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FOIA: NSA Contracts Stored In Paper Files, Unsearchable, Unindexed
v3rgEz writes "Wish you were a little more organized? Have trouble finding that archived contract when you actually need it? Don't feel too bad: The National Security Agency has the same problem, claiming that its contract database is stored manually and impossible to search by topic, category, or even by vendor in most cases."
... there don't want to be vulnerable to others agencies like them !
On the upside, for the NSA, that makes a Snowden-like leak pretty much impossible.
A search for overly broad keywords such as "CNO" and "computer network attack" would be tantamount to conducting a manual search through thousands of folders and then reading each document in order to determine whether the document pertains to a contract.
(emphasis mine)
That could be network folders (ie: directories) and Word documents, they never said anything was on "paper". The way I read that quote was that they've got heaps of contracts, stored in lots of directories, and even if they did a search they'd have to read each document returned to see if it was a contract pertaining to the FOI request. They're trying to say that's too burdensome, which in theory gives them a way of not supplying the information. In practice, a judge might decide they should be able to do the search in a reasonable amount of time, and force them to comply.
A recursive sig
Can impart wisdom and truth
Call proc signature()
Perhaps they do this as they know they can easily retrieve the copies of the contracts from the vendors' own systems if they ever need to access them.
Backup not found: (A)bort (R)etry (P)anic
The quote is:
A search for overly broad keywords such as "CNO" and "computer network attack" would be tantamount to conducting a manual search through thousands of folders and then reading each document in order to determine whether the document pertains to a contract.
Tantamount means "equivalent in seriousness to; virtually the same as." So they didn't actually directly say that these files are on paper. Though there isn't any other explanation for why it would require a manual search. Either way, how can we actually trust that they're telling the truth there?
which is totally what she said
And if you believe that, I have some healthcare to sell you.
Any guest worker system is indistinguishable from indentured servitude.
Old idea. My financial records are all on paper. In an unheated storage space. When the IRS wants to audit me, they are welcome to sit in there and go through whatever they want.
Have gnu, will travel.
It's called a Hollerith card tabulating machine. I can make you a good price!
NSA PROCUREMENT OFFICE (EQUIPMENT DIVISION)
Mr. Kyosuke:
Thank you for your recent letter offering a good price on a Hollerith machine. I regret to inform you that the NSA already has several of these in its possession that were purchased at an IBM auction of surplus machines that had been leased to the German government in the 1940s. We have made many custom improvements to the German machines over the years and would not think of wasting them on something as trivial as contracts.
However, as replacement parts for these machines are in short supply and knowledge of their purpose is a forgotten state secret we have sent agents from the Procurement Office (Human Division) to collect you and your machine. They are at your front and back doors now. Please cooperate with them fully to make this easier on everyone.
Again, thank you for contacting the NSA and helping us keep you safe.
It's legally safer for them to say that they're incompetent.
---- The above post was generated by the Turing Institute. Maybe.
It should be expected. The NSA has very little technical savvy, nor any sizable budget for computer equipment. They're too busy doing their jobs, to worry about extracting useful information out of data.
There's little doubt this is intentional.
The primary 'hackers' that the NSA is worried about is Congressional oversight and the Government Accountability Office, or any kind of auditors.
Inability to find relevant information is precisely the goal.