American Newspaper: How to avoid being eavesdropped by the CIA?

WikiLeaks recently released a series of shocking documents showing that the CIA can hack into any internet-connected device, even televisions, to eavesdrop. So how can you protect yourself from being eavesdropped?

The CIA's cyber attack capabilities are said to be able to penetrate all internet-connected devices. Photo: Reuters

Documents released by WikiLeaks about the cyberattack activities of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) show that this agency possesses terrifying cyberattack weapons that can penetrate most electronic devices connected to the internet.

According to CBS News, computers, mobile phones, tablets, devices with modern cameras and recording devices such as those on televisions or smart cars, voice-controlled devices that help read newspapers, play music, open and close car doors or turn on and off the air conditioner, and even smart toy dolls are all potential targets of this cyber attack.

Methods of cyberattack include recording a user's keystrokes or turning the TV off to a fake off mode, then silently activating the TV's recording device to collect data and send it to a CIA server.

Even users of secure messaging apps like WhatsApp or Signal can be vulnerable. Experts say the tools described in the WikiLeaks document are capable of penetrating smartphones running Android, iOS, and Windows operating systems to read messages or eavesdrop on user conversations before they are encrypted.

The CIA did not comment on the authenticity of the documents published by WikiLeaks, but the US intelligence agency affirmed that developing advanced technologies to protect the country from enemies is the right thing to do.

The CIA has stressed that electronic surveillance is only aimed at foreign targets, and that surveillance of American citizens is strictly prohibited.

CBS News quoted similar comments from experts saying that the above tools are not intended for large-scale surveillance, and not all TVs or smart cars are at risk of being eavesdropped.

Computer scientist Matt Blaze at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) said that cyber attack tools only target devices of a specific group of people, by penetrating the software of that device. In addition, many of the intrusion tools described in the WikiLeaks document mainly target mobile devices.

Meanwhile, Robert Lee, CEO of cybersecurity firm Dragos, said there were few ways to prevent eavesdropping and surveillance. “Anything that is voice-activated or connected to the internet is vulnerable,” he said.

However, to ensure that your device does not become a tool of the CIA, there are simple ways such as disconnecting the internet, removing the battery or unplugging the device after use, according to CBS News. It is best not to buy these devices if you do not really need to use their utilities.

If you're not a "high-value" target, but still want to use modern technology, you can protect yourself by keeping your software up to date, not clicking on suspicious links, and not opening email attachments unless you're sure they're safe.

Besides, the cyberattack tools that the CIA and other intelligence agencies use to eavesdrop are not cheap, and these agencies often develop them themselves or buy them from other agencies or contractors. So if you are not a “high-value” target, you can rest assured.

According to TNO