Is this true? Do I need a tin foil hat?
Discussion
Working in the finance sector ( when I am not gripped with fear and lying in a phoetal position crying that I don't want to do this anymore) I am usually busy on my Blackberry.
The other day a client explained that none of them have Blackberries, because their company does not like the fact that all emails on Blackberries go via a server in the US, where there is not enough comfort that the Feds could be screening the information.
Is this true? Could this thread be running through a server which is scanning for key words? And if the US decided that they wanted to lock me up, would they be able to hack into my mail to gather evidence?
In short, am I being wound up?
Or do I need my tin foil hat?
Am I being naïve?
Your insights and similar theories are welcome.
And to the guys in some anonymous office in the US reading this - Hello and Good Morning.
The other day a client explained that none of them have Blackberries, because their company does not like the fact that all emails on Blackberries go via a server in the US, where there is not enough comfort that the Feds could be screening the information.
Is this true? Could this thread be running through a server which is scanning for key words? And if the US decided that they wanted to lock me up, would they be able to hack into my mail to gather evidence?
In short, am I being wound up?
Or do I need my tin foil hat?
Am I being naïve?
Your insights and similar theories are welcome.
And to the guys in some anonymous office in the US reading this - Hello and Good Morning.
All emails everywhere go in plain text through any number of servers, any of which could be controlled by the feds, the mafia and that creepy guy from over the road. Email is fundamentally insecure.
If you're that bothered you can encrypt everything before you send it, but that's a pain in the arse for everybody else.
If you're that bothered you can encrypt everything before you send it, but that's a pain in the arse for everybody else.
Well finance is a global industry and it is not unimaginable that I could fly to NYC at any given time.
I recall that some European sorts have been picked up by the Feds on tax and protectionism issues or did I imagine that?
Maybe posting too many Sarah Palin gags and wearing a funny wig on Facebook could result in me getting my collar felt?
I feel compelled to use a lot of English colloquialisms in the hope the Feds reading this won't understand
I recall that some European sorts have been picked up by the Feds on tax and protectionism issues or did I imagine that?
Maybe posting too many Sarah Palin gags and wearing a funny wig on Facebook could result in me getting my collar felt?
I feel compelled to use a lot of English colloquialisms in the hope the Feds reading this won't understand
Erm, simple solution.
If it is a company Crackberry, and you are regulated by the FSA then don't send emails about anything that you wouldn't like a complete strabger to read, as they will all be retained by at least your company...
Can they officially intercept and read your emails? No, even if it goes through a US server (except with reasonable grounds and a court order)
Do the spies above us intercept and scan as much email/web traffic as the can for key words to prevent terrorism/etc... yes...
If it is just banter, then don't worry other than your own companies email usage policy.
If you are plotting the overthrowing of the next US election then worry!
If it is a company Crackberry, and you are regulated by the FSA then don't send emails about anything that you wouldn't like a complete strabger to read, as they will all be retained by at least your company...
Can they officially intercept and read your emails? No, even if it goes through a US server (except with reasonable grounds and a court order)
Do the spies above us intercept and scan as much email/web traffic as the can for key words to prevent terrorism/etc... yes...
If it is just banter, then don't worry other than your own companies email usage policy.
If you are plotting the overthrowing of the next US election then worry!
Google Echelon. And then put your tin foil hat back on. Some truth in it i suppose.
I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
dan1981 said:
Google Echelon. And then put your tin foil hat back on. Some truth in it i suppose.
I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
Ooorr, the second email is bigger in size so takes a bit longer to travel? Minute I know, but it would be really hard to get that test right! I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
dan1981 said:
Google Echelon. And then put your tin foil hat back on. Some truth in it i suppose.
I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
surely it just takes longer because it IS longer? - more data to send etc?I once read an interesting story about a test you could do - i never tried it so don't know if it works but apparently it goes like this....
From you work / or seperate email address prepare two emails.... one says somethign like "hi i'll be home for tea tonight at 7pm"
the other one says somethign like
"the nuclear bomb will be delivered into heathrow at 9pm on flight 765 from Dortmund, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair are the targets, London and New York will be blown up and our great lord allah will be thankful." Guns, drugs, laundering the money, kill, assasinate, pass word is brown bear"
Then you send them both to your hotmail / yahoo account, but you send the second one (with the naughty wortds in) first, then straight after you send the "back for tea one"
Now apparently when you check your hotmail, you'll see that the email about tea time actually arrives first, and this is proof that it has been intercepted and sent through the FBI / NSA / George W Bushes computer before being forwarded on to you.
I have no idea if this is true and havn't tried it. But i think a massive tin hat is probably required for it.
Cheers
Dan
MrVelox said:
Blackberries are made by Research in Motion, which is a CANADIAN company.
The IP addresses of the the Blackberry servers are of US origin though not Canadian. Actually its slightly worse than the OP thinks. By default BES also records all incomming and outgoing phone numbers from a BES enabled Blackberry device. It keeps these on the BES server as a plain text file. If you want secure communication the only answer is to encrypt everything using a one time pad cryptosystem.
It depends on where your company ha sinstalled your BES infrastrcture.
If they only have one BES and its based in the USA then messages will go out via a US Gateway.
Its more usual to have several BES's, one by each mail gateway for your company.
The BES has to push mail up to a RIM Gateway, and they have them in EMEA, America, ASIA, and Australia.
If it worries you ask your IT Department where your BES Server is.
If they only have one BES and its based in the USA then messages will go out via a US Gateway.
Its more usual to have several BES's, one by each mail gateway for your company.
The BES has to push mail up to a RIM Gateway, and they have them in EMEA, America, ASIA, and Australia.
If it worries you ask your IT Department where your BES Server is.
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