In recent days, the press regularly referred to the information about surveillance and wiretapping of the social networks, particularly Facebook and Skype by U.S. special services. Two days ago, the leadership of the Facebook spread the message, in which he also confessed that due to malfunction of the software personal information of some FB users accidentally became visible by other users. Moreover, it appeared today that the head of Facebook security department would work for the U.S. National Security Agency, which in its turn says a lot.
How all these are referred to Armenia, are we, especially our political or public figures who represent a particular interest for the U.S., also under surveillance, and what effect it might cause. “Aravot” talked about this and other questions with the information security expert Tigran Kocharyan.
– In my opinion, not only the U.S. services, but generally all the services of superpowers that pursue some interests in this region, are engaged in surveillance or in their trials; simply the technical basis of the U.S. is more powerful, because the most popular e-mail services and hosting where Armenian sites are presented from which some information is possible to take from, are under surveillance of the United States. Then, it is also necessary to keep in mind that in addition to making such wiretapping, they can wiretap directly.
– Saying directly, do you mean the phone conversations?
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– Phones and Internet. Our connection, both Beeline and MTS, as we know, are Russian companies, and they might be controlled by RF service. In any case, of course, it is a bit difficult and expensive to own everything, that’s why our officials should be more careful and more often use specific communication tools that are available and allow to stay beyond the control. And the people who are active on Facebook, especially the officials, should know that no confidential information should be placed on the social networks and even in the chats, because everything is going and placed on the appropriate server. And depending on how important are ongoing processes at the moment, so stronger the intelligence and wiretapping will be, etc. In any case, we should know that everything was wiretapped, and everything is under surveillance.
– And is the usual electronic correspondence also under surveillance?
– As far as I understand, yes, everything is under surveillance. Even Google once said that there is a secret correspondence filtration, by words. For example, once a filtration was done by “Bin Laden” word, in all the letters where this word was found was automatically under control. There were systems that were calculating with appropriate algorithms to how dangerous these letters were for the U.S. defense, or to how it cannot be followed. And Google and Skype were involved in such scandals. Even today we can see that many of them just close web cameras on the phone or tablet with insulating films, because there were hypotheses, regardless the user’s desire, Skype is connected, takes shots and sends them to
the appropriate servers. The same thing happened to Blackberry, there was an information that entire texts or calls that are sent, go and sit on their server, then they are differentiated. I, for example, have seen the officials not only in Armenia use very old phones without a camera and internet access, which is also one of the means to defend themselves.
– And what do you think are the appropriate services in Armenia also under surveillance and wiretapped?
– It is not seen by the open text, but it is possible to see from the criminal chronics that the special police department is engaged in such matters. Of course, in my opinion, they are controlled, because a normal national security service must be aware of what is managed by the World Wide Web, social networks. I hope that they are controlled. I realize that I am saying a bad thing, but let’s not forget that Armenia is in a state of war. And the security services should know who are famous panic and misinformation spreaders, who is under whose influence. It is clearly seen in the social networks, even the ordinary users who spend many hours in the networks, approximately knows who is under whose influence. For Heaven’s sake, if real war breaks out, we must be ready for further steps.
– You have already said about RF and U.S. services, and what do you think can the services of a country that is in a state of war with us also wiretap us?
– I told you that the basic are EU and the United States, but, yes, of course, Turkey and Azerbaijan have their own interests, and one should clarify from the NSS to what extent they are presented here, we all know that there are Azerbaijanis in the city with Persian passports, or people come back and forth from Turkey, it is clear that there will be some from their NSS here.
– Can they control our politicians?
– To some extent, there is a possibility. But it easier for the RF and the U.S. to have it because the U.S. and RF have surveillance on primary communications; U.S.- globally, RF – inside Armenia.
– And can our services detect whether given figure is wiretapped by Turkey or Azerbaijan, or not? Do they have such an opportunity?
– There are ways to detect. The main thing is whether after confidential information said by given man or private information has outflow, it appears on some channels of Turkey or Azerbaijan. If it is so, then there is a problem. Surveillance must be in the rooms where people are working, the security of network and computer should be under the control. At the moment, the best informational security is provided by the U.S., China, and a little by RF, who have the opportunity to create servers, have their own mailing systems, to install information protective shields, all other countries, one way or another, are dependent on others, including Armenia. So, you need to be alert and not to send confidential question by the Internet.
Interviewer Melania BARSEGHYAN
Tigran Kocharyan, security system, Facebook
