http://www.freerepublic.com/tag/nsa/ en-us Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:33:48 GMT Focus Forum 15 http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416874/posts The official in charge of coordinating the US government’s cyber-security operations has quit, saying the expanding control of the National Security Agency over the nation’s computer security efforts poses “threats to our democratic processes.” “Even from a security standpoint, it is unwise to hand over the security of all government networks to a single organization,” said Rod A. Beckstrom, the head of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cyber Security Center when speaking to United Press International. “If our Founding Fathers were taking part in this debate [about the future organization of the government's cyber-security activities], there is no doubt... The New Media Journal http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2416874/posts#comment Tue, 29 Dec 2009 13:33:48 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389071/posts The National Security Agency has been working with Microsoft Corp. to help improve security measures for its new Windows 7 operating system, a senior NSA official said on Tuesday. The confirmation of the NSA's role, which began during the development of the software, is a sign of the agency's deepening involvement with the private sector when it comes to building defenses against cyberattacks. "Working in partnership with Microsoft and (the Department of Defense), NSA leveraged our unique expertise and operational knowledge of system threats and vulnerabilities to enhance Microsoft's operating system security guide without constraining the user's ability to perform... NPR http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2389071/posts#comment Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:33:06 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376869/posts The National Security Agency, whose job it is to protect national security systems, will soon break ground on a data center in Utah that's budgeted to cost $1.5 billion. The NSA is building the facility to provide intelligence and warnings related to cybersecurity threats, cybersecurity support to defense and civilian agency networks, and technical assistance to the Department of Homeland Security, according to a transcript of remarks by Glenn Gaffney, deputy director of national intelligence for collection, who is responsible for oversight of cyber intelligence activities in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. "Our country must continue to... Information Week http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2376869/posts#comment Mon, 2 Nov 2009 21:56:50 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2376245/posts There’s an interesting article in the current New York Review of books (predictably, a book review) detailing the history of the National Security Agency, that shadowy power-behind-the-power to which we surrender much of our privacy. That in itself is interesting, but I found the introduction a bit shocking: the NSA is constructing a datacenter in the Utah desert that they project will be storing yottabytes of surveillance data. And what is a yottabyte? I’m glad you asked. There are a thousand gigabytes in a terabyte, a thousand terabytes in a petabyte, a thousand petabytes in an exabyte, a thousand exabytes... Crunchgear http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2376245/posts#comment Mon, 2 Nov 2009 03:06:31 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369659/posts One of the worst-kept secrets in Utah was made official Friday with the announcement that Camp Williams will be the site of a new national cybersecurity data center. The site beat out 37 others nationwide for a $1.5 billion project that will employ as many as 10,000 workers during construction and between 100 and 200 once it becomes operational in two years. Deseret News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2369659/posts#comment Fri, 23 Oct 2009 23:41:38 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2355443/posts America's National Security Adviser Jim Jones over the weekend gave a pass to Iran, dismissing concerns that the regime had a nuclear arms program that was dangerously close to success. He stood by the 2007 National Intelligence Estimate that was widely criticized as being grievously flawed when it stated that Iran did not have a nuclear weapons program. That report was discredited two years ago but apparently Jones has his finger to the wind and changed his mind to suit his political patrons. But this shifting to suit politicians is par for the course for him -- he has also done... American Thinker http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2355443/posts#comment Mon, 5 Oct 2009 20:57:44 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2353634/posts Quote: 02 October 2009 REGARDING FORUMS The disruption of forums, a study of what is wrong with jihadi forums from the jihadi perspective, and another 'oh allah, the forums are all down' post Sample of the colorful commentary: Posted on 02 October 2009 @ 13:06 INTERNET-HAGANAH.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2353634/posts#comment Fri, 2 Oct 2009 18:59:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2328777/posts Mike Daugherty asked his 11-year-old son Logan what he wanted for his birthday. The boy said, "I want a cannon." Dad didn't scoff at Logan's request by saying, "How about a hippopotamus instead," as a Christmas song from another era lamented. No, Daugherty is not that kind of guy. He granted his son's wish and built him a Civil War-era cannon not a model, the real deal. The howitzer fires and rivals anything seen at Civil War reenactments across the country. He said it took him about two weeks to build and is worth about $6,000. "It looks like something... Charleston Daily Mail http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2328777/posts#comment Mon, 31 Aug 2009 19:09:21 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2289544/posts They're expanding: The years-in-the-making project, which may cost billions over time, got a $181 million start last week when President Obama signed a war spending bill in which Congress agreed to pay for primary construction, power access and security infrastructure. The enormous building, which will have a footprint about three times the size of the Utah State Capitol building, will be constructed on a 200-acre site near the Utah National Guard facility's runway. Congressional records show that initial construction -- which may begin this year -- will include tens of millions in electrical work and utility construction, a $9.3 million... Schneier on Security http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2289544/posts#comment Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:59:49 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2288300/posts "Cybersecurity Plan to Involve NSA, Telecoms DHS Officials Debating The Privacy Implications" SNIPPET: "The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials. President Obama said in May that government efforts to protect computer systems from attack would not involve "monitoring private-sector networks or Internet traffic," and Department of Homeland Security officials say the new program will scrutinize only data going to or from government systems." WASHINGTON POST.com http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2288300/posts#comment Wed, 8 Jul 2009 20:20:18 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286870/posts The United States’ National Security Agency (NSA) is planning on spending around $1.8 billion to build itself a new, million square foot data center in Fort Williams, Utah, according to a document on military construction for 2009. This branching out is largely due to the fact that the NSA’s power bill is too much, so the move is in hopes of doing the same work in a place where electricity is cheaper. The initial infrastructure is for 65MW of power distribution, but it seems that the ultimate plan is to build a 5.8 million square foot “campus” at its current... Techgeist http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2286870/posts#comment Mon, 6 Jul 2009 23:36:22 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2285996/posts The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials. — “We absolutely intend to use the technical resources, the substantial ones, that NSA has. But . . . they will be guided, led and in a sense directed by the people we have at the Department of Homeland Security,” the department’s secretary, Janet Napolitano, told reporters in a discussion about cybersecurity efforts. … The program is the most controversial element of... LuckyBogey's Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2285996/posts#comment Sun, 5 Jul 2009 17:29:14 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284544/posts Psst: The super-secretive National Security Agency is about to build a huge, $1.9 billion data center at Camp Williams, Utah, to help spy on communications worldwide. The planned work there is so sensitive and classified that Utah's congressional delegation is declining to talk about it, saying it doesn't want to accidentally step over any lines about what can and cannot be disclosed. They referred inquiries to the NSA, which provided only a brief statement confirming the center is coming to Utah. Deseret News [Salt Lake, UT] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2284544/posts#comment Fri, 3 Jul 2009 01:24:02 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275830/posts (WSWS) -- Several current and former agents within the National Security Agency (NSA), speaking on condition of anonymity, have told the New York Times that the spy agency likely monitors millions of e-mail communications and telephone calls made by Americans. The new revelations follow the disclosure in April that the NSA’s monitoring of domestic e-mail traffic broke the law in 2008 and 2009. Last year, Congress passed legislation providing the NSA greater latitude to spy on the communications of Americans, so long as it resulted inadvertently from the agency’s efforts to spy on foreigners or those it “reasonably believed” to... Intelligence Daily http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2275830/posts#comment Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:25:08 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2270497/posts I am picking up the vibe that some powerful people want to have Defense Secretary Robert Gates move over to the White House to replace retired Marine Gen. James Jones as national security advisor. Maybe this is the reason Gates made pro-Jones comments to Washington Post columnist David Ignatius the other day. "I think of Jim as the glue that holds this team together," Gates said. Foreign Policy http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2270497/posts#comment Fri, 12 Jun 2009 17:01:20 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256759/posts As a cyber space race looms, the military is looking for a few good geeks. High school hackers, crackers and digital deviants: Uncle Sam wants you. As part of a government information security review released as early as Friday, White House interim cybersecurity chief Melissa Hathaway likely will mention a new military-funded program aimed at leveraging an untapped resource: the U.S.' population of geeky high school and college students. The so-called Cyber Challenge, which will be officially announced later this month, will create three new national competitions for high school and college students intended to foster a young generation of... Forbes http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2256759/posts#comment Sat, 23 May 2009 05:35:55 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244610/posts The head of America's National Security Agency says that America needs to build a digital warfare force for the future, according to reports. Lt Gen Keith Alexander, who also heads the Pentagon's new Cyber Command, outlined his views in a report for the House Armed Services subcommittee. In it, he stated that the US needed to reorganise its offensive and defensive cyber operations. The general also said more resources and training were needed. The report, part of which was outlined in an Associated Press news agency story, is due to be presented to the subcommittee on Tuesday. During the past... BBC News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244610/posts#comment Tue, 5 May 2009 16:56:39 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244579/posts April was a cruel month indeed for new Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano. The weeks before the Swine Flu outbreak found her stumbling through reporters’ questions about a DHS threat assessment memo on “Rightwing Extremism.” That memo urged law enforcers nationwide to monitor the allegedly gathering danger from Rightist radicals, including pro-lifers, immigration opponents, and those who reject “federal authority in favor of state and local authority.” Was this a sinister conspiracy by an administration full of Chard-sipping arugula eaters determined to spy on Red-State patriots? That‘s quite unlikely: The memo was commissioned during the Bush administration, as was a... The Washington Examiner http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2244579/posts#comment Tue, 5 May 2009 16:19:37 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239375/posts "I knew it! The NSA was not the agency tapping Rep. Jane Harman's calls" "The NSA story never made any sense." "The only other agency that has authority to place wiretaps on calls inside the United States is the Justice Department. It requires court approval." American Thinker Blog http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2239375/posts#comment Tue, 28 Apr 2009 07:08:28 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2235355/posts Pelosi Knew About Harman Wiretap By Tory Newmyer Roll Call Staff April 22, 2009, 1:50 p.m. Pelosi Knew About Harman Wiretap Report on Detainees Raises New Questions for Obama Hoyer Voices Concern Over Wiretapping of Members Democratic Senate Women to Headline Event for Gillibrand NAFCU Board Votes to Publicly Oppose Cram-Down The National Security Agency briefed Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “a few years ago” that they had wiretapped Rep. Jane Harman (D-Calif.), Pelosi revealed Wednesday. But Pelosi said she was not told what federal eavesdroppers picked up on the call — and never alerted Harman to it. “It was not... Roll Call http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2235355/posts#comment Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:50:29 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2234010/posts >Harman Vehemently Denies Bribery Allegations Allegedly Caught on NSA Tapes [California Democratic Congresswoman] Jane Harman says she never offered to help a "suspected Israeli agent" in exchange for the agent lobbying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a key chairmanship for Harman. [California Democratic Congresswoman] Jane Harman vehemently denied on Monday allegations published in a congressional magazine that she had offered to help a "suspected Israeli agent" seek reduced charges for two men accused of espionage in exchange for the agent lobbying House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for a key chairmanship for Harman. ,,, Harman, a California Democrat, was overlooked by Pelosi... Fox News http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2234010/posts#comment Tue, 21 Apr 2009 04:03:45 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2233870/posts COVERT RADIO SHOW.com http://covertradioshow.com Covert Radio Show: "The Daily Blast" http://covertradioshow.com/podcast.cfm?pid=176 "Here it is, we cover everything from Barack Obamachev (Ny Times called him that) to the Waterboarding of KSM...its a sizzler!" (April 20, 2009) COVERT RADIO SHOW: The Daily Blast http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/2233870/posts#comment Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:27:54 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2233370/posts Report: Jane Harman recorded vowing take action for AIPAC on wiretap @ 9:33 am by Jeremy P. Jacobs Congresswoman Jane Harman was recorded on a NSA wiretapped conversation agreeing to work to downgrade espionage charges against two officials of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee in return for help securing the chairmanship of the House Intelligence Committee, according to Jeff Stein's anonymously sourced column in Congressional Quarterly. Harman, a California Democrat, was allegedly recorded in a conversation with a suspected Israeli agent. The conversation reportedly took place before the 2006 election, when Democrats seized control of the chamber and, therefore,... The Hill http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2233370/posts#comment Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:57:25 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2232066/posts The Obama administration suffered a bit of a legal setback this afternoon: a federal judge in California rejected the administration's assertion of the state secrets privilege in the civil suit brought by an Islamic charity that was allegedly subjected to illegal NSA surveillance... The Atlantic http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2232066/posts#comment Sat, 18 Apr 2009 05:19:27 GMT http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2230661/posts I have been reading the many different articles today on the NSA's eavesdropping activity. It's appalling, to me, that the occupier of the White House would allow such a practice to continue, especially after campaigning on the promise of: No warrantless wiretaps if you elect me!" Now, since being elected, by hiding his Birth Certificate and lying in nearly everything he promised, he proves himself the Socialist and liar that he truly is. 0bama has steadfastly defended President Bush's wiretapping program, and, in fact, 0bama has increased the wiretaps! All the while staking claim to his own brand new... Various http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2230661/posts#comment Thu, 16 Apr 2009 15:43:52 GMT