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Cryptome

Cryptome
Type of site
Document archive
Available inEnglish
EditorsJohn Young
Deborah Natsios
URLOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
LaunchedJune 1996 (1996-06)
Current statusActive

Cryptome is an online library and 501(c)(3) private foundation[1] created in 1996 by John Young and Deborah Natsios[2][3][4][5][6] closed in 2023 and reopened soon afterward.[7] The site collected information about freedom of expression, privacy, cryptography, dual-use technologies, national security, intelligence, and government secrecy.[4]

Cryptome was known for publishing the alleged identities of people associated with the CIA, the Stasi, and the PSIA and British intelligence.[8][9][10][11][12][13] Cryptome was one of the early organizers of WikiLeaks and published the alleged internal emails of the WikiLeaks organization.[14][15][16] Cryptome republished the already public surveillance disclosures of Edward Snowden and claimed in June 2014 that they would publish all unreleased Snowden documents later that month.[17]

Cryptome has received praise from organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), but has also been the subject of criticism and controversy. WikiLeaks has accused Cryptome of forging emails[18] and some of Cryptome's posted documents have been called an "invitation to terrorists."[19] The website has also been criticized for posting maps and pictures of "dangerous Achilles' heel[s] in the domestic infrastructure," which The New York Times called a "tip off [to] terrorists."[20] ABC News also criticized them for posting information that terrorists could use to plan attacks.[21] They continued to post controversial materials including guides on "how to attack critical infrastructure" in addition to other instructions for illegal hacking "for those without the patience to wait for whistleblowers".[22][23] Cryptome has also received criticism for its handling of embarrassing and private information.[6][24]

  1. ^ Internal Revenue Service (October 19, 2015). "Cryptome Tax Exempt".
  2. ^ Patrick Howell O'Neill (May 9, 2014). "Cryptome, the original WikiLeaks, launches $100,000 Kickstarter". The Daily Dot.
  3. ^ Cox, Joseph (July 6, 2014). "Why All the Snowden Docs Should Be Public: An Interview with Cryptome". Vice.
  4. ^ a b Alexander J Martin (September 16, 2015). "Cryptome founder revokes PGP keys after weird 'compromise'". The Register.
  5. ^ "Cryptome suffers brief take-down over Japanese 'terror' files". www.theregister.com.
  6. ^ a b Rosen, Armin. "A Radical Pro-Transparency Website Is Raising Money To Annoy Glenn Greenwald". Business Insider.
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ "Whistleblowing Website Cryptome Hacked, Conspiracy Theories Do Not Abound". The New York Observer. February 13, 2012.
  9. ^ "How a White House Flickr Fail Outed Bin Laden Hunter 'CIA John'". The New York Observer. July 12, 2011.
  10. ^ Bruce, Gary (2010). The Firm: The Inside Story of the Stasi. Oxford University Press. p. 32. ISBN 9780195392050.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference WiredPSIA was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ John Ware and Alasdair Palmer (May 18, 2003). "Is he or isn't he?". The Daily Telegraph.
  13. ^ Dan Duray (December 8, 2010). "The Original Wikileaker". The New York Observer..
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference wsjcryptome was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference estrangedcryptome was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  16. ^ "Exposed: Wikileaks' secrets". Wired UK. ISSN 1357-0978. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
  17. ^ "More Edward Snowden Leaks on the Way? New York-based site Cryptome says it will publish the remaining NSA documents that Edward Snowden swiped". July 2014.
  18. ^ Zetter, Kim (October 6, 2010). "Cryptome Hacked". Wired.
  19. ^ Crowley, Michael. "That's Outrageous – Let's Shut These Websites Down". Reader's Digest. Archived from the original on December 9, 2006. Retrieved March 9, 2013.
  20. ^ Urbina, Ian (August 29, 2004). "Mapping Natural Gas Lines: Advise the Public, Tip Off the Terrorists". The New York Times.
  21. ^ "Web Site Raises Questions About Public Access to Sensitive Government Info". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2004.
  22. ^ "How To Attack Critical Infrastructure, No-Bullshit Guide" (PDF).
  23. ^ "HackBack!". cryptome.org.
  24. ^ Lake, Eli (June 14, 2012). "The Man Behind the 'Blue Ball' Emails Scandal That Snared Brett McGurk". The Daily Beast.

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