Skip to main content

WikiLeaks releases documents chronicling the CIA’s hacking weapons

WikiLeaks has published documents that it claims reveal the extent of the CIA’s hacking and cyber espionage tools.

The trove, called Vault 7, is the “largest ever publication of confidential documents” on the CIA and covers activity between 2013 and 2016. WikiLeaks said it published the release as soon as possible.

Recommended Videos

It details hacking tools believed to include malware that infects Windows, OSX, Linux, Android, and iOS as well as routers and smart TVs. The New York Times reports that the data dump is made up of 7,818 web pages, 943 attachments, and several hundred million lines of code, which “gives its possessor the entire hacking capacity of the CIA,” according to WikiLeaks. Some names, email addresses, and external IP addresses were redacted from the leak.

“Recently, the CIA lost control of the majority of its hacking arsenal including malware, viruses, trojans, weaponized “zero day” exploits, malware remote control systems and associated documentation,” explained WikiLeaks in its announcement on how the data was revealed.

The CIA has not confirmed the authenticity of the leaks. The U.K. Home Office, which is implicated in the dump for allegedly creating malware that targets smart TVs, has also declined to comment.

As people begin to pour over the data dump, some particular hacking tools and techniques are coming to light. The targeting of smart TVs has garnered attention. In a document code named “Weeping Angel,” there is a method referred to as “fake-off mode,” which affects Samsung TVs and causes the screen to appear as if it has been turned off. Instead, it is surreptitiously recording audio in the room. The document even includes a to-do list of ways to improve the malware, including video capture and disabling auto upgrade.

Furthermore, the leaks show that the CIA has “weaponized” 24 Android zero-days that WikiLeaks claims would allow for the bypassing of encryption on messaging apps. However this claim has been challenged and corrected since the release by numerous experts and cryptographers, as well as by Edward Snowden.

Another document details CIA efforts to compromise computer control systems in connected cars.

WikiLeaks is questioning the reason for the extent of the CIA’s ability to develop such hacking tools and whether its capabilities go beyond its mandate.

“There is an extreme proliferation risk in the development of cyber ‘weapons’,” said Julian Assange. “Comparisons can be drawn between the uncontrolled proliferation of such ‘weapons’, which results from the inability to contain them, combined with their high market value, and the global arms trade.”

Since the release was published earlier today, Edward Snowden has chimed in to say that he was still working through the publication but it is “genuinely a big deal” and “looks authentic.”

Jonathan Keane
Jonathan is a freelance technology journalist living in Dublin, Ireland. He's previously written for publications and sites…
I found the best Prime Day deal on a tablet hidden beyond Amazon
Microsoft Surface Pro 12-inch, stylus, and keyboard.

A good tablet can take your productivity to the next level, but a boring one will find a niche use and eat dust on a table or couch for most of its time. I love iPads and have been pushing them – as far as I can — to act as my primary computing machine for nearly half a decade now. It has never managed to replace a proper laptop, like a MacBook Air or a Windows machine. 

Why not buy a Windows laptop, you might ask? Well, Windows-powered tablets, especially those Surface devices sold by Microsoft, are pretty expensive. I love the new 12-inch Surface Pro, but at $799, it felt like a steep purchase despite its impressive specifications. 

Read more
Prime Day is over, but this powerful Dell laptop is still at its lowest price
The Dell Vostro 3530 laptop on a white background.

Prime Day is already over, but that doesn't mean that there are no more laptop deals for you to shop on Amazon. Here's one that caught our eye -- the Dell Vostro 3530 with 32GB of RAM for its lowest-ever price of $649, following a 28% discount on its original price of $899. This limited-time offer of $250 off may not last much longer though, so if you want to take advantage of this bargain, we highly recommend that you finalize your purchase for this device as soon as you can.

Buy Now

Read more
This Lenovo all-in-one computer is 30% off even though Prime Day has ended
The Lenovo V100 All-in-One Desktop Computer on a white background.

Even though Prime Day is already finished, there are still some excellent desktop computer deals on Amazon. If you don't have much space, or you just want to avoid clutter, you should take a look at the Lenovo V100 All-in-One PC. From its original price of $800, it's all the way down to just $560 following a 30% discount. The offer for this machine will only be available for a limited time though, so you need to act fast and proceed with the transaction immediately to secure the savings of $240.

Buy Now

Read more