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We live in a world of a beehive of online activities, with many individuals happily sharing their private information on the Internet. Unfortunately, Uncle Sam is constantly looking over your shoulder. Unknown to most people, a lot of data is collected via the U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) PRISM surveillance program. Once youre the target, a massive amount of data about you can be collected and forwarded to the government. Whenever the government is caught with its hands in the privacy jar, two platitudes are always given: If you have not done something wrong, youve nothing to hide, and you have to trust the government it has your best interests at heart.

Basically, the governments nothing-to-hide notion implies that its only criminals who may want to hide. But is that true? Besides, we all have something that we want to hide. Just ask anybody to show you their credit card bill or even their emails what would be the response?

If theres nothing that should be hidden and you can trust the government with your data, think about this scenario: What will happen if someone gains access into the governments database? Since you are here, we assume you are one of those folks who want to escape NSA spying. If so, it is time for you to be smart and be a ghost!

Online activities should be private, but unfortunately, thats not the case. In 2013, the NSA outlined how data can be collected via the PRISM program. The technology is merely based on the optical fiber wiretaps. PRISM is meant to track the activities of potential foreign terrorists. Just like in criminal investigations, the NSA is probably not intentionally spying on you, but the fact that they can when they want to is a breach of privacy.

There are several ways you stay out of the omnipresent eyes of the government and the NSAs PRISM. Below are some simple measures to minimize the likelihood of the NSA PRISM program monitoring your Internet activities.

One of the surest ways of beating the NSAs PRISM surveillance trap is by encrypting your Internet traffic. Its simply that all the encrypted data is useless to the PRISM program without the decryption key. Your conversations may not be private unless you encrypt. First, you can encrypt the hard drive and all the existing files. All the data stored on the cloud should be encrypted before being submitted to Internet service providers. The last thing you want is entirely trusting Google, Microsoft, or Apple to encrypt data for you. As an individual, avoid storing unencrypted personal data in clouds like OneDrive, Dropbox, and Google Drive.

Using a good VPN will help keep the NSA from sniffing around your personal space and your business. A VPN merely helps establish a private network thats private to the Internet and allows you to surf anonymously (although there are many caveats here). It conceals the user identity by masking the devices IP address and then directing traffic via VPN servers in a location that you may choose.

However, a VPN should not be just a VPN but should be a VPN that doesnt keep logs. A VPN without logs means that the VPN provider cannot reveal your identity even if it gets a court order. Thats because it wont be recording any of your web activities details in the first place. Moreover, a VPN will ensure that you easily bypass Internet restrictions, as well as getting access to blocked websites.

Each time you visit a new site, a trail of footprints are left behind that can tell so much about you. Most advertising networks use those digital footprints for targeted ads, meaning that the NSA is most probably watching every keystroke you make.

Therefore, to ensure that you block web tracking, simply visit your browsers settings and then disable third-party cookies so that they do not load on the current web page.

Secondly, you need to privately search the web by activating private incognito mode in the browser. Alternatively, you can opt to use browser extensions like Ghostery that prevent ad agencies and search engines from tracking web pages.

Furthermore, you can disable JavaScript from the browser setting to help avoid web tracking. And masking your IP address via a VPN is another excellent way of staying out of the radar of tracking cookies.

Sometimes connecting to free hotspots can prove to be a channel through which someone can access your device. However, wandering from the library to the coffee shop and the free caf down the street can provide a security protection layer. Why? Because your IP address keeps on varying by location. However, you should be very careful about such hotspots as they are the real hotspots of malware invasion.

After doing everything right, youll also want to tie all your encrypted services with hard-to-crack passwords. You need to find the best password manager and then create your unique password.

The NSA can tap into all cellular networks across the globe. Therefore, theres every reason to protect your communications. Your instant messaging services can be protected from the NSA surveillance program using an Off-the-Record (OTR) chat extension. It helps in encrypting all messages on IM networks.

Another reigning king for anonymous browsing is the Onion Router (TOR). It allows you to browse anonymously as it conceals user identity by encrypting and bouncing communications over a plethora of servers. Therefore, it makes it difficult for spy agencies to trace the traffic source or the recipient easily. All they see is traffic originating from a plethora of random nodes and not your PC.

Ultimately, keeping off the NSAs PRISM is not a walk in the park. While all these tips do not mean that youre entirely PRISM-proof, theyll minimize the risk of NSA snooping on your online activities. You just have to pray that you dont give them enough evidence to suspect you because then all privacy bets are off.

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Home Articles PRISM and privacy: Ways to avoid being spied on by the government

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PRISM and privacy: Ways to avoid being spied on by the government - TechGenix

In a long (long) portrait dedicated to the NSA and US Cyber Command boss General Paul Nakasone, Wired revealed that in two years, it authorized more cyber attacks than before. NSA since its inception.

The NSA has long monitored and spied on its targets abroad. Wired describes how he did not initiate what would become his cyber command responsible for defending American systems and attacking his adversaries and enemies until 2009. Russia had indeed entered its classified computer network and disconnected from the Internet, possibly via a broken USB key.

Nakasone was then appointed as the head of a group nicknamed the Four Horsemen (four horsemen including a woman), who were responsible for explaining what the NSAs Cyberdefense Division would be, but raising it from 100 to 2000 Also for cyber fighters.

Unlike France, which refuses to attribute the attacks that identify the countries launching them and does not officially recognize its offensive computer warfare (LIO) operations, Nakasone was convinced that it It was necessary to communicate. Wanting to leave the private sector to join their units, not only to gain more resources and powers from the authorities, but to create hackers, and finally to demonstrate their expertise to reject their rivals.

Launched in 2010, USCYBERCOM today has more than 6,000 cyber-fighters, in addition to 38,000 and 20,000 private intelligence contractors working for the NSA.

Read more here:
How the NSA built its offensive computer warfare unit - The Market Mail

There are "several other" countries beyond Russia and Iran who have interfered with the upcoming election, National Secuirty Advisor Robert O'Brien said Wednesday.

"As you know, it's not just Russia and Iran," O'Brien said on Fox News' "Fox &Friends." "It's China, and there are several other countries we have not yet gone public on. We're taking major steps to protect the elections."

O'Brien said that he's held White House meetings with the National Security Council and that the Department of Homeland Security is working with secretaries of state across the country. He added that the Iowa National Guardis using its "terrific cyber unit"to detect interference in the state.

"Across the country, we're making big efforts to make sure our election infrastructure's hardened and that people know their votes are going to be counted," he said.

Meanwhile, it should come as no surprise that Iran or Russia would try to interfere in the election, he said.

Iran has been cut off from the "jackpot they received '' when they signedthe multi-nation nuclear dealbecause President Donald Trump pulled the United States out in 2018, said O'Brien, adding that Iran doesn't like the fact that Israel has been making peace with Arab nations.

"The same thing with Russia," said O'Brien. "The president's been tougher on Russia than any administration since Ronald Reagan. We see that they're out on Twitter and various places with disinformation. You can see the same thing with China."

The administration also is working through the Department of Homeland Security to ensure secure elections, said O'Brien.

"The good news is we're so decentralized, 95% of the ballots that are cast have some sort of paper analog so that they can be audited," he said. "It's very difficult for an adversary to actually change the outcomes of the elections, and we've been doing everything we can to make sure that's the case on Election Day."

The topics for Thursday night's debate, meanwhile, don't include items on foreign policy, but O'Brien said he wants to focus on what Trump has done, particularly concerning peace in the Middle East.

2020 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

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NSA O'Brien: 'Several Other' Countries Interfering in Election - Newsmax

The National Security Agency said it is redefining the academic path to jobs in cybersecurity with a new program offering minority students interested in the field access to paid internships and training facilities.

The Cybersecurity Education Diversity InitiativeCEDImakes officials and resources such as virtual cyber ranges available to minority-serving institutions through NSAs National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity, according to a press release on Thursday. The Office of Industrial Policys Small Business Program and the Mentor Protg Program at the Defense Department would participate, and students can receive stipends for working with companies in their geographic areas, the release said.

This partnership is a revolutionary approach to developing the cybersecurity workforce of the future, said Diane M. Janosek, the commandant of NSAs National Cryptologic School, which houses the NCAE-C program. CEDI is the future model for developing well-qualified and trained cybersecurity professionals across all industrial sectors, in all 50 states. Thank you DoDs Office of Small Business Programs for creatively addressing the critical need for cybersecurity professionals in the Defense Industrial Base.

Tapping Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority-serving institutions to fill what is now hundreds of thousands of related vacancies makes sense to politicians and cybersecurity officials, alike.

During a town hall event Thursday, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said the availability of cybersecurity jobs provides an opportunity for young Black voters to start generating wealth. He touted his efforts while serving as vice president during the Obama administration, which included the announcement of a $25 million grant for cybersecurity education at HBCUs.

That will enable those schools to produce young Black women and men who are going to go into a field of the future that's burgeoning; cybersecurity, he said. And that's what's going to help a great deal.

Biden said he plans to put another $70 billion toward HBCUs, if elected. Simultaneously, in a separate town hall, President Donald Trump also emphasized his commitment to HBCUs.

But there are also cybersecurity benefits to be had from making the industry more diverse, according to Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Christopher Krebs.

Theres an advantage of U.S.-centric cybersecurity defense against what is generally adversaries that are fairly homogeneous, he said this summer. We have a distinct advantage in diversifying our workforce and having a more inclusive environment. Thats going to give us perspectives our adversaries dont have. I think innately the American experience can set us up for greater success in the cybersecurity game.

Eight minority-serving institutions have already received grants to build their capacity, according to a factsheet on the initiative. The document lists participating NCAE-C institutions, including those from regions around the country, and provides contact information for learning about the application process.

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NSA Launches Diversity Initiative to Grow Bench of Job-Ready Cybersecurity Talent - Nextgov

Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to a special interview for The Wire, supported by Glenlivet Books. Today, we present an exclusive interview from Islamabad on India-Pakistan relations. My guest is the Pakistan prime ministers advisor on national security and strategic policy planning, Moeed Yusuf. This is Dr. Yusufs first interview to the Indian media, its also the first interview by any official in Pakistan after the constitution changes in Jammu and Kashmir in August 2019.

Dr. Yusuf, lets start with August 2019. Why is Pakistan so worked up by the internal constitutional changes in Jammu and Kashmir? First of all, this is a strictly internal Indian matter its of no concern to Pakistan and secondly, youre reported to be attempting something very similar in Gilgit Baltistan.

Moeed Yusuf: Thank you for having me on your show, Karan. So, lets take these separately because GB is a separate issue, Ill come to that. As far as the 5th of August, 2019 is concerned, quite frankly, India scored an own-goal. You know, there was never a doubt what the Kashmiris of occupied Kashmir believed in what they thought of India but, if there was any doubt left, its gone now.

Dont accept what Im saying; Farooq Abdullah came to your programme very recently I heard him, what did he say? No Kashmiri sees him or herself as Indian, theyd much rather be ruled by Chinese of course, he couldnt say Pakistan, he has to survive in India but, the Chinese. What does the ICJ report saying? What is Yashwant Sinhas report saying? The world is calling India out. Karan, thats the reality. Kashmiris cant bear the thought of being Indian. Kashmiri Hindustan se nafrat kartein hain, Karan and, when thats the reality, what internal arrangement are you talking about?

KT: But see, youre confusing two things. Whatever the Kashmiri feeling toward India may be is another matter; but what has happened

MY: No, no! *chuckles*

KT: is an internal constitutional change. It doesnt affect Pakistan in any way, it doesnt affect the UN referendum or plebiscite requirement in any way. Its internal its simply a constitutional, administrative measure and precisely the same thing is being

MY: Let me correct you, Karan.

KT: talked about for

MY: Let me correct.

KT: Gilgit Baltistan.

MY: Let me correct you. If Indias taking a stance that its actions of August 5th a permanent change to the territory which is disputed if India is arguing that a forced domicile law, change of demography of that territory, is not against the UN Charter, well, India is then priding itself at being a rogue state, Karan. Let me tell you why. The UN Charter and the UN resolutions are very clear; Indias never obeyed them, but now you have formally stated youre going to violate them. And, let me also tell you, your foreign minister was very recently I think last year, perhaps in the US. I heard him say that India will now resolve all its problems unilaterally. So, let me tell you whats happening, its very important

KT: Let me come back to this point

MY: Just give me one second.

KT: Let me come back

MY: Karan, one second

KT: One quick point

MY: Let me just finish

KT: You made

MY: Karan, just let me finish

KT: a point of talking

MY: No, no, no

KT: about demographic changes. Pakistan has been making demographic changes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, by bringing in Punjabi settlers, for decades

MY: No

KT: At the moment, what demographic changes happen, its only made possible by the domicile law and, secondly, this is equally important if you can change the administrative structure of Gilgit Baltistan, India can certainly do the same in Jammu and Kashmir.

MY: Karan. Karan, I told you Ill come to Gilgit Baltistan but let me just finish this topic. You know, there are three levels you know, I have a background in scholarship. There are three levels at which the state can operate in the international community of nations. Theres the multilateral international, which is the UN we know what India thinks of the UN resolutions, we know what India said about the plebiscite after going to the UN itself and then pulling back from it. The second level is bilateral; for years, for decades since 1972 Shimla, India told the world its a bilateral matter well use Shimla. What happened on the 5th of August? A unilateral decision that Shimla explicitly says you cannot do. And dont take my words for it, take A.G. Nooranis words what did he say in a recent article? The foul deeds of August 5th destroyed the Shimla agreement, or the Shimla pact, totally. And the third level is unilateral; youve done something unilateral, when you did something unilateral you had to bring in a 180,000 troops, lie to the world that there was a terrorist threat, and then you perpetrated Indian government perpetrated terrorism on the 5th of August

KT: Can I respond?

MY: And then, a year later

KT: Can I respond?

MY: You had to impose curfew

KT: Dr. Yusuf

MY: And when you say, Karan, that the

KT: You must let me respond

MY: wishes of the people dont matter, thats where you go wrong.

KT: You began, first of all

MY: All that matters is the wishes of the people.

KT: Dr. Yusuf, you must let me respond. You began, first of all, by referring to the UN requirements of a plebiscite that is conditioned by a Pakistani withdrawal which didnt happen. So, lets be honest

MY: *chuckles*

KT: the first step was from your side, it didnt happen, thats why the plebiscite didnt never happened. Secondly, youre talking about the world believing that India has done the wrong thing with the exception of Turkey and Malaysia, no other country supports Pakistans position on 370. In fact, youre aware better than me that your attempt to create a special OIC meeting annoyed the Saudis and has strained your relationship with them. Actually, your obsession with Kashmir is becoming an own goal against yourself.

MY: Youre actually packing too many questions so Im going to write so I dont forget. So, Karan, first of all, here is where India goes wrong the only thing that matters is the wishes of the people because the UN resolutions are about the right to self-determination of the Kashmiris you dont believe me? And, Ill come to GB now you think what Im saying about occupied Kashmir is wrong? Even though everybody on your programme, in New York Times andThe Economist have said what they have to say? Lets hold a UN-administered plebiscite tomorrow. Lets bring the UN in, ask them what needs to be done

KT: Youre changing the subject

MY: Just do it.

KT: Were not talking about a UN plebiscite, were talking about the fact that Pakistan for reasons that have no warranty or justification is finding fault with Indias internal decision to change the constitutional arrangements in Jammu and Kashmir. Youve done the same in Gilgit Baltistan. Secondly, youve been changing the demography of P0K by bringing in Punjabi settlers for decades that hasnt happened in India.

MY: Yeah. So, let me come to the Pakistan side by adding just one sentence to what I was saying. The day India recognises that only the wishes of people of Kashmiris matter, this issue can be resolved. And today, Karan, I sit here, on the instructions of my prime minister, to talk to you about the future to talk to you how we can move forward, how we can get over our problems, not to litigate the past.

But since youre there, Gilgit Baltistan first of all, no decision has been made. What is happening in Gilgit Baltistan? Theres a public debate? Yes. Why is there a public debate? For the polar opposite reason to what is happening in Illegally Occupied Kashmir. Whats the reason? People of Gilgit Baltistan want to be fully integrated into Pakistan that is the reason of this public debate. Now

KT:Can I interrupt you?

MY: what is Pakistans response?

Indus River at Skardu in Gilgit-Baltistan region. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA

KT: I have to interrupt you because youve made, I think, according to your papers, a factual error. Dawn, one of Pakistans best-known papers, on the 22nd of September, reported that at a meeting with several senior cabinet ministers present, members of the PPP, and the army chief a decision was taken to confer provincial status on Gilgit Baltistan. And that was confirmed to Dawn thereafter by your railway minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed and by the minister in charge of Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan affairs, Ali Amin Gandapur. Im quoting Dawn! They say the decision

MY: My friend. My friend, the proof is in the pudding. If it was so confirmed and so done, where is the act? Now, please let me finish this answer. You asked me two or three times, I want to clarify this. One, no decision has been made; two, there is a public debate the public debate is not being generated by the Government of Pakistan, its being generated by the people of Gilgit Baltistan. Theyve been saying this for two or three years now. What are they saying? We want to be fully integrated with Pakistan. Now, you tell me, Karan, if a people is not treated well, would they ever want that? Ive never heard the Kashmiri Muslims talk about this in the occupied territories

KT: Youre deliberately missing the point.

MY: Third, whatever

KT: Just as you say

MS: Sorry, Karan just let me finish.

KT: Just as you say the people of Gilgit Baltistan

MS: Karan, this is not fair.You ask me a question, you dont let me finish.

KT: people of Ladakh wanted to be separated from Jammu and Kashmir, they wanted union territory status as well, they asked for it.

MY: Karan, not fair. You asked me a question, let me finish please have the patience to hear me out. The third part of that is most important. Whatever decision is ultimately taken will be within the framework of the UN Security Council resolutions. If the resolutions bar permanent change of territorial status, there will be no permanent change and there may be no change. This is a debate, this is how democratic societies debate; democratic societies, by the way, Karan, do not bring in a 180,000 troops to change the status of a territory. Thats the difference between Pakistan and India right now.

KT: Let me repost to some of the things youve said. First of all, you said the change in Gilgit Baltistan is happening because the people have requested it that is equally true of Ladakh, the people of Ladakh have been wanting to be separated from Jammu and Kashmir for decades, they wanted union territory status, theyve now got it. So, the same criteria apply in both instances. Secondly

MY: Within the constraints of the UN.

KT: You have to let me finish, you have to let me finish.

MY: Sure.

KT: Secondly, you said that, in fact, what is happening is not a violation of the Shimla agreement in the case of Gilgit Baltistan, it is, you claim, a violation of Shimla in the case of Jammu and Kashmir. Actually, its the same thing happening on both sides; you are changing the nature of the

MY: But nothing has happened!

KT: Youre changing the nature

MY: Nothing has happened! 5th of August has happened. In Pakistan theres a public debate and one thing I can guarantee you on your programme whenever that debate settles, there will be no question of going outside any multilateral or bilateral framework that Pakistan has agreed to.

KT: Doctor, when you say nothing has happened

MY: Karan, thats the difference.

KT: youre forgetting the fact

MY: Karan, that

KT: that changing the provincial nature of Gilgit Baltistan is a campaign promise of Imran Khans party. Mr. Gandapur had said so, Im quoting Mr. Gandapur, just listen to the minister

MY: Yeah, you quote him.

KT: Our government has decided to deliver on the promise it made to the people there. Hes saying so, its a campaign promise

MY: The promise made to people in Gilgit Baltistan is to ensure that they get more development, even more rights within the framework of the UN Security Council resolution. If the UN Security Council resolutions allow the word provisional to be added, maybe the public debate goes there; if it doesnt allow it, it wont go there. Karan, we are talking of Kashmir, right? This is a disputed territory, internationally recognised

KT: Both sides of it! Both sides of it! Do not forget to include PoK-Gilgit Baltistan; its disputed, India believes

MY: Absolutely. It will be included in the plebiscite the day the plebiscite happens. My map, behind me, Pakistans official political map, all of it in one colour for that very reason. Now, youve talked of Kashmir, but Karan, let me say one thing this is no longer, unfortunately, an India focused on Pakistan doing things that are illegal and wrong. Unfortunately, we are now seeing at least, sitting on this side of the border we are seeing an ideology that you who knows better than you?

KT: Forgive me, just a moment

MY: Weve seen expansionism

KT: Just a moment! Before you start branching into an ideology and making claims, like your Prime Minister has made with the UN, that Mr. Modi

MY: Karan, youve written about it! For god sakes, youve written about it.

KT: Lets not become polemical, lets stick to details

MY: No!

KT: otherwise, we

MY: No, no I was going to

KT: will not have a discussion, we will have a tu tu, main main which will serve no ones purpose.

MY: No, no Im here to talk of the future.

KT: Let me come back to the issue

MY:Lets talk of the future, lets talk peace.

KT: I will definitely talk to you about the future

MY: Lets talk peace.

KT: but lets talk about the present first.

MY: Okay.

KT: Lets come back to Article 370. I want to point out the paradox. One, while Article 370 existed, Pakistan dismissed it as a sham. Your high commissioners repeatedly refused to meet the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir they wouldnt recognise them. Now that Article 370 has been scrapped, youre clamouring for its restoration. You seem to be contradicting yourselves.

MY: First of all, Karan, Pakistan does not recognise cannot recognise Article 370 because Pakistans quarrel is with the actual instrument of accession; an instrument of accession that was signed under duress

KT: *chuckles* Youve just given the game away. If you cant recognise 370, why worry when its scrapped? Why make such a protest about its scrapping? Thats the point Im making.

MY: Oh, its not my issue. Im not making a protest about 370, lets be clear

KT: Your government is.

MY: No, no not at all. Show me one place where weve said 370 good or bad. We are raising an issue because you have formally gone outside the UN Charter and the resolutions by making a permanent change in the territory I rightfully claim as mine, to people who cant bear the thought of being under Indian occupation. Thats my quarrel. My quarrel is the domicile law which is thrusting people on a Muslim-majority territory to change its character.

KT: Dr. Yusuf, everything youre saying will apply to Gilgit Baltistan a campaign manifesto promise of your government, a commitment made in public by your railway minister and the Kashmir minister to the Dawn newspaper you can apply your arguments to yourself. What Im saying is

MY: So, Ive said two things to you, Karan

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Full Text: Interview with Imran Khans NSA on Kashmir, Uighurs, Jadhav, Terror and Talks - The Wire