Saturday, March 27, 2010
Friday, August 7, 2009
Thursday, July 2, 2009
NSA's Internet surveillance program builds up
The new NSA Citizen Data Warehouse System (CDWS) in San Antonio
It takes a lot of electricity to spy on Americans. Will the NSA need to buy carbon credits as a major 'polluter?' Or better yet, save the coal, just shut down the NSA.
NSA To Build 1 million-square-foot Data Center In UtahUS Internet users fear that the US National Security Agency is going to conduct fishnet-type surveillance without any predicate, says investigative journalist and RT contributor Wayne Madsen from Washington D.C.
Hoping to protect its top-secret operations by decentralizing its massive computer hubs, the National Security Agency will build a 1-million-square-foot data center at Utah's Camp Williams.
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 vehicle inspection facility, and $6.8 million in perimeter security fencing. The budget also allots $6.5 million for the relocation of an existing access road, communications building and training area.
Officials familiar with the project say it may bring as many as 1,200 high-tech jobs to Camp Williams, which borders Salt Lake, Utah and Tooele counties.
It will also require at least 65 megawatts of power -- about the same amount used by every home in Salt Lake City combined. A separate power substation will have to be built at Camp Williams to sustain that demand, said Col. Scott Olson, the Utah National Guard's legislative liaison.
He noted that there were two significant power corridors that ran though Camp Williams -- a chief factor in the NSA's desire to build there.
The NSA bills itself as the home of America's codemakers and codebreakers, but the Department of Defense agency is perhaps better known for its signals intelligence program, which is reported to have the capacity to tap into a significant amount of the world's communications. The agency also has been the subject of significant criticism by civil libertarians, who have accused it of unwarranted monitoring of the communications of U.S. citizens.
The NSA's heavily automated computerized operations have for years been based at Fort Meade, Maryland, but the agency began looking to decentralize its efforts following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.
Propelling that desire was the insatiable energy appetite of the agency's computers. In 2006, the Baltimore Sun reported that the NSA -- Baltimore Gas & Electric's biggest customer -- had maxed out the local grid and could not bring online several supercomputers it needed to expand its operations.
About the same time, NSA officials, who have a long-standing relationship with Utah based on the state Guard's unique linguist units, approached state officials about finding land in the state on which to build an additional data center.
Olson said NSA officials also seemed drawn to Utah's increasing reputation as a center of technical industry and the area's more traditional role as a transportation hub.
"They were looking at secure sites, where there could be a natural nexus between organizations and where space was available," he said. "The stars just kind of came into alignment. We could provide them everything they need."
The agency is building a similar center in San Antonio at the site of a former Sony microchip plant.
Sen. Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, refused to answer questions about the project. Officials from Hatch's office said they were not at liberty to discuss a classified matter, though it is referenced in several public documents and has been spoken about openly by state officials for the past week.
NSA officials also declined to comment immediately on the project, but pledged to answer questions later this week. {source}
July 2, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
"Cyber Czar" - To Protect You From Harm
But obviously not sober enough to pass up on a new 'czar.' This time an internet security head with 'powers' yet unknown. For the Looming Cybersecurity Emergency Reaction that may be soon needed?
Who might lead this charge against the hackers?
US Cyber Czar frontrunners revealed
Melissa Hathaway, Rod Beckstrom and Paul Kurtz are the front runners in the race to be the US government’s first ‘Cyber Czar’. So tips Don Adams, the Palo Alto-based Chief Technology Officer, Worldwide, Public Sector for tech giant Tibco.
The Obama administration’s information security chief (a job title has yet to be confirmed) will be tasked to protect the nation’s government-run and private computer networks. He or she will report directly to the President, and possibly to the economic and national security departments.
Melissa Hathaway is the interim White House Cyber Security Adviser and a former intelligence official. Rod Beckstrom served as the former director of the National Cybersecurity Center (NCSC) at the US Department of Homeland Security. Paul Kurtz is the former Senior Director for National Security of the Office of Cyberspace Security in the White House’s National Security Council (NSC). {more}
Everyone hates the criminal hackers, scammers, virus and malware spreaders but is this the reason to put the ability to shut down the internet into the hands of the few.
No, the ultimate use would be to keep information, except from government sanctioned sources, from being spread in case of a national 'emergency.'
Like maybe a false flag attack used to manipulate the population into fear and insecurity. We can't have truthful information and discussion get in the way of new wars and enslavement, now can we. The internet without censorship is a threat to those in power and the lies they tell.
From Michael Gaddy:
Three incidents that created enormous fear of the boogeyman du jour were the Oklahoma City Bombing, TWA 800, and of course, 9/11. I will not discuss the issue of whether the government was involved in either of the above, but there is credible evidence here, here, and here that the government’s version of the events are highly suspect and certainly would not hold up under the scrutiny of a totally independent (non-governmental) investigation.
Many believe the government incapable of conducting, or being involved in, any false-flag operation involving the possible deaths of American citizens. I offer as exhibit (A) Operation Northwoods, and Exhibit (B) evidence from the 1993 WTC bombing.
The state has one powerful tool at its disposal to control the masses: fear. A minority can control and enslave a majority only as long as the majority fears the minority. The state will do whatever it takes to maintain that control. The state lied about the circumstances of the attack on Pearl Harbor; they lied about the Gulf of Tonkin incident; they lied about the Oklahoma City bombing; they lied about TWA 800; they lied about Ruby Ridge; they lied about Waco and they lied about 9/11. The very essence of government is fear and the lie.
There will be another event such as those mentioned above when the state feels it is beginning to loose control of Boobus, it needs the premise for a new war, or reason to expand the ones it now has. When it happens, will you run their lies up the flagpole, or demand the truth, refute the lies, and expose the liars? {more}
