Julian Assange answered questions on WikiLeaks latest release in ‘Vault 7,’ named ‘Dark Matter,' as well as the CIA’s ever-changing role and the impact this has on world affairs.
The second release in the series details the techniques that WikiLeaks claims are employed by CIA assets to compromise Apple devices between the manufacturing line and the end user.
READ MORE: #Vault7: WikiLeaks releases ‘Dark Matter’ batch of CIA hacking tactics for Apple products
‘Dark Matter’ is just “a small example” of material to come, Assange said, speaking via Periscope.
In light of these leaks, Assange warned how the CIA continues to be an agency that reports on the world and then “commits actions to overthrow governments and influence elections.”
“Since 9/11 the CIA has overtaken the NSA as the budgetary dominant intelligence agency within the US,” Assange said, resulting in increased “institutional ambitions” for the CIA to the point where it is now commanding air force resources, Assange claimed, citing their control of drones as an example.
“It is in some ways rivaling the FBI,” he said, “by being an armed force outside the United States, conducting interrogations, renditions and torture.”
When answering a question from Fox News on so-called “demands” made by WikiLeaks to tech companies before handing over details of the alleged CIA exploits, Assange answered that “demands [is] a strange word to use.”
“These exploits that are used by the CIA can affect millions of people so it has to be done cautiously. There has to be security channels involved and there has to be agreements that the vendors will in fact be responsive.”
Assange said WikiLeaks did not publish all details of the hacking techniques revealed in the leaks as it would result in both the “good guys” and the “bad guys” getting them at the same time.
The second release in the series details the techniques that WikiLeaks claims are employed by CIA assets to compromise Apple devices between the manufacturing line and the end user.
On the alleged demands, Assange said a standard industry 90-day timeframe was given to tech companies for them to provide encryption keys to WikiLeaks in order for them to communicate details of the exploits.
Assange said Microsoft contacted WikiLeaks on March 20 without “agreeing to the standard terms.” On the same day, Google also contacted the whistleblower group, refusing to agree to WikiLeaks’ terms, which Assange claims are standard, instead providing their own terms and a PGP-encrypted email.
He did not give details on Microsoft and Google's requested terms but alluded to their “revolving door” relationship with military and security contractors as reasons for their reluctance.
Assange said any fixes required by tech companies should take a few weeks and that the 90 day timeframe is sufficient. He added that if a company contacted them requesting more time, they’d be open to discussion.