FRA
From Telecomix Crypto Munitions Bureau
FRA, the swedish signals intelligence agency, Försvarets Radioanstalt (The defense radio agency), is an organization that wiretaps phonecalls, internet connections and radio emissions that passes over swedens borders. They also help companies and other agencies in sweden to protect themselves against hacker attacks. It seems as if they are divided in at least two different groups, SIGINT and penetration testing.
[edit] SIGINT
FRA is very secretive about how its SIGINT works. If they follow the swedish laws, the wiretapping of the borders should look something like the picture.
[edit] Penetration testing
According to Vesa Virta, when directly asked, 2007-2009:
- FRA develops programs that aids them with exploitation of already know security vulnerabilities. These tools are not released to the public.
- FRA sometimes searches through code to find new exploits. Companies pay the FRA to do this.
- FRA has researched their own zero-days by doing this.
In 2009 Vesa Virta moved to the SIGINT (wiretapping) section of FRA.
According to the two researchers Magnus Sjöberg and Robin Blokker that replaced Vesa Virta (IT security expo, 2009):
- FRA uses metasploit and the already known exploits that comes with that program.
- FRA does not have any offensive capabilities, and does not develop their own zero-days. Other sections, separate from FRA, within the swedish army deals with attacking things over the intertubes. FRAs pentest section only helps with protection.
- They could not a 1fa1 nswer to what Vesa Virta said, but said they didnt develop zero-days, when i asked them.
[edit] What can you do to protect yourself from the FRA?
- If anything of the alternatives below feels too complex for you - ask someone for advice.
- Download, install and start using Tor.
- Download, install and start using I2P.
- Download, install and start using NoScript. Default deny everything.
- Download, install and start using OpenVPN.
- Use your wits to smash the systems of control.
- Svartkast for urban peacefare guerilla operations.
- Anonshells for undermining authorities.
- BE CREATIVE!!!
