nsane.forums Posted November 13, 2012 Share Posted November 13, 2012 "Petraeus-gate," some U.S. pundits are calling it. How significant is it that even the head of the CIA can have his emails read by an albeit friendly domestic intelligence agency, which can lead to his resignation and global, and very public humiliation? Here's how. The U.S. government -- and likely your own government, for that matter -- is either watching your online activity every minute of the day through automated methods and non-human eavesdropping techniques, or has the ability to dip in as and when it deems necessary -- sometimes with a warrant, sometimes without. That tin-foil hat really isn't going to help. Take it off, you look silly. Gen. David Petraeus, the former head of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, resigned over the weekend after he was found to have engaged in an extra-marital affair. What caught Petraeus out was, of all things, his usage of Google's online email service, Gmail. This has not only landed the former CIA chief in hot water but has ignited the debate over how, when, and why governments and law enforcement agencies are able to access ordinary citizens' email accounts, even if they are the head of the most powerful intelligence agency in the world. If it makes you feel any better, the chances are small that your own or a foreign government will snoop on you. The odds are much greater -- at least for the ordinary person (terrorists, hijackers et al: take note) -- that your email account will be broken into by a stranger exploiting your weak password, or an ex-lover with a grudge (see "Fatal Attraction"). Forget ECHELON, or signals intelligence, or the interception of communications by black boxes installed covertly in data centers. Intelligence agencies and law enforcement bodies can access -- thanks to the shift towards Web-based email services in the cloud -- but it's not as exciting or as Jack Bauer-esque as one may think or hope for. The easiest way to access almost anybody's email nowadays is still through the courts. (Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true.) Article continued at source link below... View: Original Article Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bwop Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 Most likely this whole thing was concocted to discredit him before he did something his masters didn't want him to do.Like with Spitzer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
princenarwal Posted November 14, 2012 Share Posted November 14, 2012 The easiest way to access almost anybody's email nowadays is still through the courts. what is the easiest way?? :( just tell it publicly and it will not be the easiest way anymore :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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