WikiLeaks’ CIA Document Dump: What You Need to Know - Rolling Stone
Earlier this week, WikiLeaks published a startling news release announcing what could be the largest-ever dump of CIA documents – 8,761 pages, a collection which the website calls “Vault 7.” WikiLeaks, the “stateless news organization” led by Julian Assange, claims the leak is the first of a series called “Year Zero” that they plan to release regarding secret information on digital tools and techniques used by the agency. The documents, which are mostly pages of highly technical code, appear to reveal the intelligence agency’s hacking capabilities, including how they exploited security flaws in popular smart electronics – like iPhones and Samsung TVs – to spy on individuals.
There is no evidence the hacking tools were used against Americans, and the CIA has refused to confirm the authenticity of the documents. On Wednesday, the CIA issued a statement declining to comment on the “purported intelligence documents” and said the agency was “legally prohibited from conducting electronic surveillance targeting individuals here at home… and CIA does not do so.” That same day, the FBI began preparing to interview people with connections to such government documents and files. Intelligence officers and cyber-security experts are weighing in with varying opinions on whether the leak came from inside the CIA or from foreign hackers outside the agency.
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