Retired NSA Technical Director Explains Snowden Docs
October 4, 2014 4:57 AM Subscribe
"I had an opportunity to attend a presentation by retired NSA technical director, William Binney, which provided context for some of the published documents released by former NSA contractor, Edward Snowden. Because of the public value of Binney's expertise on the subject, I decided to publish his presentation and comments on my website." Via Bruce Schneier. (Previously: We Are Watching; Not My Department.)
One caveat: as Schneier mentions in his blog, William Binney was an NSA employee, but did not hold the position of technical director.
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:57 AM on October 4, 2014
posted by Smart Dalek at 5:57 AM on October 4, 2014
Also recent: The NSA and Me, by James Bamford
posted by indubitable at 8:00 AM on October 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by indubitable at 8:00 AM on October 4, 2014 [2 favorites]
For a good idea of who Binney is, I recommend his H2K talk from two years ago. It's a decent summary of the history of the current internet sigint system: how we got to where we are.
posted by clarknova at 8:07 AM on October 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
posted by clarknova at 8:07 AM on October 4, 2014 [4 favorites]
Used to be:
NSA type of activities restricted to calls (phone...no computers back then) going out of the country or coming into the country.
FBI: investigated certain crimes taking place within the nation but not outside the nation.
CIA: operated only outside the country as restricted by law.
Now? every agency operates all over the place and does pretty much whatever it decides needs doing.
posted by Postroad at 9:28 AM on October 4, 2014
NSA type of activities restricted to calls (phone...no computers back then) going out of the country or coming into the country.
FBI: investigated certain crimes taking place within the nation but not outside the nation.
CIA: operated only outside the country as restricted by law.
Now? every agency operates all over the place and does pretty much whatever it decides needs doing.
posted by Postroad at 9:28 AM on October 4, 2014
This is going to be fun for my students. Thanks for the link.
posted by jadepearl at 9:57 AM on October 4, 2014
posted by jadepearl at 9:57 AM on October 4, 2014
USA! USA! USA! Because Im now afraid to have any other opinion then blind faith in my liege lords.
Except that since I clicked that link now Im on the list of people up against the wall when martial law goes into effect. The very existence of these systems make it virtually impossible for there to be a peaceful democratic way of dismantling the systems. Violent revolution now or the Orwellian police state seam like our only two options, and the american people as a whole are to fat and happily ignorant to ever get away from netflix and take action.
I am afraid of the future.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 10:34 AM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Except that since I clicked that link now Im on the list of people up against the wall when martial law goes into effect. The very existence of these systems make it virtually impossible for there to be a peaceful democratic way of dismantling the systems. Violent revolution now or the Orwellian police state seam like our only two options, and the american people as a whole are to fat and happily ignorant to ever get away from netflix and take action.
I am afraid of the future.
posted by KeSetAffinityThread at 10:34 AM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
Used to be:
NSA type of activities restricted to calls (phone...no computers back then) going out of the country or coming into the country.
FBI: investigated certain crimes taking place within the nation but not outside the nation.
CIA: operated only outside the country as restricted by law.
"Used to be"? When? Have you heard of the Church Committee? The NSA has almost certainly been eavesdropping domestically since it was created. You are fond of a past that never existed.
posted by indubitable at 11:37 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
NSA type of activities restricted to calls (phone...no computers back then) going out of the country or coming into the country.
FBI: investigated certain crimes taking place within the nation but not outside the nation.
CIA: operated only outside the country as restricted by law.
"Used to be"? When? Have you heard of the Church Committee? The NSA has almost certainly been eavesdropping domestically since it was created. You are fond of a past that never existed.
posted by indubitable at 11:37 AM on October 4, 2014 [3 favorites]
Interesting post. Thanks for making it.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:38 AM on October 4, 2014
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 11:38 AM on October 4, 2014
Anyone who thinks the NSA is doing anything but what is in the best interests of American democracy is obviously a traitor. My previous comments notwithstanding...ahem...so we're good now, right NSA?
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 12:24 PM on October 4, 2014
posted by AElfwine Evenstar at 12:24 PM on October 4, 2014
It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall when Google discovered their private data center-to-data center fiber links were being tapped.
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 1:12 PM on October 4, 2014
posted by CheeseDigestsAll at 1:12 PM on October 4, 2014
Smart Dalek, an update from Bruce Schneier: "EDITED TO ADD (10/4): Apologies to Binney for downgrading his role at the NSA. He was not the technical director of the NSA, which is what I was thinking of, but he was a technical director at the NSA:
"In '97, I became the technical director of the geopolitical -- military geopolitical analysis and reporting shop for the world, which was about 6,000 people," Binney told Frontline.
Whatever the case, he does know what he's talking about when he talks about NSA surveillance."
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:09 PM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
"In '97, I became the technical director of the geopolitical -- military geopolitical analysis and reporting shop for the world, which was about 6,000 people," Binney told Frontline.
Whatever the case, he does know what he's talking about when he talks about NSA surveillance."
posted by MonkeyToes at 3:09 PM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
CheeseDigestsAll: It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall when Google discovered their private data center-to-data center fiber links were being tapped.
You can see German network engineers' reaction to similar news. I assume they were similarly outraged.
posted by LanTao at 5:31 PM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
You can see German network engineers' reaction to similar news. I assume they were similarly outraged.
posted by LanTao at 5:31 PM on October 4, 2014 [1 favorite]
It would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall when Google discovered their private data center-to-data center fiber links were being tapped.
That was a revelation for many companies. In general, it seems like people are starting to take the attitude that there's no such thing as a trusted network. Even within data centers, everything will be encrypted. This is probably the best thing to come out of the Snowden leaks.
posted by heathkit at 10:18 PM on October 4, 2014
That was a revelation for many companies. In general, it seems like people are starting to take the attitude that there's no such thing as a trusted network. Even within data centers, everything will be encrypted. This is probably the best thing to come out of the Snowden leaks.
posted by heathkit at 10:18 PM on October 4, 2014
You should all help annoy them by using off-the-record messaging via Jitsi, Adium, etc. and occasionally using the Tor Browser Bundle.
posted by jeffburdges at 9:32 PM on October 6, 2014
posted by jeffburdges at 9:32 PM on October 6, 2014
Tim Berners-Lee calls for internet bill of rights to ensure greater privacy
posted by jeffburdges at 11:26 PM on October 7, 2014
posted by jeffburdges at 11:26 PM on October 7, 2014
Apparently the NSA feels national security includes hiding insider trading by Keith Alexander
posted by jeffburdges at 8:59 PM on October 10, 2014
posted by jeffburdges at 8:59 PM on October 10, 2014
Core Secrets: NSA Saboteurs in China and Germany
posted by homunculus at 10:40 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by homunculus at 10:40 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Second leaker in US intelligence, says Glenn Greenwald: Citizenfour, new film on spying whistleblower Edward Snowden, shows journalist Greenwald discussing other source
The Snowden documentary shows that only government transparency can stop leaks: Edward Snowden’s leaks are not isolated incidents – or, at least they won’t be when we look back on this era 10 years from now
posted by homunculus at 10:50 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
The Snowden documentary shows that only government transparency can stop leaks: Edward Snowden’s leaks are not isolated incidents – or, at least they won’t be when we look back on this era 10 years from now
posted by homunculus at 10:50 AM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
Or maybe it's not just one new whistleblower leaking information? Or maybe it's actually a super insidious virus left by Snowden inside their network. So their only way to be sure is to build all new networks. <giggle>
posted by jeffburdges at 11:45 AM on October 12, 2014
posted by jeffburdges at 11:45 AM on October 12, 2014
NSA: Even the Secrets We Tell You Are Too Secret For You To Know About
posted by homunculus at 12:59 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by homunculus at 12:59 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
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posted by Sticherbeast at 5:04 AM on October 4, 2014 [2 favorites]