Whistleblower website Wikileaks had released what it calls "Vault 7", a huge data dump of how the Central Intelligence Agency surveillance on civilians. The first full part of the series, "Year Zero", comprises 8,761 documents and files from an isolated, high-security network situated inside the CIA's Center for Cyber Intelligence.
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According to the website, the CIA recently lost control of the majority of its hacking arsenal including malware, viruses, trojans, weaponized "zero day" exploits, malware remote control systems and associated documentation. This extraordinary collection, which amounts to more than several hundred million lines of code, gives its possessor the entire hacking capacity of the CIA.?
Here is what we know so far
WikiLeaks published documents that it says describe CIA tools for hacking into devices including mobile phones, computers and smart televisions.
WikiLeaks said it identified a project known as Weeping Angel where US and British intelligence agencies developed ways to take over Samsung smart TVs equipped with microphones, forcing them to record conversations when the device appeared to be turned off.
Experts have long said smart TVs and other Internet-connected devices can be exploited to monitor a target.
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No system is perfect. The WikiLeaks documents describe ways to get information in those apps on Android devices but only after gaining full control of those phones.
However, there's no evidence to suggest that CIA has figured a way to break the encryption in those apps.
Reuters
The documents discuss ways to get into iPhones as well. One appeared to show a list of Apple iOS security flaws purchased by US intelligence agencies so they could gain access to those devices.
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The intrusion tools highlighted by the leak do not appear to be instruments of mass surveillance. So, it's not as if everyone's TV or high-tech vehicle is at risk.
Everybody should stay on top of software patches so all their computers, mobile phones and other connected devices are running software with the latest security updates.
Don't click links or open email attachments unless you are sure they are safe.
Balance security concerns with your need to use smart devices.
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It appears at least some are real. While the CIA has declined to comment, independent cyber-security experts and former intelligence agency employees who have looked through them say that they appear to be authentic, citing code words used to describe CIA hacking programs.
Reuters
This is unclear. Someone inside the agency may have leaked the information. Or, someone outside may have figured out a way to steal it.