Snowden Files Allegedly Cracked

The original story was broken by London-based Sunday Times at the following source:
www.thesundaytimes.co.uk...

The story features a somewhat biased picture, showing Putin and Snowden together as if they could be working together. The timing of the story is extremely suspect as US political elites are attempting to push through cyber-security legislation, and at least two other major cyber security breaches have occurred in the US over the past few days. On the other hand, if Russia were to be "sending a message", then they may leak the fact they have cracked the files. But just as well they could be sending misinformation that they have cracked the files when in fact they have not cracked the files at all.

I remember a another time when the Snowden files were alleged to have been cracked. That rumor was never substantiated. This rumor apparently has yet to be confirmed by any government, though I question whether that would be enough to take the rumor as fact.

Note that there is another thread related to this topic, but the other thread is all about whether Snowden gave away the password to the Russians on purpose, which would not be a crack, so I think this thread should be separate.

a reply to: wayforward

IMO, Snowden needs to keep at least part ofthose files secret to be used as a bargaining chip for his life.

He wouldn't give up his safety net.

Further, did I hear something about spies being sent home as a result? You can bet the Russians and Chinese want to view those files, maybe had access to them and would be trying to "crack" them.

Imagine a cd of all the Russian secrets secured in the US somewhere?

Another red herring.

Maybe Snowden is a dis-info plant?

"David Anderson QC was commissioned by David Cameron. Anderson was highly critical of the existing system of oversight of the surveillance agencies and set out a series of recommendations for reform."

This commision report on terrorism legislation, is only out, and David Anderson is highly critical of the way the secret services act.
He wants to make it mandatory for spy warrants to be only issued by a panel of retired judges. It looks like the UK goverment at the top doesn't like this, it's probably they who have 'leaked' a non-story. The Times is turning into something of a rag lately.

www.theguardian.com...

I forgot to add this from The Guardian circa 2013 as to the whereabouts of the files,

"The editor of the Guardian, Alan Rusbridger, had earlier informed government officials that other copies of the files existed outside the country and that the Guardian was neither the sole recipient nor steward of the files leaked by Snowden, a former National Security Agency (NSA) contractor."

This was at the time The Guardian destroyed hard drives with Snowden flie copies on them. At that time the same stunt as now was pulled with spy sources saying then that Snowden has 'blood on his hands' while the government has since admitted that none of their intelligence sources were harmed.

Later articles from The Guardian give some clues as to the whereabouts of the files. They say Snowden handed all the files over to journalists in Hong Kong, so what is all this malarkey about encryption codes being broken blah blah? Is it a euphemism for journalists being roasted over a Russian or Chinese spit ? I don't think so, and anyway most of those journalists were from The Guardian.

Imagine a cd of all the Russian secrets secured in the US somewhere?

a reply to: intrptr

Imagine? I would be surprised if they didn't.

Maybe Snowden is a dis-info plant?

a reply to: xuenchen

I'd bet that US and Russia pulled that whole thing off. They were looking for a way to get info out. JMO

a reply to: wayforward

This is where things are going to kick up a notch and go from 1st gear to third regarding the global crisis. Once Russia and China get a peek at what the states have been up to, oooh boy. Buckle up.

Just a thought...could this be connected to the recent hack on a lot of military personnel ?

originally posted by: FlySolo
a reply to: wayforward

This is where things are going to kick up a notch and go from 1st gear to third regarding the global crisis. Once Russia and China get a peek at what the states have been up to, oooh boy. Buckle up.

Could they be that surprised? They know the US has involved itself in plenty of false flag attacks, supported overthrowing many governments, and has been trying to collect every piece of data on everyone. That said, I suppose outright industrial espionage with the purpose of data collecting, would probably be a negative surprise.

If I were China or Russia, I would have attempted to physically bug and hack the residents of the journalists who are known to have both the Snowden files and the password to those files. That would be a process that could take months/years as it has been since their release. So, there is the potential that this story is true. What I don't find plausible is that either China or Russia would even bother trying to brute-force the passwords for the files. Its not believed to be technically viable to the NSA or other cryptography experts as well. Overall, I view this story as untrue.

Another point I've thought of is: would any of Russia, China, the UK, or the US government officially confirm the crack even if it did happen? All of the above may benefit from unprovable rumors that it did happen. Russia and China could keep the US paranoid about their capabilities. The US and UK could make Snowden look like less of a good guy.

a reply to: wayforward

I think Snowden can be a barometer of how informed or patriotic American citizen is.

If they think Snowden is bad, they are past expiry and can be thrown out.

If they think Snowden is good, then keep em

Once again, Edward Snowden is nothing but a traitor would deserves nothing more than a round right between his beady little eyes.

The damage he has done to the security of this country is undeniable, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.

a reply to: RickinVa

Once again, Edward Snowden is nothing but a traitor would deserves nothing more than a round right between his beady little eyes

Why , for outing the illegal activities of governments ?

The damage he has done to the security of this country is undeniable, no matter how much you want to believe otherwise.

That's what the press and government would have you believe.
I believe he' along with Julian Assange have done us the people a great service , they lifted the rock and we got to see the maggots hiding beneath.

originally posted by: donktheclown

Imagine a cd of all the Russian secrets secured in the US somewhere?

a reply to: intrptr

Imagine? I would be surprised if they didn't.

I'm not aware of a "Snowdinsky" here in the states. By that I mean some Russian that absconded with the goods, went public, exposed Russian state secrets, flew into Washington and his hiding out, giving interviews, etc.

a reply to: gortex

"Why , for outing the illegal activities of governments ? "


No, for allowing the Russians and Chinese access to information about how the US defends itself.


I could care less about the spying on Americans..... I do care very much when someone releases information that puts other peoples lives in danger, namely mine. Any information released by an individual that gives a foreign government a tactical advantage in a war time scenario is nothing but treason.

"That's what the press and government would have you believe."

I have many many friends that still work for the Dept of Army, NSA, CIA, FBI, DEA, DOE etc. The information that Mr. Snowjob took with him goes way beyond NSA spying on Americans... it goes very deep into steps the US takes to defend itself.

I do not rely on MSM for info on Mr. Snowjob.... I just get my info from former co-workers who are still working and have the inside knowledge.

a reply to: RickinVa

Hmmm, well then, didn't Snowden do US a service by showing us our vulnerabilities?

Our main vulnerability, though, imho, is that our country shed any pretense of being a wise, benevolent beacon of hope, justice and individual freedom to become, instead, a plutocracy that spies on everything our own citizens say and do electronically... never mind the whole world... while missing the big attacks such tactics were supposed to combat.

Think about the power such knowledge amasses... it makes any semblance of freedom a joke... think about the data and thus leverage the NSA and other such unaccountable black holes have regarding presidents, judges, senators, generals, etc. ... and if you still think the data mining is a good idea after thinking about that, then I don't know what to say.

Just remember, whoever has access to that info has the keys to the kingdom... and as time goes by, the odds some Orwellian psycho gets their hands on it increases... to a certainty... if it hasn't happened already, that is.

I get not wanting to hurt field agents and not wanting bad people to know how we defend ourselves... I am cognizant of how bad some folks can be... but we are well on our way to being the bad people we are so darned afraid of, and making more enemies is the worst thing for one's security.

The constitution is a fairly well constructed document... especially the parts about individual rights, like privacy, and protection from a bad government... too bad it was scrapped by terrified imbeciles, under the watch of people who should know better.

Leaving such a vast surveillance apparatus to unaccountable folks and hoping that they'll 'be good' into the distant future is plain stupid... I'd think most intelligence workers would agree... in fact I know a couple who do.

a reply to: Baddogma

"Leaving such a vast surveillance apparatus to unaccountable folks and hoping that they'll 'be good' into the distant future is plain stupid".

Again.... I do not care about the surveillance stuff..... you can argue that point all day long. Coulda, Shoulda, and Woulda are the three most often used phrases by those affected by "hind-sight is 20-20" syndrome.

If Mr. Edward Snowjob was so interested in revealing what he thought was " illegal" or "immoral" methods that NSA was using to spy on Americans or its Allies, he could have done so another way than the way he choose.

He took more than just information about NSA surveillance, he also took information that detailed certain procedures the US would take to defend itself, and that information wound up in the hands of the Russians and the Chinese. He says he didn't give it to them.... but they have it.

Personally, I believe that he sold what he had for what he could get for it...... He was supposedly a "stranger in a strange land" with information that a lot of parties would have paid for. He appears to be doing pretty well for himself these days. Again, that is my personal opinion.