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This handy new tool could stop a government from spying on you

Amnesty International said Governments are increasingly using technology to access activists and journalists’ private emails and computers.

A NEW TOOL to allow spy victims avoid government surveillance has been released today by Amnesty International and a coalition of human rights and technology organisations.

It will enable journalists and human rights defenders to scan their computers for known surveillance spyware. 

Under surveillance 

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 and mobile devices.

Amnesty International said that 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.

So, how does this new tool work?

Detekt will alert activists to such intrusions on their computers so they can take action.

The Coalition Against Unlawful Surveillance Exports, of which Amnesty International is a member, estimates the annual global trade in surveillance technologies to be worth $5 billion, and that figure is growing all the time.

While some surveillance technology is widely available on the internet, other more sophisticated alternatives are developed by private companies, which are then sold to state law enforcement and intelligence agencies in countries that persistently commit human rights violations, said the organisation.

Monitoring emails 

One surveillance spyware is FinFisher, a German firm that used to be part of UK-based Gamma International. Amnesty International claims it developed 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.

Marczynski said that this new tool 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”.

The tool is developed by German security researcher Claudio Guarnieri, and is being launched in partnership with Amnesty International, Digitale Gesellschaft, Electronic Frontier Foundation and Privacy International.

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 authorising the transfer.

Detekt is a free and open source software. For more information about Detekt click here>

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20 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Red
    Favourite Tom Red
    Report
    Nov 20th 2014, 7:53 AM

    No I’m just worried about the tools I spy in government. ..

    77
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Swanky Joe
    Favourite Swanky Joe
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:21 AM

    Enda scanned his mobile and laptop and was disgusted to find out there was no one spying on him.

    73
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Farrant
    Favourite John Farrant
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    Nov 20th 2014, 9:21 AM

    Except Angela

    16
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Phil O' Meara
    Favourite Phil O' Meara
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:08 AM

    Typical!
    I have just spent all my money on a top of the range tinfoil hat

    63
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Glen
    Favourite Glen
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:16 AM

    I bought a roll of tinfoil from lidl and made my own.

    44
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    Mute Thierry Rat
    Favourite Thierry Rat
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    Nov 20th 2014, 9:29 AM

    Tin foil hat is still useful it will protect your brain from the daily attack of cancerous radiation from mobile phone masts, wifi modems, baby monitors, cordless phones, water meters, wireless house alarms and so on

    16
    See 2 more replies ▾
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    Mute Alex De Large
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    Nov 20th 2014, 9:33 AM

    They really do have great quality tin foil in Lidl Glen. Really strong.

    7
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    Mute Derek
    Favourite Derek
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    Nov 20th 2014, 12:31 PM

    Oddly enough, if anything wrapping aluminium around ones head is more likely only aiding the secret Government to read your thoughts and input mind control suggestions seeing as its second best to copper for electrical conductivity.
    No doubt those insidious b&stards were the ones to release the idea of using tin-foil hats to ward off their very intentions in the first place…

    8
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    Mute Glen
    Favourite Glen
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:10 AM

    So basically it’s a tool to alert you when the likes of the NSA, CIA , MI5 and Mossad are spying on you because you might be speaking out against government tyranny ….. But hold on isn’t that all ” tin foil hat” I mean I have been called nuts for saying it was happening in the first place. Must be contagious so !!!

    35
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    Mute Colin Howell
    Favourite Colin Howell
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    Nov 20th 2014, 7:05 AM

    Game on!

    27
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Thierry Rat
    Favourite Thierry Rat
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:54 AM

    By the time you set this up they will have made software to beat it

    12
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    Mute Ablitive
    Favourite Ablitive
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:03 AM

    I wouldn’t trust this as far as I would throw it.

    Gamma International = 1122 a number divisible by 33
    Marek Marczynski = 1122 a number divisible by 33, he is one of them.

    http://www.gematrix.org/?word=Marek+Marczynski

    10
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    Mute Glen
    Favourite Glen
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:18 AM

    This article alone is going to upset Declan. Don’t be agitating him with numerology you know how contrary he gets.

    12
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    Mute Ablitive
    Favourite Ablitive
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:47 AM

    I know, its like teasing an angry dog behind a security fence with this stuff, the shills hate it.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute liam
    Favourite liam
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:59 AM

    TOR

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Derek
    Favourite Derek
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    Nov 20th 2014, 1:17 PM

    Unless your using a trusted VPN they can sniff every packet that exits the last node of the TOR network before reaching its destination and trace it back to you. Use a VPN first then connect to TOR for better security.

    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dennis Collins
    Favourite Dennis Collins
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:39 AM

    I reckon there is no fear of our government spying on us anyway. They can’t even set up a system to let SW, Medical Cards or SUSI know what info Revenue has on your income. It’s still all paper-based.

    8
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    Mute Thierry Rat
    Favourite Thierry Rat
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    Nov 20th 2014, 9:13 AM

    Amnesty international? If some had access to all the downloads of this they would have a list of people who have a reason to fear the government… Saves them a lot of time

    7
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    Mute Eugene Walsh
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    Nov 20th 2014, 8:24 AM

    To all law abiding catholics this is nothing new, sher they’ve been watching them from heaven for yrs.

    7
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    Mute Garth Sutherland
    Favourite Garth Sutherland
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    Nov 27th 2014, 10:17 AM

    Too late for many of us activists here in Ireland. I’m sure all the snoopers have already checked most of us out. Anyone who checked me out would have soon become most bored! lol!

    1
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