The future is here, but not as we would like to see it

US National Intelligence Director James Klepper, in the framework of the report on national threats before the meeting of the US Senate Intelligence Commission, announced a long and boring list of threats in the world and asked for more money : the destruction of national states, the lack of natural resources leading to armed conflicts, the growing European migration crisis, a serious the threat of the political collapse of Afghanistan. The most interesting moments told by the heads of the CIA, the FBI, the NSA, and military intelligence on this day were voiced regarding the IoT and the terrorist attack in San Bernardino.

Although two months have already passed since the Islamists killed 14 people in a community center in San Bernardinobut an unknown encryption system still prevents FBI agents from gaining access to key evidence in the investigation.

FBI Director James Komi said agents were unable to carry out their work because in some cases the wide availability of powerful encryption tools made it impossible to access messages from suspects, even by court order.

At least the second time, terrorist groups have used encrypted messages, which, according to the head of the FBI, impedes the investigation. Earlier, James Komi reported that due to the FBI encryption used, it was not possible to read messages between a suspect in a shooting at a cartoon exhibition in Garland , Texas, and an unknown abroad.

But later, James Roots clarified that the problem of encrypted messages is faced mainly by local law enforcement agencies, and not investigations against terrorism at the federal level. These are telephones that the FBI cannot access due to the use of encryption technologies, storing evidence in cases of murder, kidnapping and even the causes of car accidents.

Of the scarce good news that came out as part of the report - intelligence enthusiasm for the opportunities obtained from the Internet of Things technology.

More and more devices in homes are connected to the Internet of Things: household appliances such as refrigerators, thermostats, dishwashers, home security systems (including with video cameras), coffee machines are connected to the Internet in order to allow consumers to more conveniently manage their devices . But more than once, security experts say that devices on the market often have a weak level of protection, and demonstrate the possibility of hacking with the example of a Samsung smart refrigerator or Chrysler cars .

At least two publications on Geektimes / Habr were devoted to smart TVs - Smart TV - may not be watching. But still ... . Recently, Samsung TVs, the only manufacturers, officially began to warn usersabout not disclosing personal information in front of TVs .

All this opens up new opportunities for intelligence services to obtain intelligence information.

James Klepper:

In the future, intelligence agencies could use the Internet of Things to identify, supervise, control, track, locate and identify recruiting objects, or to gain access to user networks or credentials.

He does not specify which US intelligence agencies can use this opportunity.

The television screen worked on reception and transmission. He caught every word if he was uttered in a not too quiet whisper; not only that, while Winston remained in the field of vision of the muddy plate, he was not only audible, but also visible. Of course, no one knew if they were watching him at that moment or not. How often and according to what schedule does the police of thoughts connect to your cable - one could only guess about this. It is possible that they followed everyone - and around the clock. In any case, they could connect at any time. You had to live - and you lived - out of habit, which turned into instinct - with the realization that every word you listen to and every movement you make, until the lights go out, they’re watching

1984 by George Orwell