White House says Wikileaks ‘undermined’ US security with CIA leak

World Today

White House says Wikileaks 'undermined' US security with CIA leak

The White House is accusing WikiLeaks of undermining U.S. national security.The purported documents reveal how the CIA gains access to phones, televisions, and computers.

Now WikiLeaks is vowing to work with technology companies, in order to protect users of electronic devices. Wikileaks’ offer is attractive to high-tech firms concerned about consumer privacy.

CGTN’s Jessica Stone explains why this has the top U.S. spy agency worried.

“We have decided to work with them to give them some exclusive access to additional technical details we have so that fixes can be developed and pushed out so people can be secure.”

Only then, promised WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, will the group reveal more details about what it calls “a giant arsenal” for cyber espionage. Assange claims the CIA knew it had lost this so-called arsenal and never warned the public.

But the CIA attacked Assange’s credibility and denies the existence of its capabilities but acknowledges quote: “It is CIA’s job to be innovative, cutting-edge, and the first line of defense in protecting this country from enemies abroad.” 

President Donald Trump met with CIA Director Mike Pompeo Thursday at the White House. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Trump has serious concerns about this massive breach of U.S. national security.

“There is grave concern that the President has about the release of national security and classified information that threatens and undermines our national security,” Spicer said.

Across the globe, there was outrage and indignation. Beijing called on the world community to agree to an international agreement to govern cyber-space under the United Nations. The WikiLeaks documents reveal China’s Huawei servers were listed as targets of the CIA hacking techniques. Huawei has declined to comment.

In Moscow, whose broadcaster, RT, has paid Assange to host a television program, the foreign minister claimed the CIA tools mimic the signatures from non-American hackers.

The global technology community is concerned about the ramifications of the data that was released. Billions around the world use Google Android and Apple iPhones. Apple, for its part, said it has already blocked the access points for intelligence gathering mentioned in the documents.