Thursday, WikiLeaks published documents dubbed ‘Cherry Blossom‘ showing that the CIA actively targets WiFi routers to conduct their surveillance and have been doing so for several years.
The agency could allegedly monitor Internet users’ activity using an advanced firmware known as Cherry Blossom (CB). The technology allows the CIA to manipulate an individual’s browser and also look for personal information such as phone numbers and email addresses.
“CB maintains an information database of wireless network devices,” according to the user’s manual, which “contains information about hundreds of network devices including manufacturer, make, model, version, reference design, FCC ID, network processor, wireless chipset, operating system, default username/password, etc.”
The 175-page guidebook created in 2006, but revised in 2012, seems to show the CIA developed implants that can essentially infect a computer network for products from a number of different manufacturers, like Linksys, Netgear, Motorola, Dell and Belkin.
Other once-classified files publicized by WikiLeaks reveal the CIA had a number of “secret”-labeled maps that appear to be visual instructions for further hacking mechanisms.
While the authenticity of the recently divulged documents have not been officially confirmed, the details wouldn’t be an extremely surprising revelation.
RELEASE: CIA ‘CherryBlossom’ & ‘CherryBomb’ have been infecting #DLink, #Belkin & #Linksys WiFi routers for years https://t.co/uCQLaaRwrO pic.twitter.com/gEfD84RKlX
— WikiLeaks (@wikileaks) June 15, 2017
