WikiLeaks Publishes Security Think Tank Emails

Reuters: Whistle-blowing website WikiLeaks has published 5 million e-mails stolen from the servers at Stratfor, a U.S.-based global security analysis firm. Hackers associated with the group Anonymous claimed responsibility for the data theft. Stratfor has been described as a “shadow CIA;” its clients include government officials and Fortune 500 companies.

According to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, “Here we have a private intelligence firm, relying on informants from the U.S. government, foreign intelligence agencies with questionable reputations and journalists.” He continued, “What is of grave concern is that the targets of this scrutiny are, among others, activist organizations fighting for a just cause.”

In response to the publication, Stratfor said some of the email messages “may be forged or altered to include inaccuracies; some may be authentic.” It added, “We will not validate either. Nor will we explain the thinking that went into them. Having had our property stolen, we will not be victimized twice by submitting to questioning about them.”