BoE cyber attack exercise shows banks unprepared

BoE cyber attack exercise shows banks unprepared

 

Simulated three–day attack on Britain's financial system reveals problems

 

[caption id="attachment_11878" align="alignnone" width="400"] (The scenario simulated an attack on Britain's financial system, including denial of service attacks on the global websites of major banks, the penetration of secure networks by hackers, and problems with core payment systems. (Photo: EPA))[/caption]

 

A Bank of England–led exercise simulating a major cyber attack on the British financial system has revealed a lack of knowledge among banks about how and when to report security breaches, as well as problems with coordinating the response to any incident.

 

In a series of findings published yesterday, the Bank said its exercise had revealed "considerable progress" since a previous test but that there was a need for a single body to coordinate communications in the event of a real crisis.

 

The British Bankers' Association was recommended as the official mouthpiece of the financial system in the event of a cyber attack.

 

If handed the role, the BBA would be expected to manage the response of the banking industry if it were hit by a sustained and widespread attempt to disrupt the financial system.

 

"It was noted that there was no central industry coordination for financial sector information–sharing and communication to the wider public," said the Bank in its report.

 

Operation Waking Shark II was run by the Bank last year to test the readiness of the UK's financial infrastructure in the event of a hostile country launching an all–out cyber attack on critical financial infrastructure.

 

The scenario involved simulating a three–day long attack on Britain's financial system, including denial of service attacks on the global websites of major banks, the penetration of secure networks by hackers, and problems with core payment systems.

 

To add to the realism, the exercise assumed an attack coincided with the so–called "triple witching" period in which a series of important financial contracts, such as index futures and stock options, expire.

 

About 220 people were involved in the war games, which included 14 investment banks and major lenders, six providers of financial infrastructure, as well as represenatives of the Bank of England, the Prudential Regulation Authority, the Financial Conduct Authority and the Treasury.

 

The first Operation Waking Shark took place in 2011 and, with the increased focus on cyber threats, the number of future exercises is expected to increase.

 

Regulators will hold shorter but more frequent war games.

 

With the threat increasingly coming from abroad and the impact of a major attack likely to have international ramifications, the authorities have been asked to widen the scope of future war games to allow more foreign participants.

 

Cyber attacks have been identified as one of the biggest problems for the banking industry and major financial services groups face regular attacks on their systems from a variety of sources, including both criminal gangs and foreign governments.

 

Most of these attacks are relatively small–scale but some have led to severe security breaches and the collapse of core systems.

 

(The Telegraph, 6 Thursday February 2014 The Roman)

 

British businesses fall victim to 'cybersquatters' amid domain name rollout

British businesses fall victim to 'cybersquatters' amid domain name rollout

 

As hundreds of new web suffixes become publicly available, some of Britains top brands are falling victim to 'cybersquatters'

 

This week sees the rollout of hundreds of new generic top-level domain name suffixes, from شبكة. – pronounced dot-shabaka (.web in Arabic) – to .sexy, .technology and .singles.

 

Over the next year, more than 1,000 new top level domains (TLDs) will come online, taking the number well beyond the 22 that are used today, such as .com, .net and .org.

 

This has been hailed as one of the biggest changes to the Internet since its inception.

 

However, new research reveals that some of the UK’s biggest companies are failing to protect their intellectual property, with many domain names relating to British brands already being bought up by third parties.

 

For example, one of the most highly anticipated new extensions is .web, but 80 per cent of the .web domain names relating to the UK’s 50 most valuable brands have been reserved by unknown entities – including HSBC.web, JohnLewis.web and Burberry.web – according to ICANN's Trademark Clearinghouse, the centralised repository of validated trademarks.

 

Similarly, third parties have attempted to pre-order 78 per cent of the UK’s top 50 most valuable brands under the .online domain name, 72 per cent under .app, 70 per cent under .shop and 68 per cent under .blog.

 

This practice is known as 'cybersquatting', because the third party is essentially holding the brand's domain name to ransom.

 

“The research shows that some of the UK’s biggest brand names are at risk of IP infringement online as new TLDs are rolled out, with other parties keen to capitalise on the traffic a branded website will generate," said Jan Corstens, project director at the Trademark Clearinghouse.

 

"This not only compromises the reputation of each brand targeted, but also has much larger implications. Looking at the bigger picture, if brands fail to prevent third parties from registering domains relating to their trademarks, the economy as a whole potentially stands to lose millions to grey and black market activities, with consumers inadvertently buying counterfeit products from third parties posing as the brand online”.

 

Further analysis revealed that 54 per cent of these brands are currently not in control of key domain names across major existing domain extensions.

 

The findings include examples of familiar brands from the telecoms, financial services and petroleum industries not owning key domain names such as VirginMedia.info, RBS.biz and Shell.net.

 

Brands in the food grocery space were most notable in this regard, with tesco.co, asda.org, sainsburys.info, morrisons.org all found to be under the control of an unofficial party.

 

Around 70 per cent of the brands studied have already taken legal action against third parties infringing on their IP online.

 

One way for companies to protect their intellectual property is to pre-register domains such as tesco.shop and tesco.web, to prevent cybersquatters from getting their hands on them.

 

However, each of these new domains costs about £10 to £30 a year to own, and the sheer number of new TLDs means that costs will add up.

 

Alternatively, companies can record their trademarks in the Trademark Clearinghouse.

 

This allows them to secure all the domain names relating to a particular trademark ahead of wider public availability, and be warned if any third party seeks to take control of a domain which matches their IP.

 

It costs £92 to record a trademark for a year, £267 for three years, and £446 for five years.

 

"We believe that in these instances, prevention is better than cure and cheaper than costly litigation associated with domain disputes," said Corstens.

 

(The Telegraph, 5 Wednesday February 2014 The Roman)

 

Twitter reports quarterly loss of $511 million

Twitter reports quarterly loss of $511 million

 

San Francisco (AFP)

 

Twitter said Wednesday it lost $511 million in the fourth quarter, in the first published results since its highly anticipated stock market debut last year.

 

The results showed revenues doubled from a year ago to a better-than-expected $242.6 million, but Twitter shares slid more than ten percent in after-hours trade.

 

(Agence France-Presse, 5 Wednesday February 2014 The Roman)

 

Twitter developing e-commerce service

Twitter developing e-commerce service

 

Washington (AFP)

 

Twitter is exploring ways to sell products directly from the 140-character missives the one-to-many text messaging service site is famous for, a technology news site has reported.

 

Re/Code on Friday posted a screen shot of what this new service could look like, integrated into the site's familiar baby blue interface.

 

It said it found the image posted on e-commerce site Fancy.com, which appeared to be working on a partnership with Twitter.

 

In the screenshot, which is no longer able to be viewed, certain tweets are tagged "Twitter Commerce" and, when expanded, show a green "Buy with Fancy" button.

 

The purchaser would then be able to enter their payment and shipping information on another screen, all without leaving the Twitter app or site.

 

It was not clear what fees or commissions Twitter would charge for products sold within its social network.

 

Nor was it clear whether Fancy.com was the only site with which Twitter was apparently considering a partnership.

 

Neither site responded to requests for comment from Re/Code.

 

Twitter has become massively popular around the world and it had a sizzling Wall Street debut in November, gaining nearly 73 percent over its first day of trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

 

But some analysts are skeptical about its ability to boost usage and revenues to become profitable.

 

(Agence France-Presse, 1 Saturday February 2014 The Roman)

Katy Perry hat über 50 Millionen Anhänger auf Twitter Katy Perry has over 50 million followers on Twitter

Katy Perry hat über 50 Millionen Anhänger auf Twitter

 

Washington (AFP)

 

Die US-Popsängerin Katy Perry hat für einen kurzen Moment Twitter-Geschichte geschrieben: Als erste Nutzerin des Kurzbotschaftendiensts im Internet verzeichnete die 29-Jährige am Freitag um 22.43 Uhr (MEZ) mehr als 50 Millionen Anhänger.

 

Laut einer Vergleichszählung von Twitter Counter kam Perry auf 50.025.667 Anhängern, gefolgt vom kanadischen Sänger Justin Bieber mit 49.230.470 "Followern".

 

US-Präsident Barack Obama als Nummer drei folgten noch 41.219.748 Menschen.

 

Lady Gaga, die im März 2012 als erste die Marke von 20 Millionen Anhängern überschritten hatte, landete am Freitag auf dem vierten Platz.

 

Siegerin Perry verzichtete bisher auf einen Kommentar zu ihrem Rekord.

 

(Agence France-Presse, 1 Samstag Februar 2014 Der Roman)

 

 

Katy Perry has over 50 million followers on Twitter

 

Washington (AFP)

 

The U.S. pop singer Katy Perry has written for a brief moment in Twitter history: The first user of the short message service on the Internet, the 29-year-old posted on Friday at 22.43 clock (CET) more than 50 million followers.

 

According to a comparison count of Twitter Counter Perry came up with 50,025,667 adherents, followed by the Canadian singer Justin Bieber with 49.23047 million "followers".

 

U.S. President Barack Obama as number three was followed by 41,219,748 people.

 

Lady Gaga, who had crossed first the mark of 20 million followers in March 2012, ended on Friday in fourth place.

 

Perry winner so far refrained from commenting on her record.

 

(Agence France-Presse, 1 Saturday February 2014 The Roman)

(Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 1 Saturday February 2014 The Roman)

 

 

Google tries to delete UK court case over iPhone 'tracking’

Google tries to delete UK court case over iPhone 'tracking’

 

Search giant accused of "arrogant, immoral" behaviour as it attempts to throw out damages lawsuit

 

Google will today attempt to dismiss a case brought by a group of British internet users who allege the search giant collected personal data against their will.

 

The company, which has been fined tens of millions of dollars by regulators over the issue in the US, is accused of tracking the habits of iPhone web browsers, even when they had opted out.

 

One plaintiff accused Google of “arrogant, immoral” behaviour in trying to get the case shut down in England, and lawyers claim it wants to move the lawsuit to the US.

 

Google says that the plaintiffs suffered no actual harm when they were mistakenly tracked.

 

Olswang, the law firm, is bringing the case against Google.

 

It says the company illegally installed internet tracking software, known as cookies, on users’ iPhones during 2011 and 2012.

 

Three test cases will be highlighted tomorrow, but Olswang says hundreds more have expressed their interest after a social media campaign.

 

According to the plaintiffs, Google has argued that the claim should be brought in the US, where the company is based.

 

One claimant, Judith Vidal-Hall, said: “Google’s preference that British consumers should travel all the way to California to seek redress for its wrongdoings is arrogant, immoral and a disgrace.”

 

A spokesman for Google pointed to a similar US case that was shut down in October.

 

The judge said that users had not come to any harm even if they were tracked.

 

“We’re asking the court to re-examine whether this case meets the standards required in the UK for a case like this to go to trial,” the spokesman said.

 

Google has been fined a total of $39.5m (£24.2m) by two US regulators, one payment of $22.5m levied by the Federal Trade Commission and a recent $17m payment to US states.

 

(The Telegraph, 16 Monday December 2013 The Roman)

 

Emmanuel Hoog : «L'AFP veut devenir le leader mondial de l'information sportive» Emmanuel Hoog: "The AFP wants to become the world's leading sports information”

Emmanuel Hoog : «L'AFP veut devenir le leader mondial de l'information sportive»





http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid694908207001?bckey=AQ~~,AAAAjgltpmk~,3G6d8W41NOS8dBzRXeWHGdzbg-FWShEX&bctid=2863476658001





INTERVIEW - Pour son deuxième mandat, Le PDG de l'AFP, cofondateur du Forum d'Avignon, veut renforcer le développement de la vidéo et le chiffre d'affaires à l'international.



Le PDG de l'AFP entame son deuxième mandat à la tête de l'agence de presse. Malgré la pression sur les prix, l'AFP est rentable et veut profiter d'une année 2014 riche en événements sportifs pour prendre une longueur d'avance.



LE FIGARO.- Vous entamez votre deuxième mandat à la tête de l'AFP. Comment avez-vous réformé cette institution?



Emmanuel HOOG.-L'AFP est assise sur des bases très solides mais j'ai mis l'accent sur le développement de la vidéo et du chiffre d'affaires à l'international. Aujourd'hui, l'international représente 55 % de notre chiffre d'affaires commercial contre 50 % quand je suis arrivé. Nous diffusons 200 vidéos par jour, toutes langues confondues. Ce volume a triplé en quatre ans. C'est grâce à la vidéo que nous pouvons décrocher de nouveaux contrats à l'étranger en Amérique du Sud, Europe et Asie.



L'AFP présente sa nouvelle offre de sport pour les JO de Sotchi et la Coupe du monde au Brésil. Allez-vous y intégrer Twitter?



Le sport est un domaine d'excellence de l'AFP car nous suivons le football, un sport à rayonnement international, mieux que nos concurrents américains Associated Press et Reuters. Le sport représente déjà 25 à 35 % de notre offre mais 12 % de notre chiffre d'affaires car nous ne vendons pas encore le sport sous forme de fil dédié sauf dans quelques pays étrangers. Notre grand projet est de commercialiser maintenant la thématique sportive au sens large (résultat, économie, social et people) sous forme de fil autonome et à travers des applications. L'AFP veut devenir le leader mondial des agences de presse dans le domaine du sport. L'agence de presse de demain doit à la fois rester généraliste et aussi disposer d'un domaine d'excellence, comme Reuters l'est dans l'économie. Nous, c'est le sport.



Twitter est-il un concurrent?



Non. Twitter est un acteur majeur de l'économie de l'information. Mais Twitter crée du bruit et de l'incertitude. Notre métier est de vérifier les informations. Comparer Twitter à un fil d'actualité n'a pas de sens! Nos dépêches font plus de 140 caractères et ne se limitent pas aux faits mais les replacent dans un contexte et donnent des explications. Nous sommes une agence de presse, une news agency au sens anglo-saxon, nous existons depuis plus de 180 ans et nous avons connu beaucoup de changements comme l'apparition de la radio, de la télévision, de l'Internet et maintenant des réseaux sociaux. Nous devons développer des passerelles avec Twitter mais nous restons un acteur majeur de l'information.



L'AFP met l'accent sur la vidéo. Allez-vous créer une chaîne YouTube?



« Il est plus rentable d'attaquer directement le marché des télévisions et de l'Internet avec nos vidéos que de faire une chaîne YouTube.»



Emmanuel Hoog



Nos vidéos sont déjà présentes sur YouTube mais nous n'allons pas créer une chaîne car il y a un problème de monétisation. Il est plus rentable d'attaquer directement le marché des télévisions et de l'Internet avec nos vidéos que de faire une chaîne YouTube.



Que représentent les télévisions et l'Internet dans votre activité?



Les télévisions et les sites Internet représentent près de 30 % de notre chiffre d'affaires commercial. Mais, comme les autres clients, ils sont encore avant tout clients du texte et de la photo. La vidéo représentera cette année 6 % de notre chiffre d'affaires contre 0,3 % il y a dix ans et moins de 1 % en 2006. Pour notre concurrent AP, cela représente déjà 25 %, nous allons donc continuer à grandir dans ce domaine.



Vos clients médias vous reprochent de les concurrencer sur le marché grand public.



J'ai toujours dit que l'AFP devait être présente sur Internet. Nous avons totalement refondu notre site afp.com et développé des applis grand public à l'étranger. Internet est important pour développer la notoriété de notre marque à l'étranger et donc pour gagner des parts de marché.



L'AFP est difficile à gérer socialement. Comment est le climat actuel?



Nous sommes une entreprise de coûts fixes et en raison de la déflation des prix des contrats et de la conjoncture économique nous devons adapter nos coûts, tout en gardant intactes nos forces de production éditoriale. Nous avons entamé une négociation sociale pour voir comment adapter l'AFP à ses défis stratégiques et concurrentiels.



L'AFP est-elle rentable?



Oui, nous dégageons une marge de 5 % sur un chiffre d'affaires de 290 millions d'euros, nous devons l'augmenter pour faire face aux nécessaires investissements technologiques d'une quarantaine de millions d'euros sur cinq ans. Et quand je vois que nos concurrents licencient ou font face à des déficits importants, nous devons redoubler de vigilance pour garder cette profitabilité.



Bruxelles a ouvert une enquête vous reprochant de toucher des aides de l'État. Quel est le résultat?



Nous en sommes dans la dernière ligne droite. Bruxelles devrait édicter prochainement les mesures que l'État français doit prendre. Aujourd'hui, l'État verse une dotation sous forme d'abonnements au fil de l'AFP de 120 millions d'euros par an. Nous avons démontré que la mission de l'AFP est une mission d'intérêt général. La Commission européenne devrait entériner les modalités de calcul du coût de cette mission d'intérêt général, l'État restant par ailleurs client de l'AFP. Cette clarification permettra de pérenniser et de sécuriser notre financement.



L'État va-t-il réduire ses abonnements en 2014?



Le projet de loi de finances prévoit au contraire une légère augmentation à 123 millions d'euros.



Votre nom circule pour la présidence de Radio France et de France Télévisions. Êtes-vous candidat?



Je suis engagé à 4000 % à l'AFP. Si mon nom circule, cela relève du domaine de la rumeur alors que je suis dans le domaine de l'information.



(Le Figaro, 24 dimanche novembre 2013 le Roman)





Emmanuel Hoog: "The AFP wants to become the world's leading sports information”



INTERVIEW - In his second term, President and CEO of AFP, co-founder of the Forum d'Avignon, wants to strengthen the development of video and sales abroad.



CEO of the AFP began his second term as head of the news agency. Despite the pressure on prices, the AFP is profitable and wants to enjoy a rich sporting events in 2014 to take a step ahead.



LE FIGARO. -  You begin your second term as head of the AFP. How did you reform this institution?



Emmanuel HOOG. - The AFP is sitting on a very solid foundation, but I focused on the development of video and sales abroad. Today, the International represents 55 % of our commercial business against 50 % when I arrived. We distribute 200 videos per day, in all languages​​. This volume has tripled in four years. It is through the video we can win new contracts abroad in South America, Europe and Asia.



AFP presents its new range of sports for the Olympics in Sochi and the World Cup in Brazil. Are you going to integrate Twitter?



Sport is an area of ​​excellence AFP because we follow the football, a sport with international influence, better than our U.S. competitors Associated Press and Reuters. Sport already represents 25 to 35 % of our offer but 12% of our revenue because we do not yet sell sport as a dedicated wire except in some foreign countries. Our major project is to market now sports theme in the broadest sense (result, economics, social and people) as a standalone thread and across applications. AFP wants to become the world's leading news agencies in the field of sport. The news agency of the future must remain both general and also have an area of ​​excellence, as Reuters is the economy. Us is sport.



Twitter is a competitor?



No. Twitter is a major player in the information economy. But Twitter creates noise and uncertainty. Our job is to verify the information. Compare Twitter to a newsfeed does not make sense ! Our headlines are more than 140 characters and are not limited to the facts but put them back in context and give explanations. We are a news agency, a news agency in the Anglo- Saxon sense, we exist for over 180 years and we have experienced many changes as the emergence of radio, television, the Internet and maintaining social networks. We need to develop links with Twitter but we are a major player in the information.



AFP focuses on video. Will you create YouTube channel?



"It is more profitable to attack the market for televisions and Internet videos with that directly to YouTube channel."



Emmanuel Hoog



Our videos are already on YouTube, but we will not create a chain because there is a problem of monetization. It is more profitable to attack the market for televisions and Internet videos with that directly to YouTube channel.



Posed television and the Internet in your business?



Television and Internet sites represent nearly 30 % of our commercial business. But, like other customers, they are still primarily customers text and photo. Video this year represent 6 % of our revenues against 0.3 % a decade and less than 1 % in 2006. For our competitor AP, it already represents 25 %, so we will continue to grow in this area.



Your clients media accuse you to compete in the consumer market.



I 've always said that the AFP should be present on the Internet. We have completely redesigned our website and developed apps afp.com public abroad. Internet is important to develop our brand abroad and thus to gain market share.



AFP is difficult to manage socially. How is the current climate?



We are a company of fixed costs due to price deflation contracts and economic conditions we must adapt our costs, while keeping intact our forces editorial production. We started a social negotiation to see how to adapt the AFP 's strategic and competitive challenges.



AFP is profitable?



Yes, we derive a margin of 5 % on a turnover of 290 million euros, we must increase to meet the necessary technology investments forty million over five years. And when I see our competitors dismiss or face large deficits, we must be vigilant to keep this profitability.



Brussels has opened an investigation accusing you receive state aid. What is the result?



We are in the final straight. Brussels would soon enact measures that the French state should take. Today, the government pays a grant in the form of subscriptions over the AFP of 120 million euros per year. We demonstrated that the mission of the AFP is a mission of general interest. The European Commission should approve the method of calculating the cost of the mission of general interest, the State also remaining client AFP. This clarification will help sustain and secure our funding.



The State Will it reduce subscriptions in 2014?



The draft budget law provides to the contrary, a slight increase of € 123 million.



Your name runs for the presidency of Radio France and France Televisions. Are you a candidate?



I am committed to 4000 % AFP. If my name around, it falls within the scope of the rumor while I am in the field of information.



(Le Figaro, 24 Sunday November 2013 The Roman)

(Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 30 Saturday November 2013 The Roman)

News: Riot policeman

News: Riot policeman

 

[caption id="attachment_10143" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - Aris Messins)[/caption]

 

Anti-émeute

 

Un policier anti-émeute devant le ministère grec des Finances à Athènes.

 

Riot

 

A riot policeman in front of the Greek Finance Ministry in Athens.

 

(AFP - Aris Messins)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 13 Wednesday November 2013 The Roman)

(Edited and Translated: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 22 Friday November 2013 The Roman)

 

 

News: Guard

News: Guard

 

[caption id="attachment_10138" align="alignnone" width="400"] (Photo AFP - Filippo Monteforte)[/caption]

 

Standing guard

 

Carabinieri stand guard during a protest of anti high-speed rail activists (No Tav) in Rome on the sidelines of a Franch-Italian summit.

 

(AFP - Filippo Monteforte)

 

(Agence France-Presse, 21 Thursday November 2013 The Roman)

(Edited: R.S.F. toshiki speed news press, Agence France-Presse, 22 Friday November 2013 The Roman)

 

 

Here’s how people are changing their Internet habits to avoid NSA snooping

Here’s how people are changing their Internet habits to avoid NSA snooping

 

[caption id="attachment_9766" align="alignnone" width="384"] (NSA headquarters at Fort Meade. (NSA))[/caption]

 

This year's revelations of domestic surveillance by the National Security Agency have caused Washington Post readers to take new steps to protect their privacy online, the results of an online survey show.

 

"I've begun educating myself on internet security and privacy," one reader wrote.

 

In an atmosphere of increased concern about surveillance, users have adopted privacy-enhancing technologies, ditched services they deemed to have inadequate privacy protections, and even cut back on using the Internet for sensitive communications altogether.

 

The survey was not based on a random sample, so it may not be representative of all visitors to washingtonpost.com, to say nothing of all Americans.

 

But the 81 readers who provided in-depth responses provided a fascinating glimpse of how privacy-conscious users have reacted to Ed Snowden's revelations.

 

The privacy-enhancing tactic mentioned by the most readers was to avoid the use of mainstream cloud computing services, especially Gmail.

 

"I deleted everything from my gmail account and switched to an account that comes with a domain I own," wrote one reader.

 

The individual uses a desktop e-mail client and avoids "leaving my e-mail on [the] server any longer than necessary."

 

About 17 other users took similar precautions, halting or reducing their use of Dropbox, Yahoo Mail, and other cloud computing services.

 

These precautions were presumably a reaction to the revelations of the NSA's PRISM program, which gives the NSA access to the contents of Gmail and other cloud Internet services.

 

Almost a dozen users also reported that they had switched from mainstream search engines like Google or Yahoo to DuckDuckGo.

 

Unlike its larger competitors, this independent search engine doesn't track its users.

 

That means the company wouldn't have much information to share if the NSA came knocking.

 

Several users reported installing privacy-enhancing software on their computers.

 

Leading the list was Tor, a network of servers that helps users anonymize their online activity.

 

Also popular is HTTPS Everywhere, an extension for the Firefox and Chrome browsers that causes these browsers to always use the encrypted "https" version of the web's fundamental protocol when accessing Web sites that support encryption.

 

Several users mentioned using Ghostery, a sophisticated tool for managing and blocking the third-party cookies that Web sites use to track users from site to site.

 

A few readers also reported that they had started experimenting with using PGP software to encrypt their e-mail communications.

 

The irony of asking for full names and e-mail addresses in a survey about online privacy was not lost on Switch readers.

 

"The questionnaire can't be for real. I thought I inadvertently connected to 'the Onion,'" one reader wrote in the comment section.

 

Other commenters described the survey as "bizarre" and "creepy."

 

Some survey respondants indicated that they had cut back on using the Internet to send sensitive personal information.

 

But a much larger group told us that they hadn't changed their Internet habits at all.

 

"If the NSA wants to know I spend too much time researching fantasy football, hotels in Las Vegas, and the best way to roast pumpkin seeds, so be it," one wrote.

 

"You only have something to fear if you are looking up things that the NSA would consider dangerous to US citizens."

 

Other respondents haven't changed their habits because they believe doing so is hopeless.

 

"There is simply no defense against the NSA if they are targeting you," one reader claimed.

 

"I accept that I am a minnow swimming in a pool full of sharks," wrote another.

 

Added a third respondent: "I always add the following to my emails 'Hey NSA, go f--k yourselves.'"

 

(The Washington Post, 7 Thursday November 2013 The Roman)