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CBS 60 Minutes: NSA Speaks Out On Snowden, Spying
An anonymous reader writes "This week CBS New's 60 Minutes program had a broadcast segment devoted to the NSA, and additional online features. It revealed that the first secret Snowden stole was the test and answers for a technical examination to get a job at NSA. When working at home, Snowden covered his head and screen with a hood so that his girlfriend couldn't see what he was doing. NSA considered the possibility that Snowden left malicious software behind and removed every computer and cable that Snowden had access to from its classified network, costing tens of millions of dollars. Snowden took approximately 1.7 million classified documents. Snowden never approached any of multiple Inspectors General, supervisors, or Congressional oversight committee members about his concerns. Snowden's activity caught the notice of other System Administrators. There were also other interesting details, such as the NSA has a highly competitive intern program for High School students that are given a Top Secret clearance and a chance to break codes that have resisted the efforts of NSA's analysts — some succeed. The NSA is only targeting the communications, as opposed to metadata, of less than 60 Americans. Targeting the actual communications of Americans, rather than metadata, requires a probable cause finding and a specific court order. NSA analysts working with metadata don't have access to the name, and can't listen to the call. The NSA's work is driven by requests for information by other parts of the government, and there are about 31,000 requests. Snowden apparently managed to steal a copy of that document, the 'crown jewels' of the intelligence world. With that information, foreign nations would know what the US does and doesn't know, and how to exploit it."
Never asked the obvious questions. "If you really aren't storing all our emails and phone calls, then why do you need to build a new $1.5 billion facility to hold exabytes of data storage? Either you're lying or you're guilty of a SERIOUS misappropriation of funds. So which is it?"
The cow says "Moo." The dog says "Woof." The Timothy says "Thanks, valued customer. We appreciate your input."
NSA IS the government of the United States.
No, the NSA Surveillance Destroys Diplomacy and Democracy:
How do democratically elected officials (the president, congressmen or senators) get control of a stand-alone secret government bureaucracy that was operating long before they arrived and will survive them after they've gone? A bureaucracy that knows everything there is to know about them, too?
They don't. They can't. So the surreptitious, illicit actions of a US spy agency can undermine the diplomatic work of months and years. And the president - the elected official chosen to lead the country - is so hamstrung by the NSA that he cannot stop the interceptions and order an immediate investigation.
Regardless of CBS' political leanings, you'd have thought that the idea of CBS using John Miller, an ex-employee of the director of National Intelligence, and someone touted to be in the running for a top NYPD intelligence job, to be the interviewer would have stunk to high heaven. There was no criticism, no pushback and no attempt to suggest that the NSA has been doing anything wrong. Holy crickey ... did the NSA simply script this and hand it to CBS?
DaveyJJ
[Amber is being introduced to the audience as a special guest 'runner'] ...Later, she cheated on College exams. Then she had sexual relations with three, sometimes even four men within a single year. Then came Mad Dog Ben Richards, her *Confederate*, her LOVER!
Phil Hiton:
Amber: That's a lie!
Damon Killian: Let's reunite these two lovebirds!
[audience cheers]
Damon Killian: [Amber is sent down to the game zone]
"
The funny thing is how few of the comments in the media talk about the Snowden's case in the only context that makes even the pro-national-security-collect-everything guys stop and think.
As far as we know, the guy wasn't being paid for this. Wasn't specifically pre-trained for this. Had no external help. Just look what he managed to get access to. Now couple this with the thinking behind the "I told you" comments saying "see, it was possible and bam! the NSA was actually doing it". Now see how many people the NSA has.
The discussion whether the utility of having these data trumps privacy or constitutionality concerns is moot. Snowden showed the honestly funny truth. If he could do it, other competent intelligence agencies are doing it. NSA is in fact (unintentionally, of course) collecting data on Americans for Russians/Chinese/whoever. They are a wonderful source - a bit hard to get to, but once you do...
The NSA wants to stop any attempts to restrict its data collection (citing national security), because regaining lost privileges is a bit hard and they like what they have. But - as explained above - national security dictates that NSA's data collection should be immediately minimized. Know what you must and control it. As you grow, you're easier to penetrate. As is, Snowden made NSA look like a glaring hole in the security of US of A. Ironic, isn't it?
Not that I care. Not my country, not my business...
Yes, precisely. And some smart people have also pointed out that they may have tried to do the exact same thing with Syria, since an apparent chemical weapons attack came shortly after Obama said that the use of chemical weapons would trigger a US military response.
You get the impression at least some of these guys are the modern version of Vizzini from the Princess Bride: "I'm trying to start a war here! It's a prestigious line of work, with a long and glorious tradition."
I am officially gone from
Right. The fact that they used the power of the state, specifically the justice dept. to go after people who had done nothing wrong is proof that they control that state power. This is the problem with secret access to secret information. Everything they have everything they do every conversation they have every access by everyone to every system at any time should be memorialized and subject to meaningful audit by truly independent citizens. It's the only way for us to both collect the information we need to protect ourselves and prevent the kind of abuse they meted out to Binney and Drake, which was the whole reason they produced a Snowden in the first place.