In 2017, WikiLeaks published Vault 7, thousands of files describing a secret collection of CIA hacking tools.One project stood out immediately.Known as Weeping Angel, the tool was designed to place certain Samsung smart TVs into a “fake-off” mode. The screen appeared dark and the television looked powered down, but its microphone could still record conversations inside the room.And the television was only one piece of the story.The Vault 7 documents described tools targeting smartphones, computers, routers, removable drives and even isolated networks. Some could survive an operating-system reinstall. Others could track leaked documents, redirect internet traffic or prevent webcams and microphones from recording sensitive operations.But the leak also left some important questions unanswered.Were these tools reserved for specific intelligence targets, or were they part of something much larger? Does possessing the capability prove it was actually deployed? And how much privacy can anyone expect when everyday devices can potentially become surveillance equipment?In this GITN Condensed episode, Phil and Travis examine Weeping Angel, Dark Matter, Grasshopper, Hive, Scribbles, Cherry Blossom, Brutal Kangaroo and the other strangely named projects revealed by Vault 7.The technology was real enough to cause an international uproar. The scale of its use remains a different question.Welcome to the strange side of reality.
