Overnight Cybersecurity: The CIA tried to hack your iPhone

The CIA tried to hack your iPhone March 10, 2015 By Cory Bennett and Elise Viebeck Welcome to OVERNIGHT CYBERSECURITY, your daily rundown of the biggest news in the world of hacking and data privacy. We're here to connect the dots as leaders in government, policy and industry wrap their arms around cyberthreats. What lies ahead for Congress, the administration and the latest company under siege? Whether you're a consumer, a techie or a D.C. lifer, we're here to give you ... THE BIG STORIES: --CIA SPENT YEARS TRYING TO HACK IPHONES: Researchers working with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) have spent nearly a decade trying to crack the security of iPhones and iPads, according to newly released documents obtained by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden. The previously unknown CIA effort appears focused on gaining access to user data on mobile phones and tablets around the world, as well as introducing backdoors to monitor devices at will. It's unclear whether researchers affiliated with the spy agency have succeeded at breaking Apple's encryption coding, according to a report Tuesday in The Intercept. To read our full piece, click here. --ALSO PARTNERED WITH DOJ ON PHONE-SCANNING TECH: The agency has also reportedly partnered with the Justice Department in a domestic phone-scanning program. The CIA played a role in helping the U.S. Marshals Service develop technology that imitates cellphone towers, allowing federal agents to collect phone data, The Wall Street Journal reported. The spy agency's role in the so-called "dirtbox" program was previously unknown, and is considered unusual, given that the CIA is banned from most domestic spying operations. To read our post, click here. --CLINTON SAYS EMAIL SERVER NEVER BREACHED: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Tuesday that her private email server has never been compromised by hackers. The presumed 2016 Democratic presidential frontrunner made her first public comments about the discovery that she had exclusively used a "homebrew" email service during her four years leading the State Department. Cybersecurity experts have expressed alarm at the server's inadequate encryption, which they claim left the secretary of State's emails exposed to hackers and foreign intelligence agencies. To read our full piece, click here. For a broader piece on Clinton's presser by The Hill, click here. --WIKIPEDIA SUES OVER NSA SPYING: The foundation behind Wikipedia is suing the U.S. government over spying that it says violates core provisions of the Constitution. The Wikimedia Foundation joined forces on Tuesday with a slew of human rights groups, The Nation magazine and other organizations in a lawsuit accusing the National Security Agency (NSA) and Justice Department of violating the constitutional protections for freedom of speech and privacy. If successful, the lawsuit could land a crippling blow to the web of secretive spying powers wielded by the NSA and exposed by Edward Snowden nearly two years ago. To read our full piece, click here. --WIKIPEDIA FOUNDER JIMMY WALES: "Our lawsuit says that the N.S.A.'s mass surveillance of Internet traffic on American soil -- often called "upstream" surveillance -- violates the Fourth Amendment, which protects the right to privacy, as well as the First Amendment, which protects the freedoms of expression and association. We also argue that this agency activity exceeds the authority granted by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act that Congress amended in 2008." (New York Times) LIGHTER CLICK: For all you Netflix addicts out there, we've found a solution to a serious problem. The good people at TechCrunch aggregated videos Tuesday afternoon that show you how to create "nuclear launch keys, but for Netflix" that will prevent your partner from burning through a season of your favorite show without you. Check it out here. A LOOK AHEAD: --WEDNESDAY: The Brookings Institution will host a book discussion on "The Future of Violence: Robots and Germs, Hackers and Drones". --THURSDAY: The U.S. Chamber of Commerce will host Senate Homeland Security Committee Chairman Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) to discuss the panel's agenda for 2015, including its plans for action on cybersecurity. --THURSDAY: The Information Technology and Innovation Foundation (ITIF) will host a panel of experts to discuss the debate over technological backdoors and what it means for consumers, the tech industry and law enforcement. The event is titled: "Crypto Wars 2.0: Has the United States Abandoned the Policy of 'Secure by Design?'" --FRIDAY: At a Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) event, CIA Director John Brennan will discuss the spy agency's historic shake-up that will bring more focus on cyber espionage. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Links from our blog, The Hill, and around the Web. Anonymous is launching a campaign against a tech news site as part of a feud with an informant. (The Hill) An email service backed by the German government is adding a thick layer of additional security. (The Hill) Bain Capital will acquire cybersecurity firm Blue Coat for about $2.4 billion. (Reuters) Expert predicts 'very bad' cyberattack on critical infrastructure before defenses are improved. (The Hill) New Zealand is conducting surveillance on its closest trade partners. (The Intercept) A 2010 Microsoft patch failed to fully repair the security weakness used to spread the Stuxnet worm. (Ars Technica) Is the Census Bureau ready to provide an Internet response option for 2020 census? (FCW) The Hill released a special cybersecurity section, including op-eds from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Rep. Jim Langevin (D-R.I.). We’ll be working to stay on top of these and other stories throughout the week, so check The Hill’s cybersecurity page early and often for the latest. And send any comments, complaints or cyber news tips our way, viacbennett@thehill.com or eviebeck@thehill.com. And follow us at@cory_bennett and @eliseviebeck. If you'd like to receive our newsletter in your inbox, please sign up here: http://goo.gl/KZ0b4A