A mysterious 1.4 GB encrypted file named “insurance” has appeared on the WikiLeaks Afghan War page that released tens of thousands of secret documents last Sunday.
The “insurance” file is also available for download through bittorrent.
“Cryptome, a separate secret-spilling site, has speculated that the file may have been posted as insurance in case something happens to the WikiLeaks website or to the organization’s founder, Julian Assange,” reports Kim Zetter for Wired Magazine. “In either scenario, WikiLeaks volunteers, under a prearranged agreement with Assange, could send out a password or passphrase to allow anyone who has downloaded the file to open it.”
