Vault 7: CIA Used Fake Updates to Spy on Fellow US Intelligence Agencies

[LASER_oneXM]

Wikileaks has released new files part of the Vault 7 series it claims it obtained from the CIA. The files dumped online yesterday reveal details about the inner workings of a biometrics system developed by the CIA, and which the agency has provided to various liaison services, such as the DHS, FBI, and NSA.

Documents details a tool named ExpressLane that the CIA uses to ensure that fellow liaison agencies share the collected biometrics with the CIA.

ExpressLane used to keep US liaison agencies in check
According to the files, the CIA designed its biometrics database in such a way that the entire system ceases to work after six months if a CIA operative doesn’t visit the liaison agency to install an update.

This update does not take place. The CIA operative that visits these liaison agencies inserts a USB device that runs the ExpressLane tool.

This app shows a splash screen that mimics an update status bar. In reality, ExpressLane collects all the new biometrics data recorded since the last visit. In addition, ExpressLane also prolongs the biometrics database kill date with another six months or any custom period of time.

ExpressLane’s purpose is to make sure that other US agencies play fair with the CIA and share all the data they collect, otherwise, the CIA bricks its remote biometrics databases.


ExpressLane works together with another tool called ExitRamp, which is used to extract the biometrics data from the ExpressLane USB.

 

[bribon77]

That is total fellowship

 

[Deletedmessiah]

 

[Arequire]

That's ironic seeing as it's the CIA that has a well documented history of not sharing intelligence with other agencies.

 

[NikolayfromRussia]

Stop the madness, stop it now! No safe place even in toilet

 

[NikolayfromRussia]

Inclusive, they can see you there .

Yes, they can see Nikolay in toilet reading a book

 

[NikolayfromRussia]

Or the smallest thing. XD

Probably the smallest thing they can't see. Because it is too small

 

[Winter Soldier]

Espionage is always existed, but it was part of the intelligence business on a limited number of people: for security reasons, or strategic. No democracy has ever spied on anyone violating in pervasive way our privacy so far. The absolute control of the citizens was the dream of dictatorial regimes that, however, didn't have the required technology.
Now we see something totally out of control.

 

[Tony Cole]

But if we go back to before 9/11 the FBI, CIA, NSA etc., would not even talk to each other, so I would imagine there was a lot of inter-agency spying between all parties.