How do we know this Wikileaks encrypted file is real? What if it's a bluff?

[TwixVoy]

How do we know that this Wikileaks encrypted file that will supposedly be released if he is killed actually exists?

All we know is that there exists a gigabyte+ file that is encrypted. Because it is encrypted NO ONE has ANY idea what is actually in the file because it is totally encrypted.... so therefore how do we know the file doesn't contain a million PDF files that all say "NOTHING TO SEE HERE!" or other garbage that is completely worthless? This is akin to me having a giant box sitting in my room, taking pictures of it, and telling people on the internet it is loaded with hundreds of solid gold bars.

I just find it hard to believe he could amass such a supposedly HUGE file with countless secret documents. Maybe a few documents sure.... but thousands upon thousands of extremely damaging documents? I'm calling BS.

My bet is that this encrypted file is just a bluff. Probably full of almost nothing of consequence, or worse yet absolutely nothing of consequence. It exists only as a "oh shit. What if it's real???" file to spook would be CIA assassins.

You know the old saying... if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

Just saying don't get your hopes up.... odds are this file is probably not the bombshell it is claimed to be.

[Duer 157099]

1. Occam's Razor says the simplest explanation is most likely

ergo, it's what he says it is.

[TwixVoy]

3. Well I suppose I'm a rich man then

Because the box in my room that no one has actually checked out contains hundreds of gold bars. Honest it does. I'll upload a picture of the box.

[Duer 157099]

4. Wrong. Occam's Razor also says that you do NOT have gold bars

C'mon you have to use simple logic, that's all. Not so hard.

[Arctic Dave]

6. To use your analogy. If you are passing out gold coins

to everyone, it wouldn't be that much of a leap to think the box is full of gold bricks. So, where are my gold coins?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

2. I hope it's 1GB of Chuck Norris or Jack Bauer jokes.

[Towlie]

8. If it's not real then nobody will ever know what it is. There will be no Jack Bauer jokes.

I have my copy of insurance.aes256 and I'm waiting for the key. You?

[OneTenthofOnePercent]

9. Not me. I will download or seek them out.

I like my job and my own Security Clearnace.

[Towlie]

12. If the key is released, fake files will appear on the web that decrypt with that same key.

This is the SHA1 hash of the real file:

SHA1: cce54d3a8af370213d23fcbfe8cddc8619a0734c

It's computationally infeasible (read: virtually impossible) to create an altered file with that same SHA1 hash. If you download an allegedly legitimate copy of insurance.aes256, you can get a copy of the http://support.microsoft.com/kb/841290">File Checksum Integrity Verifier utility (fciv.exe) from the Microsoft website and verify your copy of the insurance file by comparing its hash to the hash above.

[sendero]

5. I bet...

... you are wrong.

[Ruby the Liberal]

7. Everything Julian Assange has said he has, he has proven he has.

His track record speaks for itself.

Besides, how many people with access have seen things that make them question their role (in whatever gave them access in the first place) much less humanity itself and saw WL as a means of making things right?

WL has been around for YEARS - and not about government activity. It has been a general whistle-blowing site from the beginning.

It wasn't until Julian threatened the banking cabal last week that this all came to a head.

[stray cat]

10. We do not but that doesn't mean anything new

[happyslug]

11. Worse, thought, the government wants it release so it can show harm to US Agents

As far as the US Government is concerned, proving that Wikileak caused harm is more important then preventing any harm.

Reminds me of the French Commune (1871). The Commune held the Bishop of Paris as a hostage, told the Government of France that if French Troops were sent into Paris to crush the Commune, the Bishop would be executed. The Commune made a fatal mistake with that threat, the French Government wanted a dead Martyr more then a living Bishop and ordered the attack (The Commune also made an offer to exchange the Bishop for one of the Commune's leaders that had fallen into French Government hands, the offer was refused for the French Government wanted a dead Martyr at whatever price, as the attack began even the Bishop figured that out and forgave the member of the execution party for by that time the Commune's hands were tied, to be taken as serious they had to carry out their promises, thus the Bishop had to be and was executed by the Commune).

My point is the Government may want the release of all of the documents for so far nothing released can be traced to causing anyone direct harm (embarrassment but no harm). There may be something left that would cause some one harm, and that would justify the actions of the US Government. Thus the only way to show actual harm not just embarrassment is to force the release of all of the data, something Wikileaks has NOT yet done, but by keeping the pressure on Wikileaks the Government is forcing Wikileak to do what Wikileak says it will do, release all of the data. I suspect deep in that data base it contain information that would harm a current agent/spy/operation. When that data is released Wikileaks would have clearly compromised some agent/spy/operation and justified all the attacks against Wikileaks. This would thus be just like the French Government's refusal to exchange the Bishop of Paris and to issue the attack on the Commune. Both actions forced the Commune to do what it had promised, execute the Bishop of Paris. The French Government in 1871 did its crocodile tears about the death of the Bishop just like the US Government is crying about the damage to agents today (and will cry whenever some agent/spy/operation is compromised when the full data is released.

If Wikileaks would smart, they would release all the data EXCEPT data that names actually agent/spy/operations. That will take time, for Wikileaks needs to go through the data to make sure no agent/spy/operation is compromised, but that way Wikileak is not falling into the trap being set by the US Government (Which may include a dump of US Data by the US Government to make sure the data contain information that harms an agent/spy/person).

[snagglepuss]

14. That's an interesting angle. Taking a massive hit would provide an excuse

to extert China-like control over the net.

[happyslug]

15. That is to much conspiracy for me, the Government is NOT that organized

My point was more directed just at Wikileaks, to shut it down, not to touch the rest of the net. The Government is reacting right now NOT pro-acting. The Government wants to end the embarrassment caused by these leaks NOT anything more. Thus my comment that they will leak something at the same time as Wikileaks makes its dump, and done is a way that it looks like part of the Wikileak dump. Wikileaks is caught flat footed, and by the time Wikileaks finds out what had happen, they reputation would have been shot.

Remember do not assume Conspiracy when Stupidity will suffice. The leaks have been an embarrassment and the Government wants to do attack who ever embassies it (is this case Wikileaks). A good revenge artist would wait his time, but the people in Government are NOT that smart, they want their revenge NOW, thus they will do it stupidly by planting something, getting someone killed, and then blaming Wikileaks for the death.

[happyslug]

16. Duplicate N/T

[WinkyDink]

13. Does Assange seem like a bluffer?!