb12172 »

It's all tied in to Skynet, anyway…

:twisted: :o :shock: :lol:
There must be an end to this intimidation by those who come to this great country, but reject its culture.
BDK
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Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2014 11:14 pm

Re: Free tool detects government spyware

Post by BDK »

I would think the main issue is that, eventually, anything encrypted will be broken - and, if communicated in some way it can be captured, it will be cracked at some point.

Frankly, I'm inclined to "serious" conversations being in person, all documents being stored in a computer, not connected to any form of communication.

We're building offices in the new plant. Honestly, I'll probably be putting a faraday cage in the conference room.

I certainly would in any law offices.
TheArmsman
Posts: 545
Joined: Fri Aug 15, 2008 10:59 pm

Re: Free tool detects government spyware

Post by TheArmsman »

As for secure rooms, iirc, the NISPOM has directions for one. Used them all the time where I worked at. They also make detectors that go off, if anybody has a transmitting device on them before they go in the building.
When death is inevitable, style counts.

Survival trumps programming.
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