Edward Snowden: Permanent Record (amazon.com)

Article summary

Edward Snowden's memoir, Permanent Record, details his life and experiences as a CIA and NSA contractor, including his role in building and later exposing the US government's mass surveillance system. The book provides a personal account of Snowden's motivations and actions, as well as the consequences of his decisions. Snowden's story has sparked discussions about government surveillance, privacy, and security. The book has received positive reviews for its candid and thought-provoking portrayal of the digital age.

Main themes

• government surveillance
• privacy and security
• whistleblowing
• digital age
• cybersecurity
• intelligence agencies

What commenters say

• Some commenters believe that using disposable WiFi adapters can improve operational security by making it harder to track and identify devices, while others argue that this practice is unnecessary and ineffective. Opsec measures should be based on specific threat models and risk assessments, rather than general precautions. The use of certain WiFi adapters, such as the Alfa AWUS036NEH, is popular among penetration testers due to their support for packet injection and monitor mode. The security of WPA2 and WPA3 protocols is a subject of debate, with some commenters pointing out that WPA2 has been partially broken and WPA3 is still vulnerable to certain attacks. Buying security keys, such as YubiKeys, from reputable sources is crucial to avoiding counterfeits, and verification methods are available to ensure authenticity. Some argue that good security practice involves considering all devices as insecure until proven otherwise, while others believe that this approach is impractical and unnecessary. The culture of secrecy and gatekeeping in the security community can be frustrating and counterproductive, and open discussion and information sharing are essential for improving security practices.