Founder of Granitt, securing journalists and at-risk people around the world.
In addition to lots of indoor skydiving this week, I also started a book on Iran’s 2022 anti-government protests; discussed the GrapheneOS + U.S. border search case; and went down the manosphere rabbit hole. www.runasandvik.com/p/waypoints-...
Waypoints: About Iran, U.S. border searches, and the manosphereI’ve been reading For the Sun After Long Nights about Iran’s 2022 Woman, Life, Freedom uprising by Fatemeh Jamalpour and former New York Times colleague Nilo Tabrizy.www.runasandvik.comWhile reading this @forbidden-stories.bsky.social report on Morocco's use of the Pegasus spyware, remember that Morocco in early 2023 organized an in-person hearing to "disprove" years of research by @amnestytech.bsky.social and @citizenlab.ca. forbiddenstories.org/codename-mor...
Codename “Morgan”: A look back at Morocco’s acquisition of Pegasus, involving Israel and the United Arab EmiratesFrom product demonstrations at a secret villa in Rabat to training sessions at NSO’s Herzliya headquarters, Forbidden Stories and its partners retrace the early stages of Morocco’s use of Pegasus.forbiddenstories.orgSpoke to @zackwhittaker.com about the case of U.S. federal prosecutors going after an American for allegedly wiping his phone with a duress password during a border search. First case I've seen, though I've discussed the potential scenario with at-risk folks. techcrunch.com/2026/07/24/u...
US accuses American of allegedly wiping his phone using a 'duress' password during border search | TechCrunchA U.S. citizen has asked a court to throw out the government's claim that he gave over a passcode to border authorities that wiped his phone's data, opening up fresh questions about a person's constit...techcrunch.comWrote short blurbs about TrueCrypt, my Journalist and Spy project, MSG surveillance and the WIRED lawsuit, and AI in this week’s Waypoints newsletter. www.runasandvik.com/p/waypoints-...
Waypoints: About TrueCrypt, spies, and AICrazy to think that while Edward Snowden and I taught people to keep their data safe with TrueCrypt, the tool’s alleged creator Paul Le Roux was busy plotting murders, buying drugs from the North Kore...www.runasandvik.comThe WSJ has the backstory on the U.S.-UAE agreement on AI, w/spycraft, diplomacy and lobbying. AI giant G24 is there too, run by former DarkMatter staff -- the firm created to help the UAE spy on rivals, activists, and journalists with former NSA hackers. www.wsj.com/world/middle...
The CIA Operative Who Spied on the U.A.E.—and Played a Role in Its AI WinWhile conducting espionage against sheikh’s tech company, Jonny Gannon helped Gulf country quash U.S. suspicions about China ties.www.wsj.comSky News looked into the deadly strike on an Iranian primary school in February and found that (1) "the evidence points towards US responsibility," and (2) US analysts had "ample opportunities ... to spot that the building had become a school." news.sky.com/story/reveal...
Revealed: A catalogue of failures and the devastating aftermath of Iran school bombingRevealed: A catalogue of failures and the devastating aftermath of Iran school bombingnews.sky.comI miss microblogging. I miss Twitter. I still enjoy sharing bits and pieces on a regular basis. So I decided to create yet-another-newsletter. Here's the first post! www.runasandvik.com/p/waypoints-...
Waypoints: About spyware, the OneCoin fraud scheme, and Asma al-AssadI miss microblogging.www.runasandvik.comIf you’re looking for a podcast to binge this summer and don’t mind an older story — still unresolved(!) — check out Jamie Bartlett’s The Missing Cryptoqueen. podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/t...
The Missing CryptoqueenDocumentary Podcast · Dr Ruja Ignatova persuaded millions to join her financial revolution. Then she disappeared. Why? Jamie Bartlett presents a story of greed, deceit and herd madness.podcasts.apple.comIncredibly excited to attend this four-day OSINT course by @giselilla.bsky.social and Haley Willis next month! Check out the page for details and to sign-up. The course will cover tools for investigating bombings, cartels, and disinfo. gisela-perez-de-acha.mykajabi.com/osint_summit
FactFinder OSINT SummitFour days of live OSINT training for journalists, lawyers, and researchers who already know the basics. War, conflict, and disinformation. July 14–17.gisela-perez-de-acha.mykajabi.comSpoke to @lorenzofb.bsky.social last week about settings that help you defend against sophisticated spyware on Android, iOS, Gmail, and WhatsApp. Includes Lockdown Mode, Advanced Protection Program, Advanced Protection Mode, and Strict Account Settings. techcrunch.com/2026/05/23/y...
These special phone and app features can help protect you from spyware | TechCrunchApple, Meta, and Google offer special security modes that provide your devices more secure against targeted spyware attacks. Here are how those modes work, what they do, and how to switch them on.techcrunch.comCrazy to think that while Snowden and I taught people to keep their data safe with TrueCrypt, the tool's alleged creator Paul Le Roux was busy plotting murders, buying meth by the North Koreans, and helping the Colombians set up their own meth lab. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/549566...
The Mastermind by Evan Ratliff: 9780399590436 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: BooksThe incredible true story of the decade-long quest to bring down Paul Le Roux—the creator of a frighteningly powerful Internet-enabled cartel who merged the ruthlessness of a drug lord with the techno...www.penguinrandomhouse.comMy latest for Journalist and Spy: Louis Budenz was an American journalist and communist spy. A member of the Communist Party USA, he shared gossip with Soviet intelligence. He later renounced communism and debriefed the FBI on the party's inner workings. www.journalistandspy.com/p/louis-budenz
Louis BudenzLouis F. Budenz was an American labor activist, journalist, and decade-long communist spy.www.journalistandspy.comJournalists reporting on China should be aware of ways the authorities may respond to their work. Here's what happened to @icij.org and its network following a 2025 exposé on Beijing’s tactics to threaten, coerce and intimidate regime critics overseas. www.icij.org/investigatio...
Phony whistleblowers, fake journalists and cyber spies: ICIJ network targeted after China Targets probe - ICIJShortly after publication, a slew of fake ICIJ reporters approached journalists, Taiwanese officials, and human rights advocates seeking sensitive data. With Citizen Lab, we investigated.www.icij.orgIranian journalists in London “say they fear for their lives after a recent spate of threats and physical attacks,” and I’m willing to bet the regime is leveraging digital attacks against critics too. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
Stabbings, kidnap threats and arson attacks: how the Iranian regime targets UK journalistsStaff at outlets critical of Tehran have faced chilling intimidation and violence, amid calls for greater protection and supportwww.theguardian.comUpdated my post about journalist and spy Vicky Peláez yesterday to include some quotes from @gordoncorera.bsky.social’s book, including that the FBI listened in as she discussed Moscow’s feedback on her husband’s intelligence reports. www.journalistandspy.com/p/vicky-pelaez
Vicky PeláezVicky Peláez is a Peruvian journalist, currently writing for The Moscow News and Sputnik.www.journalistandspy.com