WikiLeaks reveals the C.I.A. alleged hacking technique- are you safe?

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange makes a speech from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy, in central London, Britain February 5, 2016. REUTERS/Peter Nicholls/Files

SANTA MONICA – Tuesday revealed yet another major WikiLeaks dump, the biggest one about the C.I.A. in the history of the website.  This one, however, hits closer to home as it involves you and your privacy.

Invasive government hacking has long been a speculation and these new documents reveal, that allegedly, the CIA’s hacking tools are much more advanced and invasive than ever before.  Gone are the days of only being worried about your phone calls and internet history.  According to the 8,761 documents released, Samsung Smart TVs also may have the ability to be hacked and turned into listening devices regardless of whether or not they are on.

These allegations, if true, severely go against a person’s fundamental right to privacy. However, in an age where fake news is running rampant, one has to question the validity of these documents, especially since, as is customary of the website, the direct source of the information is not revealed.  

There is a lot speculation over the source, however, some believe that it might not come from within the CIA at all, but rather from Russian intelligence services who have already been connected to other confidential information hacks published on WikiLeaks.  

While the source and validity of these claims has not yet been confirmed, the bottom line is that even if the Wikileaks documents prove to be true, the average civilian is likely not at risk.

Paradoxically, this information coming to light has only inspired tech companies like Microsoft, Samsung, and Apple, who have all publicly responded to the hack, to up the security and encryption on the devices they make.  So in the future your privacy might even be more safeguarded, still a little extra precaution when using technology cannot hurt.  

Some content courtesy of Reuters.