IT 120 Network Technology

Select a current article from a national or international newspaper or magazine.

- Hardware/Software
- Database
- Other current IT topic

According to WikiLeaks, a recent news suggests that the CIA has the capability to transform any smartphone or television into a spying device on a household or commercial destination. It also highlights how the certain consumers unknowingly allow their devices to become a spy on them. A US Intelligence offices has claimed that this new development and insight into the spying of individuals may prove to be advantageous for the law abiding citizens and for the ones who break the same as well. It is claimed that the devices tend to alter our very living patterns, health and other thought processes and hence, spying over them may also prove to be beneficial in the longer run.

With the rise in the problems of hacking, many consumers tend to fall prey to the rising number of cases unknowingly. Over 77% Americans today own a smartphone which makes a large portion of the population vulnerable to hacking which can be controlled if the right decisions are adopted in time. According to the information received, a number of exploits have been set in by the CIA spies. It is noted that the spies have the ability to activate the microphones of a television or a smartphone without the owner of the device knowing about the same. Furthermore, the CIA has the ability to bypass the encryptions of popular mobile apps to record calls and note messages. After the release of the News, the information security heads of Apple and Google confirmed that security is considered to be the prime aspects of consideration in the companies. Vulnerabilities in the apps and websites of these two companies have been identified over time and the CIA has taken responsibility to ensure that the maximum security measures are adopted.

References:

Blake, P. (2017). The Spy Device in Your Pocket. ABC News Official Website. Available at: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/spy-device-pocket/story?id=45997099. Last Accessed: 1 May 2017