WikiLeaks Releases Docs on 'Dumbo' CIA Tool Allowing Control of Webcams

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rgMekanic

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Wikileaks released new documents today from the "Dumbo" project of the CIA. This tool is run of a USB stick, and allows identifying, controlling and manipulating monitoring systems on a target computer running Windows. The tool identifies microphones and webcams, that are either locally connected, or connected on wired or wireless networks, and allows recording to be stopped, files deleted, or manipulated to create fake evidence.

We've been keeping a keen eye on Vault 7 since the beginning, and it has definitely proven to be interesting. I guess the only thing to be happy about is fortunately most of these "tools" require local access to the hardware,

Dumbo is a capability to suspend processes utilizing webcams and corrupt any video recordings that could compromise a PAG deployment. The PAG (Physical Access Group) is a special branch within the CCI (Center for Cyber Intelligence); its task is to gain and exploit physical access to target computers in CIA field operations
 
So they would need physical access to control your webcam. I can see some edge cases uses in the intelligence community but nothing that the average Joe would need to worry about (Newsflash the CIA is not going to sneak in to your house to take over your webcam because you said a mean thiong about the president on twitter, smoked weed that one time or have some questionable taste on porn). So it would seem to me that this is tech that the CIA would only really be using to acquire intelligence on foreign governments not to spy on us regular folks (I.E Perfectly legit in my eyes). Stories like this are why I regard someone like Edward Snowden as a hero, but believe someone like Julian Assange can rot in Jail for all I care.
 
So, basically like those old spy movies but with a modern twist. The CIA agents and spies from both sides putting bugs in rooms, on their person, etc... :)

With physical access to a device, you can do pretty much whatever you want. At that point, I'd consider it compromised and not trusted anymore.
 
CIA were never the good guys, they're the protecting american interest in the region guys
 
kinjo said:
So they would need physical access to control your webcam. I can see some edge cases uses in the intelligence community but nothing that the average Joe would need to worry about (Newsflash the CIA is not going to sneak in to your house to take over your webcam because you said a mean thiong about the president on twitter, smoked weed that one time or have some questionable taste on porn). So it would seem to me that this is tech that the CIA would only really be using to acquire intelligence on foreign governments not to spy on us regular folks (I.E Perfectly legit in my eyes). Stories like this are why I regard someone like Edward Snowden as a hero, but believe someone like Julian Assange can rot in Jail for all I care.
Click to expand...

Explain the difference, please, and thank you.
 
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