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How an Obscure Acronym Helped Link AT&T To NSA Spying

Posted by samzenpus on from the following-the-trail dept.

netbuzz writes: Slashdot on Saturday highlighted a story by Pro Publica and the New York Times that used Snowden documents to reveal previously unknown details of the "highly collaborative" relationship between AT&T and the NSA that enabled the latter's controversial Internet surveillance program. An aspect of the story that received only passing mention was how the reporters connected an acronym for an obscure proprietary network configuration – SNRC — to AT&T and the NSA in part through a 1996 story in the now-defunct print version of Network World. In essence, that acronym proved to be a fingerprint confirming the connection — and its match was found thanks to Google Books.

5 of 54 comments (clear)

  1. Obscure Acronym... by asimons04 · · Score: 5, Funny

    You mean NSAT&T?

  2. nobody cares by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    So you have proof, now what ? are there going to be prosecutions ?, assets seized ?, jail ?, fines ?, contracts nullified ?, de-listing from stock exchanges ?

    otherwise the minutia is meaningless if there are zero consequences for the actors involved, you need to start naming names, protesting outside the boards office is laughable, protest outside their own houses ? disseminate their personal details (dox) them ?, oh now you got their attention.

    1. Re: nobody cares by sys64764 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Assasinate just one.
      Play with the others.

    2. Re:nobody cares by PPH · · Score: 5, Informative

      are there going to be prosecutions ?,

      Nope.

      assets seized ?,

      Nope.

      jail ?,

      Nope.

      fines ?,

      Nope.

      contracts nullified ?,

      Nope.

      de-listing from stock exchanges ?

      Nope.

      There's that little matter of the ex post facto telecom immunity law passed back in 2008. Everyone gets off scott free. Even for criminal acts committed before the new law. It'll be a long, hard fight just to get this brought before the Supreme Court and there's no guarantee they will even give a shit about the US Constitution. And only then, can criminal trials commence.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  3. Nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    EFF Sues AT&T Over NSA Wiretapping
    January 31, 2006
    http://yro.slashdot.org/story/06/01/31/2222236/eff-sues-att-over-nsa-wiretapping

    AT&T Forwarding All Internet Traffic to NSA?
    April 07, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/04/07/1246259/att-forwarding-all-internet-traffic-to-nsa

    Under the Hood of AT&T's Monitoring System
    April 09, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/04/09/1657258/under-the-hood-of-atts-monitoring-system

    AT&T Seeks to Hide Spy Docs
    April 13, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/04/13/1218237/att-seeks-to-hide-spy-docs

    NSA Spying Comes Under Attack
    April 28, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/04/28/1830209/nsa-spying-comes-under-attack

    DOJ To Claim National Security in NSA Case
    April 29, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/04/29/040225/doj-to-claim-national-security-in-nsa-case

    The NSA Knows Who You've Called
    May 11, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/05/11/1216245/the-nsa-knows-who-youve-called

    Americans Not Bothered by NSA Spying
    May 12, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/05/12/1334217/americans-not-bothered-by-nsa-spying

    U.S. Government Intervenes in EFF vs. AT&T
    May 13, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/05/13/219216/us-government-intervenes-in-eff-vs-att

    The AT&T Whistleblower's Evidence
    May 18, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/05/18/1626248/the-att-whistleblowers-evidence

    Wired Releases Full Text of AT&T NSA Document
    May 22, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/05/22/132206/wired-releases-full-text-of-att-nsa-document

    Government May Help Bells Defend Against Wiretap Suits
    June 02, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/06/02/1515252/government-may-help-bells-defend-against-wiretap-suits

    NSA Had Domestic Call Monitoring Before 9/11?
    July 02, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/07/02/0659222/nsa-had-domestic-call-monitoring-before-911

    EFF Case Against AT&T To Go Forward
    July 20, 2006
    http://slashdot.org/story/06/07/20/2026250/eff-case-against-att-to-go-forward

    Ex AT&T Tech Says NSA Monitors All Web Traffic
    November 09, 2007
    http://yro.slashdot.org/story/07/11/09/2040206/ex-att-tech-says-nsa-monitors-all-web-traffic

    Despite it all, people rushed to sign up with AT&T so they could get their hands on the iPhone when the iPhone was first released exclusively with AT&T.