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Page 8A NATION/WORLD East Oregonian Wednesday, March 8, 2017 WikiLeaks: CIA has targeted everyday gadgets for snooping NEW YORK (AP) — Maybe the CIA is spying on you through your television set after all. Documents released by WikiLeaks allege a CIA surveil- lance program that targets everyday gadgets ranging from smart TVs to smartphones to cars. Such snooping, WikiLeaks said, could turn some of these devices into recorders of everyday conversa- tions — and could also circumvent data-scrambling encryption on communications apps such as Face- book’s WhatsApp. WikiLeaks is, for now, with- holding details on the specific hacks used “until a consensus emerges” on the nature of the CIA’s program and how the methods should be “analyzed, disarmed and published.” But WikiLeaks — a nonprofit that routinely publishes confiden- tial documents, frequently from government sources — claims that the data and documents it obtained reveal a broad program to bypass security measures on everyday products. MORE PRIVACY CLASHES If true, the disclosure could spark new privacy tensions between the government and the technology industry. Relations have been fraught since 2013, when former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden disclosed secret NSA surveillance of phone and digital communica- tions. Just last year, the two sides feuded over the FBI’s calls for Apple to rewrite its operating system so that agents could break into the locked iPhone used by one AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File This April 2016 file photo shows the seal of the Central Intelligence Agency at CIA headquarters in Langley, Va. of the San Bernardino attackers. The FBI ultimately broke into the phone with the help of an outside party; the agency has neither disclosed the party nor the nature of the vulnerability, preventing Apple from fixing it. According to WikiLeaks, much of the CIA program centered on dozens of vulnerabilities it discov- ered but didn’t disclose to the gadget makers. Common practice calls for government agencies to disclose such flaws to companies privately, so that they could fix them. Instead, WikiLeaks claims, the CIA held on to the knowledge in order to conduct a variety of attacks. As a result, tech companies such as Apple, Google and Micro- soft haven’t been able to make the necessary fixes. “Serious vulnerabilities not disclosed to the manufacturers places huge swathes of the popu- lation and critical infrastructure at risk to foreign intelligence or cyber criminals who independently discover or hear rumors of the vulnerability,” WikiLeaks wrote in a press release. “If the CIA can discover such vulnerabilities so can others.” A BIG YAWN TO SOME Not everyone is worried, though. Alan Paller, director of research for the cybersecurity training outfit SANS Institute, said the case boils down to “spies who use their tools to do what they are paid to do.” He said criminals already have similar tools — and he’s more worried about that. Rich Mogull, CEO of the secu- rity research firm Securosis, said that agencies gathering intelligence on other organizations and govern- ments need, by definition, technical exploits that aren’t public. If they’re authentic, the leaked CIA documents frame a stark reality: It may be that no digital conversation, photo or other slice of life can be shielded from spies and other intruders prying into smart- phones, personal computers, tablets or just about device connected to the internet. “It’s getting to the point where anything you say, write or elec- tronically transmit on a phone, you have to assume that it is going to be compromised in some way,” said Robert Cattanach, a former U.S. Department of Justice attorney who now specializes in cybersecurity and privacy for the law firm Dorsey & Whitney. SIDESTEPPING ENCRYP- TION WikiLeaks claims the hacks allowed the CIA to collect audio and other messages from data-scram- bling communication apps such as WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram and Confide by intercepting data before it is encrypted or after it’s decoded. The CIA didn’t appear to compromise the apps themselves, but rather the phone’s underlying operating system. WikiLeaks says the CIA had separate teams looking for vulner- abilities in iPhones and Android phones and also targeted tablets such as iPads. According to WikiLeaks, the vulnerabilities were discovered by the CIA itself or obtained from other government agencies and cyberweapon contractors. CARS, TRUCKS AND TVS WikiLeaks also claims that the CIA worked with U.K. intelligence officials to turn microphones in Samsung smart TVs into listening devices. The microphones are normally there for viewers to make voice commands, such as requests for movie recommendations. If the TV is off, there’s no listening being done. But WikiLeaks claims that a CIA hack makes the target TV appear to be off when it’s actually on — and listening. WikiLeaks says the audio goes to a covert CIA server rather than a party authorized by Samsung. In such cases, audio isn’t limited to TV commands but could include everyday conversations. Other tools in the CIA’s arsenal target PCs running Microsoft’s Windows system, according to WikiLeaks, which says many of the attacks are in the form of viruses designed to spread through CDs and USB drives. WikiLeaks also says the CIA was also targeting control systems used by cars and trucks. Although WikiLeaks didn’t have details on how that might be used, it said the capability might allow the CIA to “engage in nearly undetectable assassinations.” Microsoft said it was aware of the reports and was looking into them. Apple, Google and Samsung didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment. In a statement, General Motors said it would be premature to comment on the documents, including its authenticity. But GM added that it knew of no injuries or death resulting from the hacking of a vehicle. Six weeks later, senators Trump set to roll back federal question delay on ag pick fuel-economy requirements WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump picked former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue to be his agriculture secretary six weeks ago, but the adminis- tration still hasn’t formally provided the Senate with the paperwork for the nomi- nation. The delay is frustrating farm-state senators, who represent many of the core voters responsible for helping elect Trump. The Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee needs the paperwork before the chairman, Sen. Pat Roberts, can schedule a confirmation hearing. “I don’t know yet,” Roberts, R-Kan., said Wednesday when asked about Perdue’s information. “I wish to hell I did. We need a champion for agriculture, we need him on board.” Roberts also complained about the delay at a committee hearing in Kansas last week. He predicted that Perdue would be confirmed quickly once the Senate can get started on the nomination. The White House said the paperwork, including ethics forms and an FBI background check, is coming soon. The only other nomination that hasn’t been sent to Capitol Hill is that of Alexander Acosta, who was nominated to be labor secretary on Feb. 16 after the withdrawal of the original nominee, Andrew Puzder. Senators say they haven’t been given an explanation for the delay involving Perdue. “They don’t seem to have a reason as to why his name hasn’t come up,” Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, told reporters after asking around about the Perdue nomination. The delay comes as some farm-state lawmakers question whether Trump is paying enough attention to rural areas, which over- whelmingly voted for him. After Trump’s address to Congress on Tuesday night, Democratic Sens. Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota and Jon Tester of Montana both said the president didn’t specifically mention rural America in his hour- long speech. Both senators are up for re-election in 2018. “There wasn’t a mention of rural America, a farm bill, or agriculture workers, and these should be focuses for any leader of our country,” Heitkamp said, noting that President Barack Obama often omitted farm country in his speeches to Congress as well. “You wonder why people in rural America feel left out and feel disenfran- chised? Because they never hear anything about them,” she said. Tester said lawmakers need to keep rural issues “front and center” for the new president, who is from New York City. “The tendency is to go where you know, and I’m not sure he knows rural America very well, so it’s just an opportunity to remind him that you’ve got to pay attention,” Tester said. Some farm-state Repub- licans pushed back on the idea that Trump is not engaged. “He talked about rolling back regulations, and he talked about things that really matter in rural America,” South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said of Trump’s speech. While Trump began picking department heads in November, he waited until Jan. 18, two days before his inauguration, to choose an agriculture secretary. At the time, farm-state lawmakers and farm groups said they worried that the new pick would be at a disadvantage getting started. In the weeks since he was chosen, Perdue has held several meetings with senators on Capitol Hill. Farm-state senators have mostly praised his nomina- tion, including Heitkamp, who said she would support him. Perdue, 70, is a farmer’s son who would be the first Southerner in the post in more than two decades. He built businesses in grain trading and trucking before becoming the first Repub- lican governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. Nike unveils hijab for Muslim athletes BEAVERTON (AP) — Nike has unveiled a hijab for Muslim female athletes. The Nike Pro Hijab has been in development for a year, the company said. Athletes contributed input into the product, and figure skater Zahra Lari was among those who tested it. The pull-on hijab is made of light, stretchy fabric that includes tiny holes for breathability and an elongated back so it will not come untucked. It will come in three colors: black, vast grey and obsidian. Beaver- ton-based Nike says the hijab will be available for sale next year. Lari, a hopeful for the Winter Olympics next year in Pyeongchang, South Korea, posted photos of herself wearing the hijab on her Instagram page. Lari is from Abu Dhabi and represents the United Arab Emirates. “Can’t believe this is finally here!!” she wrote. Last summer, fencer Nike via AP In this undated image provided by Nike, figure skater Zahra Lari model wears Nike’s new hijab for Muslim female athletes. Ibtihaj Muhammad of New York became the first Muslim American woman to compete for the United States wearing a hijab at the Olympics. She earned a bronze medal at the Rio Games. The U-17 Women’s World Cup last October in Jordan marked the first time Muslim players wore headscarves during a FIFA event. Soccer’s international governing body formally lifted a ban on head coverings in 2014, recog- nizing Muslim and Sikh players. Meanwhile, the governing body for basketball, FIBA, has come under fire for banning headscarves during international competition. WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is moving to roll back federal fuel-economy requirements that would have forced automakers to increase significantly the efficiency of new cars and trucks, a key part of former President Barack Obama’s strategy to combat global warming. The Environmental Protection Agency is close to an announcement reversing a decision made in the waning days of the Obama admin- istration to lock in strict gas mileage requirements for cars and light trucks through 2025. Automakers asked EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to discard a Jan. 13 decision that requires the fleet of new cars to average a real-world figure of 36 miles per gallon. The automakers said the Obama rules could add thou- sands of dollars to the price of new cars and cost more than a million jobs. Lawmakers, industry groups and environmentalists say the administration has signaled it plans to take this step. An announcement could come as early as this week, although changes in the stan- dards could take years to fully implement. A decision to review the Obama rule sets up a potential legal battle with California and other states that have adopted tough tailpipe standards for drivers. California has received a waiver allowing the state to enforce its standards, which have also been adopted by 12 other states, including New York and Massachusetts. The White House and the EPA declined to comment. “Attacking the California waiver is a recipe for chaos,” said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., who has pushed for higher fuel standards. California and other states that have adopted its standard will almost certainly file a legal challenge if pushed by AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File In this Feb. 21 file photo, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administra- tor Scott Pruitt speaks to employees of the EPA in Washington. the EPA, Markey and other lawmakers said. “The auto companies don’t want 50 state standards,” he said. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif., called her state “a model for the country” on environmental standards and said she strongly opposes any attempt to “roll back the progress we’ve made. That’s counterproductive and could absolutely be harmful to the health and well-being of the residents of our state and the people of our nation.” The Alliance of Automo- bile Manufacturers, which represents a dozen major car manufacturers, including General Motors, Ford and Toyota, declined to comment. But in a Feb. 21 letter to Pruitt, the group said the EPA’s Jan. 13 decision on fuel economy “may be the single most important decision that EPA has made in recent history.” The alliance urged Pruitt to reconsider the plan, which it said could “depress an industry that can ill-afford spiraling regulatory costs.” The automakers estimated they would have to spend a “staggering” $200 billion between 2012 and 2025 to comply with the tailpipe emissions rule — far more than industry would spend under the Clean Power Plan, Obama’s signature effort to reduce carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants. Trump is also expected to roll back the power-plant rule in coming days. Markey and other Demo- cratic senators criticized the EPA emissions review before it has even been issued. “President Trump is waging a war on the envi- ronment, and he wants EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt to make our strong fuel economy emissions standards his latest victim,” Markey said at a news conference Tuesday. Trump and Pruitt “want to pump the brakes on fuel efficiency standards, throw us into reverse and recklessly roll back down the road we just came from,” said Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore. “It’s bad for our economy, it’s bad for the environment and it’s bad for middle-class families.” The fuel-economy regulations for model years 2017-2025 were imposed in 2012 as one of Obama’s major initiatives to reduce global warming. Seven days before Obama left office, the EPA decided to keep the requirements for model years 2022 to 2025 after completing a legally required review. The standards are flexible and automakers can meet them with existing technology, the agency said, adding that its review was thorough. But the industry contends the decision was rushed to beat the change in administrations, noting that the original timeline called for a review by early 2018. Trump, a billionaire businessman who has vowed to roll back a host of regulations, is considered to be more favorable to the industry than Obama.
