http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/new-tool-spy-victims-detect-government-surveillance-2014-11-20
https://resistsurveillance.org/ > A new tool to enable journalists and human rights defenders to scan their > computers for known surveillance spyware has been released today by Amnesty > International and a coalition of human rights and technology organizations. > > Detekt is the first tool to be made available to the public that detects > major known surveillance spyware, some of which is used by governments, in > computers. > > “Governments are increasingly using dangerous and sophisticated technology > that allows them to read activists and journalists’ private emails and > remotely turn on their computer’s camera or microphone to secretly record > their activities. They use the technology in a cowardly attempt to prevent > abuses from being exposed,” said Marek Marczynski, Head of Military, Security > and Police at Amnesty International. > > “Detekt is a simple tool that will alert activists to such intrusions so they > can take action. It represents a strike back against governments who are > using information obtained through surveillance to arbitrarily detain, > illegally arrest and even torture human rights defenders and journalists.” > > Developed by security researcher Claudio Guarnieri, Detekt is being launched > in partnership with Amnesty International, Digitale Gesellschaft, Electronic > Frontier Foundation and Privacy International. > > The adoption and trade in communication surveillance technologies has grown > exponentially in recent years. > > The Coalition Against Unlawful Surveillance Exports, of which Amnesty > International is a member, estimates the annual global trade in surveillance > technologies to be worth US$5 billion, and growing. > > Some surveillance technology is widely available on the internet; while other > more sophisticated alternatives are developed by private companies based in > developed countries and sold to state law enforcement and intelligence > agencies in countries that persistently commit human rights violations. > > FinFisher, a German firm that used to be part of UK-based Gamma > International, developed the spyware FinSpy which can be used to monitor > Skype conversations, extract files from hard drives, record microphone use > and emails, and even take screenshots and photos using a device’s camera. > > According to research carried out by Citizen Lab and information published by > Wikileaks, Finfisher was used to spy on prominent human rights lawyers and > activists in Bahrain. > > Amnesty International is urging governments to establish strict trade > controls requiring national authorities to assess the risk that the > surveillance equipment would be used to violate human rights before > authorizing the transfer. > > “Detekt is a great tool which can help activists stay safe but ultimately, > the only way to prevent these technologies from being used to violate or > abuse human rights is to establish and enforce strict controls on their use > and trade," said Marek Marczynski. > > Amnesty International will use its networks to help activists across the > world learn about Detekt and scan their devices for signs of spyware. It will > also engage in testing with its local partners and networks who are > considered at high-risk of being targeted by such spyware. -- Kim Holburn IT Network & Security Consultant T: +61 2 61402408 M: +61 404072753 mailto:[email protected] aim://kimholburn skype://kholburn - PGP Public Key on request _______________________________________________ Link mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
