June 26th, 2024

WikiLeaks – Amazon Atlas (2018)

WikiLeaks leaked Amazon's 2018 document detailing global data centers, including CIA ties and AWS Secret Region. Amazon leads cloud market, vies for $10B Pentagon contract. WikiLeaks turns data leak into awareness game.

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WikiLeaks – Amazon Atlas (2018)

WikiLeaks published a confidential document from Amazon in 2018, revealing details about over a hundred data centers across nine countries. Amazon, a major cloud provider, is known for its secrecy regarding data center locations. The company often operates from data centers owned by others or under pseudonyms like 'Vandalay Industries'. Amazon's significant role in cloud services for the US intelligence community, including a $600 million CIA contract, is highlighted. Amazon's AWS Secret Region allows storage of data up to the Secret level. The company is a top contender for a $10 billion Department of Defense cloud contract. Amazon's dominance in cloud infrastructure, accounting for 34% of the market, is emphasized. WikiLeaks turned the Amazon data center document into a puzzle game to raise awareness about cloud infrastructure issues. The article also mentions Tor, Tails, and the Courage Foundation as resources for privacy and security.

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Link Icon 2 comments
By @ko_pivot - 4 months
These days AWS primarily does operate their own DCs. This is interesting historically but doesn’t relate to their current footprint.
By @skilled - 4 months
From 6 years ago,

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=18193750

It has some discussion in there as to why this might be of public interest.