UK COMPANY HELPS BAHRAIN GOVT SPY ON ACTIVISTS
Malicious E-Mail Attachments Sent to Activists Steal Passwords, Record Skype Calls
Bahrains government is spying on Bahraini activists with a malicious computer program apparently supplied by a UK firm.
Bahrain Watch founding member Bill Marczak, and Citizen Lab security researcher Morgan Marquis-Boire analyzed a string of suspicious e-mails sent to activists over the past two months. The e-mails promised exclusive images or documents about the political situation in Bahrain. Upon closer examination, the e-mails were found to contain attachments that installed a malicious program on a victims computer. Some of these e-mails impersonated Al Jazeera English reporter Melissa Chan.
The malicious program was found to record keystrokes, take screenshots, record Skype calls, and steal passwords saved in web browsers, e-mail programs, and instant messaging programs. The malicious program sent this data to an internet address in Bahrain.
The analysis suggests that the malicious program is FinSpy, a product of UK firm Gamma International. FinSpy belongs to the FinFisher suite for Governmental IT Intrusion and Remote Monitoring Solutions. Gamma International was criticized for apparently selling the same product to Mubaraks regime in Egypt. Before technology giant Apple closed the security gap, FinSpy would infect computers by tricking users into thinking that it was an iTunes update. London-based NGO Privacy International has threatened to take the UK government to court for failing to control the export of surveillance technology to repressive foreign regimes.
During the analysis of FinSpy, a stolen GMail password was later used in an attempt to access the GMail account, suggesting that the Bahraini government is actively monitoring and exploiting the information captured by FinSpy.
A detailed report of the technical analysis of the program can be read at:
https://citizenlab.org/2012/07/from-bahrain-with-love-finfishers-spy-kit-exposed/3/. A non-technical report of the analysis by Bloomberg News can be read at:
Cyber Attacks on Activists Traced to FinFisher Spyware of Gamma - Bloomberg. Bahrain Watch would like to extend its gratitude to all of the activists, researchers, and journalists, including those at Bloomberg News, who contributed to this story.
UK Company Helps Bahrain Gov't Spy on Activists
US gives Bahraini regime green light to commit crimes
Bahraini regime forces have attacked anti-government demonstrators in the northeastern island of Sitra.
The demonstration was organized by the Amal Islamic Action Society on Tuesday.
Police used tear gas to disperse the protesters.
Anti-regime demonstrations in Bahrain continue despite the heavy-handed crackdown by the security forces.
Scores of people have been killed and many others have been injured in the Saudi-backed suppression of protests in Bahrain since the popular revolt erupted in February 2011.
Interview with Kamel Wazne, political analyst, to further discuss the issue. What follows is an approximate transcript of the interview.
Q: How far are the Al-Khalifa willing to go to crush these demonstrations, and in addition to that, how long will the Saudis be involved in the clampdowns?
Wazne: Well obviously they have the green light from the Americans and from the Saudis to continue the crackdown and the torture and unlawful imprisonment of innocent people.
Over 4,500 detainees without any justification is a violation of the country itself as actually their own committee that was established by the king and by the Khalifa found the violation of human rights and it comes to a crime against humanity.
And I think it is a violation of the international law but as the world is silent and the United States embracing the process that Khalifa family is going about and the Saudis being complicit by sending their troops to fight the innocent people.
I think this is going very far but on the other hand there is determination on the Bahraini people, they will continue their voice for freedom, for liberty and to have their demand be actually achieved.
So this is here a battle of the wills and I think the will of the Bahraini people are very strong and determined. We have seen these oppressed people in the past, how they were able to prevail and those who oppress them how their destiny will be known in the coming days and maybe years.
Q: Well lets talk about the international issue towards Bahrain, the international silence towards the Bahrain uprising is just an issue you touched up on in and also the evident double standards that the West has with regards to events of the past year or so, its been different for Yemen, for Libya and for Syria, but still with no regard for Bahrain.
Wazne:
Well obviously you have to know a fact that Bahrain is the home of the Fifth Fleet, it is the most important fleet for the American to spy on the region and to control its operation against Iran, against Pakistan, against Afghanistan and for them they have disregard for the human life despite what their slogans that speak about democracy and freedom.
When it comes to the American interest what they care about is their own business and how they can back their business without any mercy or regard for the human dignity. Here where we see a slaughter and killings by the Bahraini machine against innocent people mostly women, children they did not stop shooting at children, they did not stop using those poisonous gas against innocent people and we have to remind that some of these equipment that is used is supplied by the American, by other entity from the West which always talk about freedom and liberty.
Freedom and liberty in Bahrain is killing and torture and it is sponsored by the Bahraini government and by the West. It is a crime against humanity and this must stop now but I do not think the Americans are doing anything except helping in the crackdown.
US gives Bahraini regime green light to commit crimes
, open your mind 
