Facebook Exploits Dark Web to Avoid Local Censorship
March 9, 2016
The article on Nextgov titled Facebook Is Giving Users a New Way to Access It On the ‘Dark Web’ discusses the lesser-known services of the dark web such as user privacy. Facebook began taking advantage of the dark web in 2014, when it created a Tor address (recognizable through the .onion ending.) The article explains the perks of this for global Facebook users,
“Facebook’s Tor site is one way for people to access their accounts when the regular Facebook site is blocked by governments—such as when Bangladesh cut off access to Facebook, its Messenger and Whatsapp chat platforms, and messaging app Viber for about three weeks in November 2015. As the ban took effect, the overall number of Tor users in Bangladesh spiked by about 10 times, to more than 20,000 a day. When the ban was lifted, the number dropped..”
Facebook has encountered its fair share of hostility from international governments, particularly Russia. Russia has a long history of censorship, and has even clocked Wikipedia in the past, among other sites. But even if a site is not blocked, governments can still prevent full access through filtering of domain names and even specific keywords. The Tor option can certainly help global users access their Facebook accounts, but however else they use Tor is not publicly known, and Facebook’s lips are sealed.
Chelsea Kerwin, March 9, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
If You See Something, Say Something Adopts New Cybersecurity Meaning
March 4, 2016
A post-9/11 campaign for increasing security awareness will inform a similar public service announcement campaign to bring cybersecurity top of mind. See something suspicious online? Homeland Security wants to know about it published by NextGov reports on this 2016 Department of Homeland Security initiative. The decision to launch this campaign comes from an IDC recommendation; the US lacks a culture of cybersecurity concern, unlike Israel, according to the article. While $1 million is allotted for this campaign, the article describes bigger future plans,
“Last week, the Obama administration rolled out a new Cybersecurity National Action Plan, which establishes a new public commission on cybersecurity and proposes billions in new funding to upgrade hard-to-secure legacy IT systems in use at federal agencies, among several other steps.”
This year’s cybersecurity public and private sector awareness campaign was modeled after the “If You See Something, Say Something” campaign rolled out after September 11. However, this is not Homeland Security’s first attempt at educating the public about cybersecurity. The department has sponsored October as National Cybersecurity Awareness Month since 2004. As the article mentions, previous educational efforts have not appeared to influence culture. It would be interesting to know what metrics they are using to make that claim.
Megan Feil, March 4, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
Its Official: Facebook and the Dark Web
February 5, 2016
A piece from Nextgov suggests just how ubiquitous the Dark Web could become. Published as Facebook is giving users a new way to access it on the ‘Dark Web’, this article tells us “a sizeable community” of its users are also Dark Web users; Facebook has not released exact figures. Why are people using the Dark Web for everyday internet browsing purposes? The article states:
“Facebook’s Tor site is one way for people to access their accounts when the regular Facebook site is blocked by governments—such as when Bangladesh cut off access to Facebook, its Messenger and Whatsapp chat platforms, and messaging app Viber for about three weeks in November 2015. As the ban took effect, the overall number of Tor users in Bangladesh spiked by about 10 times, to more than 20,000 a day. When the ban was lifted, the number dropped back to its previous level.”
Public perception of the darknet is changing. If there was any metric to lend credibility to the Dark Web being increasingly used for mainstream purposes, it is Facebook adding a .onion address. Individual’s desire for security, uninterrupted and expansive internet access will only contribute to the Dark Web’s user base. While the Silk Road-type element is sure to remain as well, it will be interesting to see how things evolve.
Megan Feil, February 5, 2016
Sponsored by ArnoldIT.com, publisher of the CyberOSINT monograph
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