When The Cryptosphere was offered a free play-test of the new ProtonMail app for encrypted email, we knew we’d need to hand this off to someone a little more knowledgable than your humble editor. Enter Alex Berta of Geek Republic… Read More ›
Reviews
Review: Cybercrimes Is for Chavs OR: Cybercrimes with Ben Hammersley Ain’t Good
This review of the BBC’s “Cybercrimes” documentary series is by the talented, entertaining, and really, really angry Matthew D. Phelan. Upon re-reading this empassioned screed, our humble scribe re-watched a few episodes, thinking, “It can’t really be as bad as… Read More ›
The Future Is Scary and Islamophobic: Fearful Master by Arthur Lawrence
If things keep going as they are, I fear that the author of this week’s book, Fearful Master, is right in predicting a world where simply being Muslim is grounds to imprison you and strip you of your American citizenship. There… Read More ›
When Google Met Wikileaks: A New Philosophy For Our Times
In the time of the Greeks, philosophy was developed through conversation. Socrates went around Athens talking with people and making them think about their life, their values and their actions. The art of philosophy by dialogue has not been lost… Read More ›
A Compelling Adventure: Robert Young Pelton’s Raven
Raven, the first novel by international correspondent and travel/war/human catastrophe author Robert Young Pelton, is available exclusively from the author’s site as a downloadable ebook. Not knowing Robert Young Pelton as an author, I had no specific expectations around his… Read More ›
The Hacker Wars: #Anonymous United, Divided, Arrested
The Hacker Wars, a documentary by Vivien Lesnik Weisman, features Barrett Brown, Joe Fionda/Subverzo, Jeremy Hammond, and essentially everyone who was anyone in the Anonymous hacktivism scene in 2012-2013. It had a limited run in theatres earlier this year and has… Read More ›
The Essential Guide To Digital Life: Bruce Schneier’s Data And Goliath
If you’d asked me a year ago, “do you worry about government surveillance?”, I would have said no. But today, my answer would be an empathic YES. The scary part is that, like most Canadians, I hadn’t worried about that… Read More ›
#Anonymous #Sabu Week: Our review of what it’s like to eat Sabu
This contribution to Sabu Week is the final chapter in the saga of Sabu the pig. If you’ll recall, he made his first appearance on Thursday the 19th at the PAPS-organised Stratfor Street Party bringing attention to imprisoned Anons Jeremy Hammond… Read More ›
Spam Is A Numbers Game: Brian Krebs on Unsolicited Email
Spam: once a gross meat-like substance sold in tins that could probably survive a nuclear apocalypse. Now, it’s the stuff that clogs your inbox: penis pills and health insurance and lottery winnings and nursing degrees and whatever else spammers think… Read More ›
Two Short Reads: A Feminist Review of the ISIS Female Recruitment Manual; and The Parade With The Drums from Anonymous Publications
This week, we’re going to look at two short but very different reads. The first one under discussion is a new Islamic State recruitment manifesto, translated in late February by the Quillam Foundation. This manifesto is aimed at Arabic women… Read More ›
Is Infocommunism A Real Danger? The Circle by Dave Eggers
Does the amount of things that Google knows about you scare you? In my last review, I discussed Angwin’s Dragnet Nation. This week, I’m reviewing a fictional representation of this idea pushed to its extreme: a network so all… Read More ›
Review: The Martian, a Sci-Fi Novel Proving Duct Tape Really CAN Do Everything
Previously published on Writing In My Head on December 29, 2014. You’re on a mission to Mars, and all your crewmates have left the planet, leaving you behind, because they think you’re dead. This is the premise of The Martian, probably one… Read More ›
Blackhat: a Hacker’s Movie Review
Today’s review of Michael Mann’s “Blackhat” is by well-known activist and actor/producer Joe Fionda. Welcome to the Cryptosphere, Joe; I knew I’d break you eventually! “Blackhat” is an international hacker caper directed by Michael Mann, centering around a federally convicted hacker… Read More ›
Review: Hot Art: Chasing thieves and detectives through the secret world of stolen art
What do you mean? It is TOO hacking-related. Wait till you learn how great art is used to launder drug money, how it’s exchanged for illegal weapons, how it’s sanitized as it travels up the chain from B&E artiste to… Read More ›
