A massive data-mining virus named “Flame” has been detected in computers in the Middle East, particularly in Iran. It’s the first virus found with the added ability to spread wirelessly by attaching itself to Bluetooth-enabled devices. Once there, it can trace and steal information stored on those devices. The program also contains a “microbe” command that can activate any microphone within the device and record audio files
The NSA is building a massive spy center in Bluffdale, Utah, which will intercept, decipher, analyze, and store vast amounts of the world’s communications—both foreign and domestic
As of the first week of June, Google will warn you when it picks up activity on your computer account that looks suspiciously like state-sponsored monitoring of your computer activities
To re-secure your account, Google recommends creating a unique password that includes a mix of capital letter, lowercase letters, punctuation marks and numbers; enable 2-step verification; and update your browser, operating system, plugins, and document editors
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Beginning the first week of June, Google will warn you every time it picks up activity on your computer account that looks suspiciously like someone trying to monitor your computer activities. Google won't say how it figured out that state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise your account or computer. But it's promised to let you know if it thinks Big Brother is tuned in to what you're doing.
As recently reported on the New York Times' blog6, the warning will pop up at the top of your Gmail inbox, Google home page, or Chrome browser, stating:
"Warning: We believe state-sponsored attackers may be attempting to compromise your account or computer."
According to a Google blog post by Eric Grosse, VP of Security Engineering at Google7:
"If you see this warning it does not necessarily mean that your account has been hijacked. It just means that we believe you may be a target, of phishing or malware for example, and that you should take immediate steps to secure your account.
Here are some things you should do immediately: create a unique password that has a good mix of capital and lowercase letters, as well punctuation marks and numbers; enable 2-step verification as additional security; and update your browser, operating system, plugins, and document editors.
Attackers often send links to fake sign-in pages to try to steal your password, so be careful about where you sign in to Google and look for
https://accounts.google.com/ in your browser bar. These warnings are not being shown because Google's internal systems have been compromised or because of a particular attack."
The Next Big War Zone = the Internet
Unless you've been living under a rock this past year, you've surely heard about the repeated attempts to restrict your online freedom and grant government near limitless control over the internet and its content.
It began in January with the introduction of two proposed laws in US Congress: the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), and the Protect IP Act (PIPA). While "sold" as laws to address online copyright infringement, most of which allegedly arise from outside the US, both laws contained measures capable of severely restricting online freedom of speech and harm web sites and online communities of all kinds, including this one. After tens of millions of people rose up in various protests, both online and by hitting the pavement, both bills were "indefinitely postponed."
Many have warned, however, that the bills are not "dead" and are likely to return.
It didn't take long for the next round. In April, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act (CISPA) was brought forth, and quickly became described by opponents as an even greater threat to internet freedom than SOPA and PIPA. I won't go into any detailed discussion on these bills here, but simply want to bring your attention to the fact that bills such as these three, while dressed up as laws that will protect you and save you money, are poorly guised attempts to gut privacy laws and open the door for a totalitarian takeover of the internet and its content.
Campaign for Liberty8 is continuing its fight to stop another government intrusion, warning that this coming December, the United Nations will also be meeting to compile even more recommendations for international internet regulations.
While it may seem hopeless at times, I urge you to take an active role anytime the opportunity presents itself to take a stand. I personally believe internet freedom and health freedom go hand in hand these days, as a majority of people get a majority of their health information from freely available web sites such as mine.
Right now, you can sign the Campaign for Liberty Protect Internet Freedom Mandate.
If Squelching In formation Freedom Doesn 't Work, What's Next?
The draconian advancements in surveillance do not end with the erection of a massive spy central and ever-increasing attacks on internet freedom. We also have some 63 drone launch sites within the US9, and the US military has admitted it now has drone technology in the form of tiny mechanical insects, equipped with cameras, microphones, and DNA sampling capabilities10.
Besides that, there's an ever-expanding arsenal of so-called "active denial weapons"—directed energy weapons that can scatter or incapacitate those in its path, by a variety of means11. Such weapons are already being used domestically by various law enforcement agencies for crowd control. Then there are more sinister signs of readiness for domestic combat. In April, news reports began circulating questioning the Department of Homeland Security's rationale for purchasing 450 million rounds of hollow point bullets12
A report by RT News reads:
"The department has yet to discuss why they are ordering such a massive bevy of bullets for an agency that has limited need domestically for doing harm, but they say they expect to continue receiving shipments from the manufacturer for the next five years, during which they plan to blow through enough ammunition to execute more people than there are in the entire United States.
... the choice — and quantity — of its hollow point order raises a lot of questions about future plans for the DHS... On their website, the contractor claims that the ammunition is specifically designed so that it can pass through a variety of obstructions and offers "optimum penetration for terminal performance." Or, in other words, this is the kind of bullet designed to stop any object dead in its tracks and, if emptied into the hands of the DHS a few hundred million times, just might do as much.
... As the DHS gains more and more ground in fighting terrorism domestically, the US at the same time has turned the tables to make its definition of terrorist way less narrow. With any American blogger or free thinking on the fringe of what the government can go after under H.R. 347, or the National Defense Authorization Act that allows for the indefinite detention of US citizens without charge, the DHS could just be blasting through what's left of its budget to make sure that its roster of agents across the country can get in their target practice over the next few years."
Without Online Freedom, You Cannot Exercise Health Freedom
Some of you may at this point wonder why I report on an issue such as this, so let me make this point clear. Access to health information could easily be deemed a "threat" to national welfare—especially when web sites such as this one publish information that contradicts the official government stance. Examples such as advising women against national mammography screening standards, or raising concerns about vaccine safety, or questioning conventional cancer treatments could all be considered a threat to an extremely profitable status quo.
In such a scenario, they could simply shut Mercola.com, and others like us, down; leaving you with no truth-telling, corruption-exposing, alternative voices other than the officially sponsored viewpoint. And it should be quite clear by now that the government-sanctioned stance on most issues relating to health and diet are primarily dictated by powerful lobbying groups furthering financially-driven industry agendas that have absolutely nothing to do with optimizing health and longevity.
Don't Be Fooled—Internet Security Bills are Likely Nothing of the Sort
Interestingly enough, CISPA is promoted primarily as a cyber security bill, which brings us full circle back to where this article started. Recall, the Flame virus has surveillance capabilities that far surpass previous viruses and worms that may collect or destroy data. In fact, its capability to transfer to Bluetooth-enabled gadgets and secretly activate microphones renders it perfect for spying on anyone and everyone, anywhere, at any time... which is exactly the plan, if you believe the information detailed in the featured Wired Magazine article above.
It's interesting to note the rationale used when trying sell us this bill. According to an April 26 report in the International Business Times13:
"Co-sponsor Rep. Dutch Ruppersberger, D-Md., says CISPA provides essential tools for repelling online security threats: "Without important, immediate changes to American cyber security policy, I believe our country will continue to be at risk for a catastrophic attack on our nation's vital networks, networks that power our homes, provide our clean water or maintain the other critical services we use every day."
Sounds like he was talking about an eventuality just like the Flame virus, or the older Stuxnet worm, for that matter—both of which, incidentally, appear to have targeted Iranian oil- and nuclear facilities, and neither of which has been officially traced back to any country or agency, despite our already overwhelming security apparatus—just over a month before Flame was discovered by a Russian antivirus company which, by the way, currently employs the virus hunter who discovered Stuxnet in 2010.
I'll leave the meaning of such coincidences for you to ponder. But suffice it to say, it does not bode well if a law like CISPA is enacted that allows companies and governments to share information collected online, especially when combined with a massive data-mining virus that can skip around from one wireless piece of technology to another, from computers to cell phones to iPads, gathering data on every single social network contact every single person has, and audio files on every single conversation any one might have at any point in time. Especially now that we will shortly have the facility to store and "process" all that data.
In closing, I will simply urge you to take efforts at curbing online freedom and extending the government's reach seriously, and whenever such efforts are launched, take action to help preserve your right to health freedom, which is closely tied to the right to online freedom of speech.
For right now, you can take a stand by signing the Campaign for Liberty Protect Internet Freedom Mandate.
http://www.chooseliberty.org/if_sign.aspx?pid=per