@jsrailton@mastodon.social
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jsrailton

@jsrailton@mastodon.social

Chasing online badness. Senior Researcher at Citizen Lab. Views mine.

Also, I like tracking stuck boats.

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jsrailton, (edited ) to psychology
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I can confidently diagnose as sociopaths.

Promised therapy customers privacy...then gave their mental health info to advertisers.

Victims get less than ten bucks each.

Company made billion+ in revenue last year alone.

In a just society with good privacy laws, they'd face existential civil & criminal consequences.

https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/nation-world/betterhelp-therapy-class-action-settlement-refund/507-b4ef5e0f-c722-4562-95e9-c3cdd7738d1a

jsrailton,
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@eccentric_econ Interesting, thanks for sharing your perspective.

jsrailton, to egypt
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All shipping traffic stopped on the #Bosphorus Strait.

Channel connects Black Sea & Mediterranean is busiest in the world.

Why? Bulk carrier #Alexis is grounded across northbound shipping lane.

Headed to #Egypt from #Ukraine.

Turkish maritime authorities say on Twitter that they suspect mechanical failure.

#turkey #shipping #maritime #istanbul #blacksea

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jsrailton,
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UPDATE: Movement!

Watching ship tracking live it appears the hardworking tugs freed bulk carrier & the party is now heading South as some of the Tugs break off.

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jsrailton, to Toronto
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My colleague Mitchell & partner just escorted a family of lost geese to the lake.

Safely navigating 2km of downtown took 2 hours.

At one point, police stepped in to block traffic.

Strangers jumped in to help too.

He jokes: at @citizenlab we don't just help humans!

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jsrailton, (edited ) to infosec
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Big #VPN companies are churning out bullshit "security advice" on an industrial scale.

It's a marketing funnel that targets those seeking help.

And then misinforms them.

I wish it stopped there

The nonsense makes its way to victims of spyware, where misinformation can have life, death and liberty impacting consequences.

#infosec #cybersecurity #malware #IT #pegasus #predator #spyware #malware

jsrailton,
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@gunther Each article is bad in different ways :)

But one area where it's easy to see issues is in the advice they give.

The consensus correct advice to someone targeted with Pegasus et. al. would be : seek out expert support, and here are the resources XYZ that can provide it to you.

If you don't make that your main piece of top advice, you are doing it wrong.

Which none of these articles does...

jsrailton, (edited ) to hacking
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BREAKING: #Israeli private investigator arrested for cyberespionage on behalf of American PR firm.

Caught by UK under #RedNotice from 🇺🇸US while boarding a flight.

BIG TWIST in a wild case that began w/our @citizenlab investigation into indian hack-for-hire group #belltrox

Sound familiar?

Because Amit Forlit is the second PI from #Israel arrested in similar way for this case.

First = convicted.

https://www.reuters.com/world/israeli-private-eye-arrested-uk-over-alleged-hacking-us-pr-firm-2024-05-02/

#hacking #cybersecurity #infosec #malware #espionage #intelligence

jsrailton, (edited )
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There's a disgraceful ecosystem of public relations & lobbying firms using hackers for hire.

Sometimes they are used to silence critics & advocacy groups.

Like US nonprofits doing climate advocacy.

Our investigation into a group we christened #DarkBasin uncovered a sprawling #India-based hack-for-hire operation.

They enabled US corporations to outsource lawbreaking.

https://citizenlab.ca/2020/06/dark-basin-uncovering-a-massive-hack-for-hire-operation/
#infosec #cybersecurity #malware #hacking #climatechange #climatecrisis #exxon #phishing

jsrailton, (edited )
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I'd bet my bottom dollar that this "unnamed...PR and lobbying firm" knows exactly who they are...

...and are no doubt experiencing an afternoon of the purest panic.

Using the offshore hack-for-hire ecosystem has been largely consequence-free for the middlemen & the ultimate beneficiaries of stolen information.

The tide may be turning & this latest arrest suggests that more consequences may be inbound.

#hacking #infosec #spyware #malware #cybersecurity #phishing #India

jsrailton, to poland
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NEW: "shocking and depressing"

"...even in this room I am speaking to people who were victims of this system"

#Poland's prosecutor general testifies to 🇵🇱#polish parliament about hacking of 100s with #Pegasus spyware.

Story: https://apnews.com/article/poland-spyware-pegasus-nso-group-israel-413bb3cb27daac011d52b524c6d16160

#polska #cybersecurity #spyware #malware #infosec #surveillance #EU #Europe

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jsrailton, (edited ) to ai
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AI-drafted police reports will absolutely result in mistakes enshrined as facts.

This will permanently impact peoples' lives & freedom.

Story: https://www.forbes.com/sites/thomasbrewster/2024/04/23/axon-ai-police-reports-/?sh=7bdefd5b476b

jsrailton, to infosec
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BREAKING: US imposes visa restrictions on 13 mercenary spyware proliferators / immediate family.

First known application of policy rolled out in Feb.

A lot of shady players are surely having a little panic.

...wondering if their name is or will be on a list.

#spyware #pegasus #malware #mercenary #infosec #cybersecurity #hacking

jsrailton, to random
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Russian on the street speaks his mind to journalist.

5 year community service sentence.

No doubt without apology it would have been worse.

Story by @meduza_en
https://meduza.io/en/news/2024/04/22/moscow-man-convicted-of-spreading-disinformation-in-street-interview-with-rfe-rl

#Russia #putin #ukraine

jsrailton, to poland
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NEW: female army officers that reported sexual harassment... were hacked with .

Official confirmations from 's AG keep shedding light on more apparent spyware abuses by past gov.

Link [in PL]: https://wiadomosci.onet.pl/kraj/zglosily-molestowanie-w-zandarmerii-wojskowej-byly-inwigilowane-pegasusem/dylyrsv

jsrailton, to privacy
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"Citizen, leave a copy of your home keys at the police station."

Hmm, people won't like that.

How about, "home-builders have a social responsibility ...[and must give police copies of all house keys]"

Much better.

taking another stab at the encryption fight.

jsrailton, (edited ) to ai
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A platform to let #AI autonomously pay humans to perform actions.

This will surely end well.

jsrailton, (edited ) to random
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Fascinating to watch: conservative activists borrowing from the same cancel culture tactics they once called a threat to civilization.

jsrailton, to Russia
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NEW:
Germany just arrested 2 Russian operatives over suspected bombing plan.

Targets for reconnaissance included 🇺🇸US bases.

https://www.ft.com/content/9ee73d65-9575-410c-acba-3bc8b0bc08ae

jsrailton, to random
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When you support expanding domestic spying authorities in any country:

Even if you trust in the current government, you're gambling that you can trust how future administrations define criticism, democratic political organizing & dissent.

jsrailton, to poland
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NEW: 578 people hacked with under previous government, confirms 🇵🇱 Attorney General.

Commendable transparency = first.

Follows on heels of recent notifications by PL gov to victims.

h/t @maldr0id STORY: https://notesfrompoland.com/2024/04/16/almost-600-people-targeted-with-pegasus-spyware-under-former-polish-government/

jsrailton, (edited ) to poland
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OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION:🇪🇺MEP Krzysztof Brejza is a spyware victim, per 's national prosecutor's office.

He was incessantly infected with spyware while coordinating opposition political strategy during Polish parliamentary elections.

After we publicly confirmed our findings, Brejza was targeted w/unrelenting, orchestrated disinformation. And harassment.

For a time, we @citizenlab were also a target. 1/

jsrailton, (edited )
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@citizenlab 2/
Baroque conspiracy theories were floated and amplified by various groups seeking to discredit the victims and our findings.

The formula was repeated for each victim we & others like Amnesty's Security Lab surfaced.

Didn't work, but if you'd asked me in 2022 if whether Poland's government would ever officially confirm spyware cases to victims, it would have seemed hopelessly optimistic.

Remarkable.

jsrailton, to apple
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IMPORTANT: has recently sent you a threat notification?

This is serious. Seek expert help.

If you're a journalist, activist, dissident, academic, etc. etc:

✅contact the Access Now Digital Security Helpline.

https://www.accessnow.org/help/

th, to random
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We’ve cast off lines and put Honolulu to our rudder. Soon we’ll leave Hawaii in our wake as we sail on towards Japan.

jsrailton,
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@th Former tall ship crew here...

I can hear this picture ;)

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