It was reported last Sunday that an unknown hacker posted 400GB worth of information they received by hacking into an Italian Company’s data center. By Friday, the leaked information appeared on the WikiLeaks website.
Hacking Team
Hacking Team is an I.T. Company that works with many government and other high profile agencies, selling them intrusive surveillance software. It is a company that helps in hacking a wide range of devices, and the one whose systems were infiltrated by the unknown hackers leaking the information on Sunday.
Hacked Information on WikiLeaks
The emails that were leaked by WikiLeaks show who, exactly, the clients of Hacking Team were. Government and Intelligence agencies from a variety of countries, including the United States, United Kingdom, Turkey, and many more, are said to be on the list. Even the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation allegedly spent approximately $800,000 in software and upgrades from the company. Several countries that have claimed to not invest in these types of software might just find themselves in a bind once the documents are all sorted out. You can still download the data to search through for yourself, and WikiLeaks has assured users can check and see if their emails were being spied on by their government or not.
Effects of the Information Leak
This information is only a fraction of what can be found in the 400GB leak, and it will take readers some time to sift through it all. In a press release issued by Hacking Team, the company specifies that they have control over who gets what information and technology from the data sold to government agencies. They worry that this information could now get into the wrong hands, thanks to these hackers. The press release states, “Now, because of the work of criminals, that ability to control who uses the technology has been lost. Terrorists, extortionists and others can deploy this technology at will if they have the technical ability to do so.”
The government has always argued that the surveillance is for the safety of its people, but the public doesn’t always feel that way. Several people feel that this type of treatment is unethical and unlawful, just like the government keeping information from the public.
