[2018-03-21]Snowden Leak Suggests NSA Is Extensively Tracking Bitcoin Users

[churrosndips]

The U.S. National Security Agency (NSA) has been reportedly monitoring the bitcoin blockchain with an eye on identifying users on the distributed network.

According to a report by the Intercept on Tuesday, the media outlet has obtained classified documents from the U.S. whistleblower Edward Snowden which indicate bitcoin surveillance remains a top priority for the agency.

Documents further hint that the NSA's agenda may go beyond just tracking the bitcoin public ledger, with the agency actively analyzing global internet traffic and scraping softwares to undermine the pseudonymity of users.

For instance, one memo from the NSA, the report cited, suggested the agency has collected private information such as bitcoin user passwords, internet activity and device identifiers.

According to the report, the NSA has been monitoring the internet activities of bitcoin users since 2013 through a program with codename as OAKSTAR. And yet the new leak suggested that with MONKEYROCKET, another sub-program under OAKSTAR, the NSA may be moving closer to pinpoint users who initiate a cryptocurrency transaction.

"SSG11 analysts have found value in the MONKEYROCKET access to help track down senders and receivers of bitcoin," one memo reads.

Leaked documents also hinted that the NSA may have been using the XKeyScore system - a powerful global internet monitoring system that was first exposed in 2013 when Snowden disclosed classified documents about the NSA's surveillance activity - to investigate bitcoin user information.

The news comes at a time when the U.S government has voiced concerns via lawmakers and law enforcement agencies over the illicit use of cryptocurrencies in terrorism financing and money laundering.

https://www.coindesk.com/nsa-reportedly-eyes-to-scrap-bitcoins-anonymity/

[cryptbit.man]

Wow it claims they can even pinpoint where the transaction is initiated. I do not know how much of what is claimed in this article is speculation and how much it's reality, but for sure it is now obvious that bitcoin is not fully anonymous.

[Lucius]

Considering the amount of paranoia that prevails in the country(terrorists and enemy of states are everywhere), it is not surprising to me that among other things they try to monitor and track,cryptocurrency is at the top of the priority.If there was no Snowden case today we would not be known for OAKSTAR&XKeyScore,but now at least we have confirmation that we are under surveillance and that USA government wants to know everything about us.

Although some might say that main reason for such operations is only to prevent terrorism and money laundering,it is still much more than that.I also doubt that only USA is actively working on such surveillance,some others countries such as China,Russia,France and many others probably have similar programs in their security agencies.

[Terraformer]

I have tremendous respect for Edward Snowden, who have sacrificed his career for our ability to have freedom and privacy on the net. Of course, his struggle will never be endorsed by numerous and ordinary americans. The vast majority of people prefer to be full-fed, suited and booted, without thinking of information ownership and confidentiality.

[Basmic]

What's so amazing about that? Someone still believes in fairy tales about what bitcoin is confidential? Each user can check the entire transaction chain from the moment the coin is created. Each user periodically changes bitcoin to Fiat. To do this, almost all exchanges take the passport data of the user account. Knowing this information is not difficult to find any person.

[Schirer]

Considering the amount of paranoia that prevails in the country(terrorists and enemy of states are everywhere), it is not surprising to me that among other things they try to monitor and track,cryptocurrency is at the top of the priority.If there was no Snowden case today we would not be known for OAKSTAR&XKeyScore,but now at least we have confirmation that we are under surveillance and that USA government wants to know everything about us.

There is not only paranoia but also some good amount of legitimacy.
There is dark side of bitcoin and altcoins and it is not drugs in my view , it is possibility of using them to bypass international sanctions by potentially extremely dangerous countries as North Korea.  Thus existence if such program is nor a surprise nor bad.

[Lucius]

Considering the amount of paranoia that prevails in the country(terrorists and enemy of states are everywhere), it is not surprising to me that among other things they try to monitor and track,cryptocurrency is at the top of the priority.If there was no Snowden case today we would not be known for OAKSTAR&XKeyScore,but now at least we have confirmation that we are under surveillance and that USA government wants to know everything about us.

There is not only paranoia but also some good amount of legitimacy.
There is dark side of bitcoin and altcoins and it is not drugs in my view , it is possibility of using them to bypass international sanctions by potentially extremely dangerous countries as North Korea.  Thus existence if such program is nor a surprise nor bad.

I suppose you are from USA so you think that North Korea is "extremely dangerous country",and this is not surprising given the daily amount of paranoia which is served to average American.I am from Europe and most of people here do not think that North Korea,Iran or some other country poses a danger for us.In my opinion fiat is far more bigger problem then any cryptocurrency given the percentage that is represents in global use.

Snowden only shown to world to what extent US secret services are going,even the most trusted allies like Germany were exposed to espionage-when they bug chancellor Merkel cell phone it was clear that they have no boundaries.

I am sure that main goal now is to detect,identify and make a database of all cryptocurrency users-and maybe they did it already.

[IconFirm]

Snowden for President!! 

[darkangel11]

Soon we'll have to start encrypting our forum posts and using TOR on a daily basis, VPN won't be enough. This is war. The government is fighting to identify people because that's the only way they can scare them. We're all fine living our lives until we get a phone call with threats or some suits knock at our door. The agencies are always above the law and  people should finally realize that and stand up against them. It's like they're paying to be spied on and threatened. Their tax money is literally being used against them.