Domestic Spying Program Could Aid Terrorists, Experts Say
A new article written by six experts from Sun Microsystems, Columbia University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania and California-based research giant SRI International have stated that George Bush's domestic spying programme could actually be an aid for terrorists were it ever to be hacked.
The data centers for the classified program are reportedly housed in "secure" rooms within telecommunications hubs around the country, and connect to operations buried within the NSA's highly classified facilities. But judging by past breaches, the authors conclude this system could be compromised also – from within or outside.
In 2004, hackers cracked a wiretapping function on a Greek national cell phone network. For 10 months, they intercepted conversations by the country's prime minister and its ministers of defense, foreign affairs and justice, and roughly 100 other officials and parliament members, the authors note. The hackers were never caught.
"Although the NSA has extensive experience in building surveillance systems, that does not mean things cannot go wrong," the authors state. "When you build a system to spy on yourself, you entail an awesome risk."
The NSA have, unsurprisingly, refused to comment on this story. However, the authors of the article have also spoken of the dangers insiders exploiting the system:
Just as dangerous is the possibility that an insider could access the system undetected, according to the experts. Poorly-designed surveillance technology used by the FBI relies on a "primitive" system to track people who use the operation to wiretap phone conversations, the authors say, creating what they call a "real risk" of an insider attack.
They note that convicted spy Robert Hanssen, one of the most destructive moles in the bureau's history, exploited similar weaknesses to steal information and follow the investigation into himself on FBI computers without leaving a trail.
In Britain the governments inability to carefully look after it's own data has been much in the headlines recently after HM Revenue & Customs lost two discs containing the personal information of 25 million people. The estimated worth of these discs for people seeking to engage in identity theft has been estimated at £3.12 billion.
Indeed, there are many of us who think that Gordon Brown is going to have to shelve his plans for all Brits to carry identity cards because public confidence has been so dented in the governments ability to safeguard some of the information it stores.
The Bush White House and it's supporters argue that this information is a "vital tool" in the war on terror but, because they are being so secretive about the programme, none of us really know just what it is that they are collecting.
And the safeguarding of all of this information is being left in the hands of a White House that managed to lose up to five million of it's own emails.
Under these circumstances, I would say that the authors of this article are raising a valid concern.
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