WikiLeaks accused of acquiring info from peer to peer networks

The growing controversy involving WikiLeaks continues with new reports claiming that some of the data released by the whistle-blower site was actually harvested from peer-to-peer file sharing networks. Some believe that this hurts WikiLeaks reputation as an organization that supposedly receives most of their confidential information from insider sources.

This is yet the latest attempt to discredit where WikiLeaks information originates, with some conspiracy theorists blaming a larger government cover-up.

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"WikiLeaks is doing searches themselves on file-sharing networks," according to Tiversa CEO Robert Boback, who was recently interviewed by Bloomberg. "It would be highly unlikely that someone else from Sweden is issuing those same types of searches resulting in that same type of information."

Tiversa helps governments and large corporations better protect themselves from data compromise and other problems plaguing major bureaucracies. The company also helps the FBI and other government agencies monitor the type of leaked and classified information made available online -- and how it was compromised before release on the Internet.

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WikiLeaks reportedly received the bulk of its classified information from "anonymous" sources, with site representatives denying Tiversa's claims are true.

The sheer amount of information released, especially in the past few months, has made WikiLeaks a popular target among politicians hoping to punish those involved. This added attention has helped turn WikiLeaks editor Julian Assange into a cult leader among some circles, while others want him to be punished as severely as possible.

Moving beyond WikiLeaks' involvement, if any, with classified information shared on P2P networks, data loss remains a serious concern. Classified information, which should be tightly controlled and protected, is routinely found on stolen laptops, sent as unencrypted data over the wire and lost on portable media such as USB flash drives. These data losses and leaks have left companies and government agencies with egg on their faces.

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