Israel Matzav

Shin Bet chief worried about IPhone, Google Earth

Shin Bet (General Security Service) chief Yuval Diskin told a conference on Sunday that he is concerned about the security implications of the IPhone and Google Earth.

Shin Bet director Yuval Diskin, in a rare public address, identified cyber technologies as an ascendant international security threat.

"Intelligence once enjoyed only by countries and world powers can now be obtained through Internet systems like Google Earth, Internet cameras that are deployed all over the world and linked to the Web, or applications for IPhone devices that allow for quality intelligence to be received in real-time," he told a homeland security conference in Tel Aviv.

In what appeared to be an allusion to two parcel bombs found on U.S.-bound planes on Friday, he said such a tactic had featured in "mounting debates" among Islamist militant groups over the Internet on how to exploit international aviation.

You will recall that the Mumbai terrorists used Google Earth to identify their targets, as did Fatah's al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades.

It is apparently possible to block a country on Google Earth. At least in theory. I'd bet on Israel trying to do it or developing a way to keep certain facilities from being viewed.

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 8:16 PM