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View Full Version : US plan calls for more scanning of private Web traffic, email




sailingaway
03-21-2013, 05:20 PM
The U.S. government is expanding a cybersecurity program that scans Internet traffic headed into and out of defense contractors to include far more of the country's private, civilian-run infrastructure.

As a result, more private sector employees than ever before, including those at big banks, utilities and key transportation companies, will have their emails and Web surfing scanned as a precaution against cyber attacks.

Under last month's White House executive order on cybersecurity, the scans will be driven by classified information provided by U.S. intelligence agencies — including data from the National Security Agency (NSA) — on new or especially serious espionage threats and other hacking attempts. U.S. spy chiefs said on March 12 that cyber attacks have supplanted terrorism as the top threat to the country.

The Department of Homeland Security will gather the secret data and pass it to a small group of telecommunication companies and cyber security providers that have employees holding security clearances, government and industry officials said. Those companies will then offer to process email and other Internet transmissions for critical infrastructure customers that choose to participate in the program.

DHS as the middleman
By using DHS as the middleman, the Obama administration hopes to bring the formidable overseas intelligence-gathering of the NSA closer to ordinary U.S. residents without triggering an outcry from privacy advocates who have long been leery of the spy agency's eavesdropping.

The telecom companies will not report back to the government on what they see, except in aggregate statistics, a senior DHS official said in an interview granted on condition he not be identified.

more: http://www.nbcnews.com/technology/technolog/us-plan-calls-more-scanning-private-web-traffic-email-1C9001922

MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2
03-21-2013, 05:44 PM
I can't say this more simply. THEY ARE ALREADY COLLECTING EVERY FUCKING DATA STREAM POSSIBLE. This is the part where they start seeking permission. They've already done it with this same subject, even.

QueenB4Liberty
03-21-2013, 05:51 PM
Yeah I was going to say, I didn't think this was new.

sailingaway
03-21-2013, 06:33 PM
What is new is their trying to get it approved.

Sola_Fide
03-22-2013, 09:44 AM
This board, the entire internet, is a surveillance state. It's better not to use the internet at all.

Anti Federalist
03-22-2013, 09:49 AM
What is new is their trying to get it approved.

Which they will.

KingNothing
03-22-2013, 09:51 AM
Is it really so hard to get a warrant?

Dr.3D
03-22-2013, 09:57 AM
I guess more people will start using PGP encryption.