数字解决方案帮助保护网络活动人士

AS IT IS 2015-08-04 Digital Solution Helps Shield Online Activists¹ 数字解决方案帮助保护网络活动人士

Chris Doten knows how dangerous conditions can be for democracy activists and journalists working under hostile governments. He is the head of digital technology programs at the National Democratic Institute, a non-governmental organization that supports openness in government. He helps news reporters and democracy activists protect their privacy from government spying while online.

“We do work in relatively³ closed societies,” Mr. Doten said. “There are a lot of dangers, and we always try to take a thoughtful look at the risks that we’re incurring⁴ for the people we’re working with.”

Those risks often include government raids, computer seizure⁵, theft of private data and the identification of supporters and private email communications. These invasions can lead to arrest, expulsion from a country or worse. But Chris Doten said there’s a technological⁶ solution that is helping⁷ people around the world protect their online activities.

It is called The Amnesic⁸ Incognito⁹ Live System or “Tails.” In computer terms, a “live system” is a stand-alone operating system that runs directly off a DVD or, increasingly, a USB memory stick. A live system uses only on a computer’s RAM². None of the operating system files are saved anywhere.

Once downloaded to a portable disk drive or USB, users simply connect Tails to any computer and run it. When taken out of the computer, the live system leaves no evidence of ever being used on the computer.

Chris Doten says Tails comes with additional security applications that users can easily access.

“There’s also a multi-protocol chat client that can speak to Facebook, Google Chat, and others called Pidgin" he added.

A growing number of journalists and rights groups are using Tails.

The non-profit group Reporters Without Borders works in support of freedom of the press. It has suggested Tails for journalists who need to protect their sources. Activists in Tibet use Tails to securely document human-rights abuses there by the Chinese government. And groups working to fight violence within families are now using Tails to report abuse and protect victims' identities.

But the same system that helps protect human rights activists can be used by hackers¹⁰, criminals or terrorists to hide their identity and activities online.

Mr. Doten said the real concern should be how often Internet activists, journalists and others are targeted online and then punished for their activities.

“I’m frankly¹¹ shocked at the state of digital security among U.S. journalists,” he said. “People who have real dangers that they’ve seen externally and internally at times.”

“The fact that newsrooms around the country – even the big ones – are not investing more in this I think is a real crime."

Words in this Story

journalist(s) - n. a person who writes news stories for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, or online publications

digital – adj. using or characterized by computer technology

online – adj. done over the Internet

data – n. facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze¹², or plan something

download(ed) – v. to move or copy a file, program, etc. from a usually larger computer system to another computer or device

portable – adj. easy to carry or move around

application(s) – n. a computer program that performs a particular task such as word processing

source(s) – n. someone or something that provides what is wanted or needed

hacker(s) – n.  a person who secretly gets access to a computer system in order to get information, cause damage, etc.

1 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ram   

(random access memory)随机存取存储器

参考例句：

• 512k RAM is recommended and 640k RAM is preferred.推荐配置为512K内存，640K内存则更佳。

3 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

4 incurring   

遭受，招致，引起( incur的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Many of the world's farmers are also incurring economic deficits. 世界上许多农民还在遭受经济上的亏损。
• He spoke to the Don directly, taking a chance on incurring Michael's ill will. 他直接向老头子谈自己的意见，这显然要冒引起迈克尔反感的风险。 来自教父部分

5 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

6 technological   

adj.技术的；工艺的

参考例句：

• A successful company must keep up with the pace of technological change.一家成功的公司必须得跟上技术变革的步伐。
• Today,the pace of life is increasing with technological advancements.当今， 随着科技进步，生活节奏不断增快。

7 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

8 amnesic   

遗忘的； 失去记忆的； 失去存储的； 引起遗忘的

参考例句：

• They arrive back in the US amnesic for the period of brainwashing. 他们返抵美国后，由于洗脑忘记了那段时间发生了什么。
• The researchers tested four healthy individuals and four amnesic patients. 研究者测试了四个健康的人和四个失忆症患者。

9 incognito   

adv.匿名地；n.隐姓埋名；adj.化装的，用假名的，隐匿姓名身份的

参考例句：

• He preferred to remain incognito.他更喜欢继续隐姓埋名下去。
• He didn't want to be recognized,so he travelled incognito.他不想被人认出，所以出行时隐瞒身分。

10 hackers   

n.计算机迷( hacker的名词复数 )；私自存取或篡改电脑资料者，电脑“黑客”

参考例句：

• They think of viruses that infect an organization from the outside.They envision hackers breaking into their information vaults. 他们考虑来自外部的感染公司的病毒，他们设想黑客侵入到信息宝库中。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Arranging a meeting with the hackers took weeks againoff-again email exchanges. 通过几星期电子邮件往来安排见面，他们最终同意了。 来自互联网

11 frankly   

adv.坦白地，直率地；坦率地说

参考例句：

• To speak frankly, I don't like the idea at all.老实说，我一点也不赞成这个主意。
• Frankly speaking, I'm not opposed to reform.坦率地说，我不反对改革。

12 analyze   

vt.分析，解析 (=analyse)

参考例句：

• We should analyze the cause and effect of this event.我们应该分析这场事变的因果。
• The teacher tried to analyze the cause of our failure.老师设法分析我们失败的原因。