Free Republic

The dystopian hellhole that I predicted would become a fait accompli following Biden’s confirmation as President by the Electoral College is quickly becoming a reality after CNN’s recent report that the US security services are considering contracting the services of so-called “researchers” as a legal workaround for spying on average Americans.

The Biden administration is considering using private firms to track the online activity of American citizens in order to get around the Fourth Amendment and other laws that protect Americans from unreasonable searches and seizures and surveillance. The report says that the Biden administration wants to monitor “extremist chatter by Americans online” but can’t do so without a warrant, and thinks private firms can get around the legal restrictions. Federal authorities “can only browse through unprotected information on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook and other open online platforms,” according to CNN. The plan being discussed inside DHS, according...

Former Obama health advisor says forged vaccination cards are 'a serious threat'Former Obama health advisor and Obamacare architect Ezekiel Emanuel expressed his disappointment Friday in the Biden administration's decision not to implement a "QR code" based system to track those who haven't received a coronavirus vaccine. Emanuel cited concerns while appearing on MSNBC over potentially forged proofs of vaccination being used by people who weren't really vaccinated to attend events, travel, and return to work. Host Andrea Mitchell asked Emanuel how serious the threat of forged vaccination cards was. "I think it’s a serious threat. I think it's inevitable, and...

Chinese security outfit Qihoo 360 Netlab on Wednesday said it has identified Linux backdoor malware that has remained undetected for a number of years.The firm said its bot monitoring system spotted on March 25 a suspicious ELF program that interacted with four command-and-control (C2) domains over the TCP HTTPS port 443 even though the protocol used isn't actually TLS/SSL."A close look at the sample revealed it to be a backdoor targeting Linux X64 systems, a family that has been around for at least three years," Netlab researchers Alex Turing and Hui Wang said in an advisory.An MD5 signature for the...

Last week, Apple announced its new AirTags — $29 location-tracking fobs that can help find your keys or purse anywhere in the world. The devices, which are roughly the diameter of a quarter, have since been tested and lauded by tech journalists, including our own.But technology often comes with unintended consequences, explain representatives from the National Network to End Domestic Violence (NNEDV), a leading nonprofit with the goal of ending violence against women. NNEDV sits on advisory boards for Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, and Uber and has consulted for both Google and Apple in the past (but not on AirTags). The...

Our home Outlook has stopped sending email. Using a Mac. Suggestions on a new and secure email program, anybody? email is xxx@sbcglobal.net if it matters.

The MTA on Thursday abruptly halted a program to test new security cameras on subway cars — a day after the Daily News raised questions about the ties the company providing the technology has to a Chinese firm that specializes in facial recognition technology. Transit managers last week sent a memo to subway crews alerting them of new video cameras installed on a four-car G line train. The new tech is part of a years-long effort by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority to improve security and put more eyes underground. The test program installed four cameras in each of the cars,...

Yes, like all other devices around you, your Smart Home devices can be hacked too. You must be thinking how that is even possible. Well, hackers have their way of finding their way around something. And nothing better than a Smart Home device that can allow a hacker to enter your home and quietly collect all your helpful information. This sensitive information can include your personally identifiable information, bank details, account details, and more. Hackers can easily sneak into your Smart Home devices and find their way around the information which is most beneficial to them. So, instead of just...

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and other members of the progressive "Squad" spent thousands of dollars on private security despite calling on cities to defund police departments, Federal Election Commission filings show. The group of progressive, Democratic congresswomen including Reps. Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Cori Bush of Missouri, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan have voiced their support for measures to reduce police spending and allocate those funds toward other community services in an effort to curb police violence. Tlaib's filings do not show any security-related spending, though the other four congresswomen have spent tens...

After being convicted in the murder of George Floyd, Derek Chauvin was taken to the Minnesota Correctional Facility-Oak Park Heights — a maximum-security state prison. The ex-Minneapolis cop was transferred there through an agreement between the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office and the state Department of Corrections, DOC spokeswoman Sarah Fitzgerald told CNN.

Web browsers controlled by Big Tech companies often collect massive amounts of user data which can be used to create detailed profiles and track you across the web. Some, such as Microsoft’s Edge browser, even integrate technology that adds “trust ratings” and “misinformation” warnings to the links in your browser. By switching to one of these privacy-focused browsers, you can fight back against Big Tech data harvesting by blocking ads and trackers. Not only does this protect your privacy but it often gives you a much faster and smoother user experience. Check out the list of private web browsers below...

We are less than 90 Days into Joe Biden’s Presidency and it seems clear that the United States is no longer prioritizing national security, and this is seen in ways including the administration’s handling of the country’s southern border.As far as the current migrant crisis we face, this unmitigated disaster is a self-inflicted wound that began with Biden publicly disclosing his intent to legalize as many as 11 million illegal aliens in the weeks following his victory in this past November’s election. This reversal in American immigration policy along with his decision to immediately stop construction of border walls and...

The principle of end-to-end encryption underpins a system of communication where only the communicating users can read the messages. To this end, it exists to prevent any potential eavesdroppers (telecom providers, internet providers, law enforcement agencies) from being able to access the cryptographic keys needed to decrypt the conversation. Adopting new rulesWe remain deeply concerned, therefore, that the Council of the European Union is seeking to adopt new rules that would effectively do away with encryption. At the end of last year, they released a five-page resolution that called for the EU to pass new rules to govern the use...

Linux servers are at greater risk than ever. While only a few years ago Linux users could count themselves as the “lucky few” who didn’t have to worry about malware and computer viruses, this era has unfortunately come to an end. Attackers now view Linux servers as a viable target that often provides a valuable return on investment. The past few years have been plagued with emerging Linux malware strains which have demonstrated new and dangerous tactics for spreading, remaining undetected and compromising servers - Cloud Snooper, EvilGnome, HiddenWasp, QNAPCrypt, GonnaCry, FBOT and Tycoon being among the most notorious examples....

A user in a low level hacking forum has published the phone numbers and personal data of hundreds of millions of Facebook users for free online. The exposed data includes personal information of over 533 million Facebook users from 106 countries, including over 32 million records on users in the US, 11 million on users in the UK, and 6 million on users in India. It includes their phone numbers, Facebook IDs, full names, locations, birthdates, bios, and — in some cases — email addresses. Insider reviewed a sample of the leaked data and verified several records by matching known...

In a recent development, starting today, Google Chrome on Android or iOS is getting a new password alert feature that will alert the users when their passwords are compromised. This is to up the security and usefulness of the browser up a notch. Google has been one of the tech giants that has focussed majorly on providing security-related features to its users. And the latest feature aims in providing to quickly take action when your passwords are compromised. Notably, this Chrome password alert feature will also help the users to fix them. This will not only get the users on...

March 30 (UPI) -- The New York City Police Department said it is investigating two incidents of assault that targeted an Asian woman, who was stomped in the head, and an Asian man, who was punched and choked on the New York City subway. Both incidents are believed to have occurred on Monday. The unidentified 65-year-old woman was allegedly walking to church on Monday, when at about 11:40 a.m. a man approached her and kicked her in the stomach, the New York Daily News reported. Surveillance video from the building on West 43rd Street in midtown Manhattan also showed the...

In 2004, Boris Johnson, now the UK’s Prime Minister, famously wrote: “If I am ever asked, on the streets of London, or in any other venue, public or private, to produce my ID card as evidence that I am who I say I am, when I have done nothing wrong and when I am simply ambling along and breathing God’s fresh air like any other freeborn Englishman, then I will take that card out of my wallet and physically eat it in the presence of whatever emanation of the state has demanded that I produce it. "If I am incapable...

In the late spring of 2020, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo visited Israel. His visit came after Israel formed a coalition government between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party. Pompeo, while endorsing Israel’s rights to Judea and Samaria, had a blunt message for his Israeli friends: “Beware of China.” Pompeo added, “We don’t want the Chinese Communist Party to have access to Israeli infrastructure, Israeli communication networks, and the kind of things that endanger the Israeli people and the ability of the US to cooperate with Israel.” Pompeo’s gently expressed admonition to Israeli...

It is no secret that the OS you choose is a key determinant of your security online. After all, your OS is the most critical software running on your computer - it manages its memory and processes, as well as all of its software and hardware. The general consensus among experts is that Linux is a highly secure OS - arguably the most secure OS by design. This article will examine the key factors that contribute to the robust security of Linux, and evaluate the level of protection against vulnerabilities and attacks that Linux offers administrators and users. Secure by...