Leaked Photo Suggests NSA Infiltrated Cryptocurrencies
Recent news that the National Security Administration (NSA) may have successfully launched investigations into "Tor, I2P, and VPN," with an additional pending request for projects focused on cryptocurrencies, is likely to go over poorly with the cryptocurrency community.
For cryptocurrency investors, privacy, security, and anonymity are some of the biggest draws. As decentralized, largely unregulated vehicles, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin were designed to be unencumbered by many of the traditional apparatuses that govern mainstream currencies.
A photograph posted on the popular 4chan message board appears to show a memo from the U.S. Army Cyber Protection Brigade, dated August 21, 2017, according to bitcoin.com.
The document suggests the U.S. Army teamed up with the NSA to conduct investigations into Tor, I2P, and VPN, three tools used to encrypt and obfuscate everything from data to the location of users.
A grainy photo of the alleged letter was shared on 4chan, fueling speculation and conspiracy theories online.
Tor and I2P are commonly used as means of accessing the dark net, including illegal black markets like the former Silk Road marketplace. (See also: What Is the Dark Net?) Many of these markets have traditionally relied on cryptocurrencies as a method of payment, as virtual currencies offer greater anonymity and security than fiat currencies.
While many individuals relying on Tor, I2P, and VPN have long assumed that the government has accessed and compromised certain aspects of those tools, this memo, if legitimate, seems to confirm that suspicion. (See also: Who Is Roger Ver, aka «Bitcoin Jesus»?)
Besides the successful investigations into encryption methods, the memo suggests that the NSA may be looking into
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