More Transparency More Freedom from Obama

[Phatmax]

http://blogs.wsj.com/digits/2010/03/02/“einstein”-program-disclosed-as-us-cyber-shield/?blog_id=100&post_id=11601

We are now ALL BEING TREATED LIKE SUSPECTS.

March 2, 2010, 11:00 PM ET.Details of “Einstein” Cyber Shield Disclosed by White House.By Siobhan Gorman
The Obama administration lifted the veil Tuesday on a highly-secretive set of policies to defend the U.S. from cyber attacks.

It was an open secret that the National Security Agency was bolstering a Homeland Security program to detect and respond to cyber attacks on government systems, but a summary of that program declassified Tuesday provides more details of NSA’s role in a Homeland program known as Einstein.

The current version of the program is widely seen as providing meager protection against attack, but a new version being built will be more robust–largely because it’s rooted in NSA technology. The program is designed to look for indicators of cyber attacks by digging into all Internet communications, including the contents of emails, according to the declassified summary.

Homeland Security will then strip out identifying information and pass along data on new threats to NSA. It will also use threat information from NSA to better identify emerging cyber attacks.

NSA’s role is a careful balance because of the political battles that ensued over the agency’s role in domestic surveillance in the George W. Bush administration. Declassifying details of the NSA’s role, in a program initially developed during the Bush administration and continued in the Obama administration, will likely ignite new debates over privacy.

The White House’s new cyber-security chief, Howard Schmidt, announced the move to declassify the program in a speech at the RSA conference in San Francisco–his first major public address since assuming the post in January. He said addressing potential privacy concerns was one of the ten initial steps he planned to take. “We’re really paying attention, and we get it,” he said.

[wallypiper]

This is a very tough subject. I hate the invasion of privacy and do not trust the government to protect my privacy voluntarily. On the other hand, the country is at terrible risk from coordinated cyber attacks. The threat is very real and some of the scenarios I've read about are pretty terrifying.

[Karl Hungus]

At least the program is being strengthened and declassified. That's an improvement IMO. But I admit that I have less of a problem with it due to the change of administration.

[winmutt]

Nothing new here....

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnivore_%28software%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_Lantern_%28software%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echelon_%28signals_intelligence%29
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NarusInsight

AFAIK its the first time that it has ever been publicly announced.. That would be more transparency.

[Spicoli]

Waiting to hear the liberal spin on this when the prior adminsration listening to the other end of international calls was deemed too intrusive.

[Karl Hungus]

Here's my spin. Cheney did it without telling us. Obama is declassifying it. It's still probably illegal, but we trade privacy for security all the time.

[Phatmax]

Here's my spin. Cheney did it without telling us. Obama is declassifying it. It's still probably illegal, but we trade privacy for security all the time.

Re-read this line: "The current version of the program is widely seen as providing meager protection against attack, but a new version being built will be more robust–largely because it’s rooted in NSA technology"

That means they are making it bigger, stronger and MORE INVASIVE.

As Ben Franklin stated:

Those who would give up Essential Liberty
to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Not only is this purchasing TEMPORARY safety, because in the electonic world, what one man encrypts and protects another will ALWAYS hack and steal. This is a permanent cycle until you actually catch and prosecute the criminals and put them away. Either that or you will have a government "cyber-security agent" assigned to each person using a computer.

The irony is that all these cyber attacks are from outside our borders is just icing on the cake.... We are losing our freedoms and the people responible for the attacks are overseas, acting with impunity.

What we are ACTUALLY looking at is government assumption of guilty rather then innocence. Also, while you may not "have anything to hide" or at least think so... here is a use for it. A bit far-fetched you may think, however...as budgets get ever tighter, the government has to become ever-more "vigilant" about waste. Here is the scenario.

Healthcare passes.

The government has open access to your financial accounts (written into the bill, you can see it).

Healthcare costs become more then the system can handle, so the government must take steps to collect more money to finance their plans.

Behaviors and habits of the citizens must come under scrutiny so "unacceptable" behavior will be taxed or "penalized" for higher costs in the system (even if you NEVER go to a doctor).

Your electronic financial transactions get reviewed for excessive trips to fast food restaurants. / excessive purchases of alcohol,fatty food, sugary food, tobacco.

Your electronic communications and internet habits get scrutinized for discussions about, fast driving, tobacco use, firearms use, "risky behavior" ....skydiving, MOTORCYCLING, etc.

All this can be done by "metrics" in NSA computers and then your "healthplan taxes" can get adjusted accordingly.


This SOUNDS far-fetched, but how many people have Kroger cards? All the items you purchase are recorded. It would not take much for someone to find your account (because it is tied to your phone number/address) and figure out if you eat "too much" ice cream.

We are entering a time of fascism, unlike the world has ever seen. Technology is the key, but WE are the ones allowing it to happen.

Just to be clear, I was unhappy and pissed about these things going on during the Bush administration, so it is not just Obama....HOWEVER, he and Neapolitano are making it worse, not better.

[BUD]

Re-read this line: "The current version of the program is widely seen as providing meager protection against attack, but a new version being built will be more robust–largely because it’s rooted in NSA technology"

That means they are making it bigger, stronger and MORE INVASIVE.

As Ben Franklin stated:

Those who would give up Essential Liberty
to purchase a little Temporary Safety,
deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.

Not only is this purchasing TEMPORARY safety, because in the electonic world, what one man encrypts and protects another will ALWAYS hack and steal. This is a permanent cycle until you actually catch and prosecute the criminals and put them away. Either that or you will have a government "cyber-security agent" assigned to each person using a computer.

The irony is that all these cyber attacks are from outside our borders is just icing on the cake.... We are losing our freedoms and the people responible for the attacks are overseas, acting with impunity.

What we are ACTUALLY looking at is government assumption of guilty rather then innocence. Also, while you may not "have anything to hide" or at least think so... here is a use for it. A bit far-fetched you may think, however...as budgets get ever tighter, the government has to become ever-more "vigilant" about waste. Here is the scenario.

Healthcare passes.

The government has open access to your financial accounts (written into the bill, you can see it).

Healthcare costs become more then the system can handle, so the government must take steps to collect more money to finance their plans.

Behaviors and habits of the citizens must come under scrutiny so "unacceptable" behavior will be taxed or "penalized" for higher costs in the system (even if you NEVER go to a doctor).

Your electronic financial transactions get reviewed for excessive trips to fast food restaurants. / excessive purchases of alcohol,fatty food, sugary food, tobacco.

Your electronic communications and internet habits get scrutinized for discussions about, fast driving, tobacco use, firearms use, "risky behavior" ....skydiving, MOTORCYCLING, etc.

All this can be done by "metrics" in NSA computers and then your "healthplan taxes" can get adjusted accordingly.


This SOUNDS far-fetched, but how many people have Kroger cards? All the items you purchase are recorded. It would not take much for someone to find your account (because it is tied to your phone number/address) and figure out if you eat "too much" ice cream.

We are entering a time of fascism, unlike the world has ever seen. Technology is the key, but WE are the ones allowing it to happen.

Just to be clear, I was unhappy and pissed about these things going on during the Bush administration, so it is not just Obama....HOWEVER, he and Neapolitano are making it worse, not better.:yeathat:

[Ablev1]

Where was your rage when the Patriot Act took effect?

[Dan43]

Where was your rage when the Patriot Act took effect?Mine was out there for all the world to see.:soapbox:

[winmutt]

I made a point of asking the neocons around here about the consequences of W's actions when a Dem came into the office and kept right on expanding. Nobody seemed to care then......

[Phatmax]

Where was your rage when the Patriot Act took effect?

I was pissed back then. I just was not on here at that point.

I always look for the unintended consequences.