互聯網私隱及保安教學系列(02) – Google, Facebook, Dropbox, Yahoo, Microsoft, Apple 等科技公司對NSA PRISM (稜鏡行動)的回應

前美國中央情報局W(CIA)僱員斯諾登披露美國國家安全總署W(NSA)一個名為 PRISMW (稜鏡行動)的全球互聯網用戶監控系統,聲稱這系統可直接進入美國九大互聯網服務供應商W中央伺服器W搜集情報,該九大公司包括香港人經常使用的 Microsoft、Yahoo、Google、Facebook、PalTalk、AOL、Skype、Youtube 和 最近才加入的Apple。

暫時這些頂尖科技公司對傳媒有關查詢的回應如下:

Facebook

“We do not provide any government organization with direct access to Facebook servers. When Facebook is asked for data or information about specific individuals, we carefully scrutinize any such request for compliance with all applicable laws, and provide information only to the extent required by law.”

Google

“Google cares deeply about the security of our users’ data. We disclose user data to government in accordance with the law, and we review all such requests carefully. From time to time, people allege that we have created a government ‘back door’ into our systems, but Google does not have a backdoor for the government to access private user data.”

Apple

“We have never heard of PRISM. We do not provide any government agency with direct access to our servers, and any government agency requesting customer data must get a court order.”

Microsoft

“We provide customer data only when we receive a legally binding order or subpoena to do so, and never on a voluntary basis. In addition we only ever comply with orders for requests about specific accounts or identifiers. If the government has a broader voluntary national security program to gather customer data we don’t participate in it.”

Yahoo

“Yahoo! takes users’ privacy very seriously. We do not provide the government with direct access to our servers, systems, or network.”

Dropbox

“We’ve seen reports that Dropbox might be asked to participate in a government program called PRISM. We are not part of any such program and remain committed to protecting our users’ privacy.”

Paltalk

“We have not heard of PRISM. Paltalk exercises extreme care to protect and secure users’ data, only responding to court orders as required to by law. Paltalk does not provide any government agency with direct access to its servers.”

AOL

“We do not have any knowledge of the Prism program. We do not disclose user information to government agencies without a court order, subpoena or formal legal process, nor do we provide any government agency with access to our servers.”

參考來源:http://techcrunch.com/2013/06/06/google-facebook-apple-deny-participation-in-nsa-prism-program/

互聯網私隱及保安教學系列(01) – 甚麼是數碼足跡 (Digital Footprint)?

▲ 愛德華.斯諾登 (Edward Snowden)

近幾天全世界都注視著香港,因為泄露美國國家安全總署(NSAW)一個名為 PRISMW 的全球互聯網用戶監控計劃的美國中央情報局WCIAW)前僱員愛德華.斯諾登 (Edward SnowdenW) ,現正匿藏香港。

繼接受英國衛報W訪問後,今天南華早報W亦會刊出他的獨家訪問,表示:

美國政府由09年起已入侵W香港及內地電腦。訪問在本港進行,斯諾登向南華早報W披露未經核實的文件,表示美國國安局在香港的目標,包括中文大學W及一些官員、商界人士和學生,但當中並未見到有關於中國軍事系統的部份。

他相信,美國國安局W在全球進行超過61000個入侵電腦行動,當中數以百計目標是在香港及內地,包括一些大型互聯網W 路由器W,令他們毋須逐部電腦進行入侵

港台即時新聞 (2013-06-13 HKT 06:42)

斯諾登披露的機密,包括一份直接進入美國九大互聯網服務供應商W中央伺服器W搜集情報的手冊及一些相關文件。該九大公司包括香港人經常使用的 Microsoft、Yahoo、Google、Facebook、PalTalk、AOL、Skype、Youtube 和 最近才加入的Apple。

明顯地,這涉及全球所有互聯網用戶的私隱權,包括身處亞洲你和我,所以 iGardener老師認為同學需要多了解這事件的進展。

iGardener老師希望透過這個全新的專題系列,可以讓同學(作為互聯網用戶)了解到自己的在技術上如何留下甚麼痕跡,給別人竊取,亦多捍衛自己的私隱有否被侵犯。

今天先來一些熱身,打頭炮介紹一個概念  – 「數碼足印 Digital Footprint

你多數聽過你的碳足跡W,但數碼足印是什麼?你的數碼足印是指在任何數碼環境的活動總數據量,而這些數據正正是有心人會擷取,作不同的用途。

你知道嗎?

  • 每兩天我們創造5億千兆字節(5 billion gigabytes) 的數據,到2014年,我們將每10分鐘就可創造同樣數據量。
  • 相比嬰兒潮一代(Boomers)和X世代(Gen X),千禧世代(millenials)花更多的時間在線和有更多類型的設備。
  • X世代(Gen X)在所有三組中,留下的最大的數碼足跡。

Data Footprints by Generations
Via: Wikibon Infographics

參考來源:http://wikibon.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/wikibon-data-footprint.html