Wikileaks Spy Files Released
Working with Bugged Planet, Privacy International, and a number of media outlets including the Washington Post, Wikileaks has created a database of hundreds of documents on what they are referring to as the "mass surveillance industry". Wikileaks is releasing 287 of these documents today, and making them available through a searchable interface.
From the press release:
"The Wikileaks Spy Files reveal the details of which companies are making billions selling sophisticated tracking tools to government buyers, flouting export rules, and turning a blind eye to dictatorial regimes that abuse human rights."
We have already seen some stories on the UK purchasing mass surveillance tools from Datong plc, and the Wall Street Journal releasing a catalog of surveillance tools available to governments and law enforcement.
Some of these same industrial strength tools are showing up in oppressive regimes. A recent scandal involving the use of American spygear from BlueCoat industries in Syria as the Syrian government cracked down on protestors, with a death toll reaching "much more" than 4,000 is an indicator of how troublesome these documents may be for some contractors. BlueCoat denies having sold the equipment to Syria, but it could have been smuggled in to the country.
A thorough analysis of the available documents will take some time.
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