Snowden using TAILs to beat the NSA with Anonymous Encrypted Messaging

entrepr

entrepr

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I came across this article today about how Snowden used a version of Linux tailored for anonymous messaging

http://www.wired.com/2014/04/tails/

Seems like it was created by the navy but had the NSA beat - so much so that Snowden knew they could not crack it and was confident using it.

Part of the benefit is it doesn't leave a data trail after the message is complete.

As South African enters into a dark phase of state monitoring and surveillance of even its good citizens, not seen since the 1980s it is useful to have alternatives when one uncovers wrongdoing
 
I'm all for privacy and all that but the problem is that there are so many jumping onto the bad wagon now with private/secure chat apps and the like. Problem being that you can only [securely] chat to somebody on the same platform. Chances that all of your contacts are on the same platform as you are slim, especially so with the newer platforms like Telegram etc...
 
If heartbleed reminded me of anything it's that you shouldn't use open source software for vital security.
 
Yes, I think TAILS is for people who are committed to a secure point to point communication so it is probably not a mass application tool.

I am sure that OpenSSL was compromised by the NSA's tinkering whereas TAILS is something Snowden (who knew about NSA intimately) was confident to use.

Read the article I point to, it's fascinating in any event
 
TAILS is more than just a secure messaging system - you carry it on a USB stick as an operating system, and boot up your computer from scratch with it, then carry out your secure communications. When you remove your USB, there is no trace of any of your communications on the computer you just used.

This is not a mass-market system for talking to your beer buddies, it would be used, for example by Sunday Times or Mail and Guardian journalists communicating with government insiders when breaking a big story such as the arms deal.
 
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