In “Secrets and Lies” (2000), I wrote: It is poor civic hygiene to install technologies that could someday facilitate a police state. It’s something a bunch of us were saying at the time, in reference to the vast NSA’s surveillance capabilities. I have been thinking of that quote a lot as I read news stories … Read More “DIRNSA Fired” »
Category: nsa
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2006 AT&T whistleblower Mark Klein has died. Powered by WPeMatico
The NSA’s “National Cryptographic School Television Catalogue” from 1991 lists about 600 COMSEC and SIGINT training videos. There are a bunch explaining the operations of various cryptographic equipment, and a few code words I have never heard of before. Powered by WPeMatico
The “long lost lecture” by Adm. Grace Hopper has been published by the NSA. (Note that there are two parts.) It’s a wonderful talk: funny, engaging, wise, prescient. Remember that talk was given in 1982, less than a year before the ARPANET switched to TCP/IP and the internet went operational. She was a remarkable person. … Read More “Adm. Grace Hopper’s 1982 NSA Lecture Has Been Published” »
The NSA has a video recording of a 1982 lecture by Adm. Grace Hopper titled “Future Possibilities: Data, Hardware, Software, and People.” The agency is (so far) refusing to release it. Basically, the recording is in an obscure video format. People at the NSA can’t easily watch it, so they can’t redact it. So they … Read More “The NSA Has a Long-Lost Lecture by Adm. Grace Hopper” »
Former NSA Director Paul Nakasone has joined the board of OpenAI. Powered by WPeMatico
Through a 2010 FOIA request (yes, it took that long), we have copies of the NSA’s KRYPTOS Society Newsletter, “Tales of the Krypt,” from 1994 to 2003. There are many interesting things in the 800 pages of newsletter. There are many redactions. And a 1994 review of Applied Cryptography by redacted: Applied Cryptography, for those … Read More “Declassified NSA Newsletters” »
Via a FOIA request, we have documents from the NSA about their banning of Furby toys. Powered by WPeMatico
It finally admitted to buying bulk data on Americans from data brokers, in response to a query by Senator Weyden. This is almost certainly illegal, although the NSA maintains that it is legal until it’s told otherwise. Some news articles. Powered by WPeMatico
There seems to be no end to warrantless surveillance: According to the letter, a surveillance program now known as Data Analytical Services (DAS) has for more than a decade allowed federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to mine the details of Americans’ calls, analyzing the phone records of countless people who are not suspected … Read More “Secret White House Warrantless Surveillance Program” »