Want to know all the code names for America’s massive intelligence gathering programs? Just browse through the “intelligence analysts” who post their resumes on the public career networking site LinkedIn.
ANCHORY, NUCLEON, TRAFFICTHIEF, ARCMAP, SIGNAV, COASTLINE, DISHFIRE, FASTSCOPE, OCTAVE/CONTRAOCTAVE, PINWALE, UTT, WEBCANDID, FASCIA, OCTSKYWARD, INTELINK, METRICS, BANYAN, MARINA … these all sound absolutely terrifying.
American Civil Liberties Union techonologist Christopher Soghoian discovered that the secret programs the Washington Post revealed on June 15 can also be found by searching LinkedIn.
Linkedin profiles of people in Maryland that mention MARINA & NUCLEON have some fun other codenames like TRAFFICTHIEF http://t.co/7DQ5uaJ1BP
— Christopher Soghoian (@csoghoian) June 16, 2013
The profile linked by the ACLU’s Soghoian lists more than two dozen intelligence programs with menacing names in the current techno-creep NSA style. This analyst also says he is responsible for NSA PowerPoint presentations to explain the massive surveillance systems to intelligence management and political leaders: “Prepared topic-specific, detailed presentations for senior leadership using Powerpoint, Word, ZapGrab, ARCMap and SIGNAV.”
Front located many similar lists of current NSA projects on other career and networking sites, including this one on Indeed.com:
Tools Used: Cadence/UTT, Blazing Saddles, Xkeyscore, Marina, Maui/Anchory, Sharkfinn, Agility, Mastershake, Pinwale, UIS, TKB, Target Profiler, Agent Logic, NKB/Foxtrail, Banyan, Bellview, Octskyward, Cineplex, Arcmap, Analyst Notebook/Renoir, Microsft Powerpoint, /Excel, NSLOOKUP, Traceroutes, Whois, Treasuremap, Goldpoint, Nucleon, Octskyward, Goldminer, Roadbed, RT-RG Tool Suite, Tuningfork, Pathfinder, Cloud_ABR, Airgap
In fact, the names of these programs are all over the Internet, including lengthy descriptions of the technology and methodology included within working papers and presentations intended for NSA management. Familiar with “BROOMSTICK”? There are many Top Secret-clearance jobs available!
Here’s the introduction to something called “TEMPEST 101”:
When modern electrical devices operate they generate electromagnetic fields. Digital computers, radio equipment, typewriters and so on generate massive amounts of electromagnetic signals which if properly intercepted and processed will allow certain amounts of information to be reconstructed based on these “compromising emanations”. Basically anything with a microchip, diode, or transistor, gives off these fields.
Compromising emanations are these unintentional intelligence-bearing signals, which, if intercepted and analysed, potentially disclose the national security information, transmitted, received, handled or otherwise processed by any information-processing equipment.
These compromising emanation signals can then escape out of a controlled area by power line conduction, other fortuitous conduction paths such as the air conditioning duct work, or by simply radiating a signal into the air (like a radio station).
An excellent example of these compromising emanations may be found in modems and fax machines which utilise the Rockwell DataPump modem chip sets and several modems made by U.S. Robotics. When these modems operate they generate a very strong electromagnetic field which may be intercepted, demodulated, and monitored with most VHF radios. This is also a very serious problem with many speaker phone systems used in executive conference rooms.
This is also a very serious problem with many fax machines, computer monitors, external disc drives, CD-R drives, scanners, printers, and other high bandwidth or high speed peripherals.
If an eavesdropper is using high quality intercept equipment the signal may be easily acquired several hundred metres or more away from the target.
Relax! Or don’t. It doesn’t really matter. They can see, hear and read whatever you’re seeing, hearing, reading or typing.