Wikileaks former spokesman ‘destroyed' secret Bank of America hard drive

http://www.computerworlduk.com/news/it-business/3298650/wikileaks-former-spokesman-destroyed-secret-boa-data/

by Netadmin • 15 years ago

16 24 15 years ago

I thought Assange put that BoA data into that torrent? Why isn't he retrieving that if he still needs it.

mcphilip• 15 years ago

I know there was an "insurance file" released on July 29 2010, but am not aware of any later release[1]. They may not of had the BofA data at that point. The first mention of the data that might "bring down a bank" came on Nov. 29, 2010 [2].

[1]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WikiLeaks#Insurance_file

[2]http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/03/business/03wikileaks-bank....

iwwr• 15 years ago

Another reminder on why it's bad to rely on just a central information hub. Wikileaks is not 'freeing information' as much as drumming up publicity for themselves (and Assange).

kyouens• 15 years ago

I agree. This is also evidenced by the way they dribble out their leaks in the most politically damaging (for the US government, particularly) way possible, accompanied by press releases and interviews. If they are about freedom of information, why don't they release all of it, immediately, and free of editorial comment from Assange?

hugh3• 15 years ago

I've been saying for some time that if I were, say, Jimmy Wales or the Wikimedia Foundation I'd be criticising Wikileaks pretty hard for not, y'know, actually being a wiki.

baltcode• 15 years ago

Isn't this more of an argument for OpenLeaks being a shady outfit acting for someone else?

thaumaturgy• 15 years ago

Assange has explained several times that they concentrate so much on publicity for themselves in order to maximize the impact of the leaks themselves, as part of their duty to the people that take the risks to leak information.

reemrevnivek2• 15 years ago

Why is the organization designed in such a way that anyone - Assange included - can permanently delete submissions? People risk their lives and their careers to submit this information. It's hard to believe that this act was "in the interest of the security of sources" as Domscheit-Berg claims. Don't delete it, encrypt it!

Any digital submissions should be backed up in multiple physical places, and disconnected from any networks. Physical submissions should be scanned in (at which point it becomes a digital submission) and similarly backed up.

sp3323• 15 years ago

People risk their lives and their careers to submit this information.

This is exactly why it was deleted. Security of sources is more important than leaking the information. If the sources wanted the data published without regard for their own safety, they would have published it themselves.

maayank2• 15 years ago

Ah? No. The exact point of Wikileaks is to be a place where leakers can leak information to the public, in a technical sustainable manner (think protection of DDOS).

reemrevnivek2• 15 years ago

Why does encryption make the sources any less secure than deletion?

higgslight• 15 years ago

DDB was the guy in charge of the servers, crypto, and backups for submissions as well as administering the submission system.

The first big dispute between him and Assange was over his use of WL funds in purchasing IT assets. Assange thought he was making unnecessary and/or dubious purchases...which it now seems was the case.

He was s sysadmin, not just some shlub who logged in and hit delete.

sp3323• 15 years ago

"in the interest of the security of sources", if true, is actually a pretty good reason.

ethagnawl• 15 years ago

> Wikileaks former spokesman ‘destroyed' secret Bank of America hard drive after being given an offer he couldn't refuse

FTFY

berntb• 15 years ago

I wonder how much Bank of America paid?

It would be really interesting to see bank transactions for that Domscheit-Berg guy. I hope Wikileaks can get them...

rimantas• 15 years ago

IIRC wikileaks weren't so keen to display their financial data either…

thebooktocome• 15 years ago

I'd like to see GiveWell try to evaluate them. That might be amusing to watch.

blendergasket2• 15 years ago

"Asked what data Wikileaks might have, a Bank of America spokesperson told Reuters: 'We don't know what they claim to have had, and we have no comment on what they allegedly may have destroyed.'"

It's interesting how he states he doesn't know what they had, but he can't comment on what they destroyed. It's almost like he's insinuating that they have some idea what was destroyed. Domscheit-Berg seems to be using the specter of insecurity to destroy both Wikileaks reputation and now, it seems, the leaks that were supposed to be set free to the people. How the hell could deleting the leaks themselves solve any security issues? As far as is known no one has gotten in trouble for leaking to Wikileaks who has not incriminated themselves.

This guy is a tool (in the literal sense) of the highest order. From his weird smear tactic "My time with Evil Assange" stories, to his gutting Wikileaks system, to his opening up an alternative that doesn't actually give the information to the public, but allows only journalists access to it, now to this. Go after Assange's character. Sew seeds of doubt over the system's security. Take parts of it's infrastructure. Now start deleting the leaks that the people truly in Power can't let out... for the sake of security of course.

In one Q&A with Assange, I think it was the one with Amy Goodman and Slavoj Zizek, he was asked about the BofA docs and he mentioned he hadn't released them because he was being blackmailed and could not go into more detail. Maybe this was part of whatever that was all about.

canistr• 15 years ago

"It's interesting how he states he doesn't know what they had, but he can't comment on what they destroyed. It's almost like he's insinuating that they have some idea what was destroyed."

You're reading too much into what's he's saying.

sek• 15 years ago

He was also thrown out of the CCC. http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,780289,00...

Wikileaks former spokesman ‘destroyed' secret Bank of America hard drive

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