In a landmark ruling, the European Court of Human Rights has declared that bulk communications gathering by Britain’s GCHQ spy agency was illegal, proving whistleblower Edward Snowden right, and prompting more calls for the former NSA contractor to be pardoned. The court noted that there were “fundamental deficiencies” in the GCHQ’s interception of communications, namely that no politician... 

The UK’s mass surveillance program is in violation of human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has declared. The challenge was instigated following the revelations from US whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The court stated there is “insufficient oversight” and “inadequate safeguards” over the government’s ‘bulk interception’ of communications. Furthermore,... 

Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) intelligence unit officially described Israel as the “true threat” to peace in the Middle East, a leaked top-secret report has revealed. “The Israelis constitute a true threat to regional security, notably because of the country’s position on the Iran issue,” the GCHQ report said. According to a report in France’s Le Monde newspaper—which... 

American spies and the UK’s listening post GCHQ regularly intercept the emails of British MPs and peers, including privileged correspondence between parliamentarians and their constituents. The US National Security Agency (NSA) reportedly has access to intercepted emails sent and received by all MPs and peers through Parliament’s Microsoft computer system, Office 365. Intelligence agency GCHQ... 

France’s external intelligence agency has been intercepting international communications for the last couple of years, a new investigation reveals. The findings of a weeks-long investigation carried out by the French daily Le Nouvel Observateur, published on Wednesday, show that France’s Directorate-General for External Security, known by its French acronym DGSE, has been spying on the... 

US and British spy agencies worked to reverse-engineer antivirus software in order to “exploit such software and to prevent detection of our activities.” Russian security firm Kaspersky Lab was particularly targeted. Citing documents leaked by former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden more than two years ago, The Intercept reported Monday that the US National Security Agency (NSA)... 

The British MI6 secret service had to suspend operations of its field agents due to imminent exposure in “hostile” countries such as Russia and China, caused by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden’s leaks, the Sunday Times reports. The Sunday Times alleges that both Moscow and Beijing have succeeded in cracking top-secret encrypted documents leaked by Snowden and thus learnt MI6’s methods. The... 

Documents recently leaked by renowned whistleblower Edward Snowden claim the UK spied on Argentina for several years, fearing it would attempt to take the Falklands again. The intelligence data released by Snowden suggest that Britain spied on the Argentinian authorities since at least 2009, preparing offensive cyber operations to change public opinion regarding the Falklands, according to the Intercept. British... 

Austria’s Green Party says the US National Security Agency and Britain’s GCHQ have hacked into 13 million SIM cards in Austria. Addressing reporters in Vienna, the party’s security spokesman raised concerns over cyber attacks on phones, cars, banks and ministries. Peter Pilz called for a government investigation, sanctions and court action. Based on documents revealed by US whistleblower Edward... 

SIM cards produced by Gemalto. A new report has revealed that the US National Security Agency (NSA) and Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) have been cooperating to steal codes that allow both states to seamlessly eavesdrop on mobile phones worldwide. Citing the documents given to journalists by ex-NSA contractor Edward Snowden, The Intercept website said on Thursday that the... 

British government engaging in “cynical opportunism” following attack in France. The British Prime Minister, David Cameron, wants President Obama to pressure social media to cooperate with GCHQ, the British intelligence service that works closely with the NSA in the United States to surveil the internet and private electronic communication. Intelligence services are increasingly critical of encryption... 

UK PM David Cameron may block encrypted messaging platforms Snapchat and WhatsApp if the Conservatives win May’s general election, as part of the party’s agenda to bolster surveillance powers following last week’s terror attacks in Paris. During a meeting with Britain’s security chiefs, the Prime Minister pledged to halt the use of communications platforms that can withstand snooping from... 

Surveillance conducted by British intelligence agency GCHQ does not contravene human rights, a tribunal has heard, despite warnings from civil and internet liberties activists. The decision was made by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), after the case was brought to British courts by a collection of civil liberties groups including Privacy International, Amnesty International and Liberty earlier... 

Glenn Greenwald has posted a story showing how the NSA and government agents work to “manipulate, deceive, and destroy” the reputations of journalists. “Over the last several weeks, I worked with NBC News to publish a series of articles about ‘dirty trick’ tactics used by GCHQ’s previously secret unit, JTRIG (Joint Threat Research Intelligence Group),” Greenwald wrote on Wednesday. GCHQ... 

Seven Internet service providers, including the UK-based GreenNet, have filed an official complaint at the investigatory powers tribunal in London charging Britain’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) with illegal surveillance. The ISPs come from the US, UK Germany, South Korea, the Netherlands and Zimbabwe. They have also joined forces with the anti-surveillance charity Privacy International,...