Jacob Appelbaum, (b. 1983) an American independent journalist, computer security researcher, artist, and hacker, unveiled new details from the Snowden documents in his PhD thesis at Eindhoven University of Technology, focusing on counter-strategies against surveillance. The thesis criticizes surveillance practices, emphasizes cryptography for resistance, and reveals undisclosed information about NSA projects like BULLRUN and PRISM. However, it has been noted for inaccuracies, and a one-sided perspective against the NSA.
Jacob Appelbaum, a renowned hacker, and digital activist, revealed new snippets from the Snowden documents in his PhD thesis at Eindhoven University of Technology. Born in 1983, Appelbaum was a core member of the Tor project and worked closely with Laura Poitras on NSA documents. Accused of sexual abuse in 2015, he lost his position at Tor but continued his academic work in the Netherlands, focusing on counter-strategies against pervasive surveillance architecture in his thesis.
Appelbaum’s thesis, titled “Communication in a world of pervasive surveillance,” delves into various cryptographic implementations aimed at protecting individual and societal liberty against mass surveillance. The thesis, a culmination of over a decade of research, criticizes the existing surveillance practices and advocates for a multifaceted approach to counteract them. Appelbaum emphasizes the importance of cryptography as a non-violent form of resistance, beneficial to everyone except those spying on us.
Throughout his thesis, Appelbaum discloses previously unpublished information from the Snowden documents, shedding light on NSA’s surveillance capabilities and practices. He criticizes the limited public knowledge and the destruction of the Snowden archive by The Intercept. Appelbaum reveals details about projects like BULLRUN, PRISM, and MYSTIC, and discusses the compromise of computer hardware and software, lawful interception systems, and the manipulation of cryptographic standards by intelligence agencies.
However, Appelbaum’s thesis also contains inaccuracies and a one-sided view against NSA, lacking context or the latest information. Despite the extensive coverage of NSA’s operations, the academic publication falls short of maintaining the highest standards of accuracy. Appelbaum’s activist stance is further highlighted by the back cover of his thesis, which features a logo resembling that of the German terrorist organization Rote Armee Fraktion, with a computer keyboard replacing the original AK-45 image.