"An elite hacking unit in the National Security Agency had reportedly been attempting to install malware on a central router within Syria — a feat that would have allowed the agency to access a good amount of the country's internet traffic. Instead, it ended up accidentally rendered the router unusable, causing Syria's internet connection to go dark"

                                                      Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1sTl0W0

An older article covering the Lavabit (email service) that was shut down and the owners response. Our favorite quote...“This is about protecting all of our users, not just one in particular. It’s not my place to decide whether an investigation is just, but the government has the legal authority to force you to do things you’re uncomfortable with...” 

                                               Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1pp0sFu

After a public hearing challenging the NSA', lawyers for the NSA requested parts of the public transcript be 'removed'. Our favorite quote..."..the incident speaks volumes about the dangers of allowing the government free rein to claim secrecy in court proceedings and otherwise."

                                     Full story here --> http://yhoo.it/1sItTDG

A russian-based group of hackers known as CyberVor has managed to amass a ton of stolen data. Our favorite quote..."Vulnerable sites were then plundered for any data they could be tricked into leaking, which was added to the gang's epic cache."

Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1zTMpLE

An interesting technique being used by the FBI, drive-by downloading is basically driving by a location and hacking the wireless network to identify users of the TOR network. In some cases it seems a very useful tool but as always...how do we define the line of too much privacy invasion?

                                                     Full story here --> http://wrd.cm/1lvOrZT

Time to change your passwords again? Our favorite quote of the article..."Email addresses and encrypted passwords of thousands of Mozilla developers were accidentally exposed for a month - and there are no guarantees that they were not snaffled up by those with ill intent." 

Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1qMiCPE

It's kind of funny to see the NSA patenting some of their various technologies. It does help provide an insight though to how they approach cyber security. 

                                           Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1ADpGF5

The U.S. government wants to grow its ability to influence public opinion around the world by creating 'sock-puppet' software that essentially allows one person the power to control any number of online personas around the world in various languages.  Our favorite quote..."The US Military is developing software that will let it secretly manipulate social media sites by using fake online personas to influence internet conversations and spread pro-American propaganda."

                                                   Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1b8V30N

The NSA wants every detail of your every thought and every movement online. "The NSA program XKeyscore is a collection and analysis tool and "a computer network exploitation system", as described in an NSA presentation. It is one of the agency’s most ambitious programs devoted to gathering "nearly everything a user does on the internet."

                                              Full story here --> http://bit.ly/TFlZNl

Although we understand the intentions associated with the tightening of regulations on bitcoin in New York (cough, cough, Mt. Gox), we think things are going too far already. Our favorite quote..."We recognize that not everyone in the virtual currency community will be pleased about the prospect of a new regulatory framework." What a great start....

                                                  Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1nkdRO0

As we look for ways to explore the internet with less governmental invasion of our privacy, new e-mail service ShazzleMail eliminates your email metadata and helps resist surveillance.  Our favorite quote..."It is not impossible to find if you are the NSA...If the NSA wants to put enough resources at it, they can do anything they want. What we do is we raise the bar substantially.”

                                                                                         Full story here --> http://onforb.es/1rjhqpf

A great article written by John Napier Tye- the former section chief for internet freedom with the State Department, on the Executive Order 12333. For as much as we've all heard about Section 215, Order 12333 is equally as important to understand when learning about the government's invasion of privacy policies.

                                                   Full story here --> http://wapo.st/Ug0kLS

It's not shocking to hear stories of NSA employees sharing your private photos amongst themselves for personal entertainment. What is shocking is that there is basically no internal check for stopping this government funded invasion of privacy.
 
                                Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1zN7iZL

An extensive data theft ring was recently uncovered, having been actively stealing log-in credentials for sites including Google, Facebook, Skype and Dropbox since 2009.  Our favorite quote..."NightHunter is very aggressive at stealing and sending home the users’ passwords. The actors behind NightHunter can use the trove of stolen credentials to leverage big data analytics and enable new cyber threats, for purposes of extortion, credit card or bank fraud, stealing state secrets or corporate espionage."
 
                                                                                            Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1nakG6h

The Civil LIberties Board recently released a report on NSA spying techniques/policies. To nobody's surprise, they said "[Data collection] has been valuable and effective in protecting the nation's security and producing useful foreign intelligence." 

                                                  Full story here --> http://bit.ly/1qBukwB