XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
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Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#2Nice pre-emptive "attack" by Greenwald today, just before the NSA hearings.
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#3Nice pre-emptive "attack" by Greenwald today, just before the NSA hearings.
I was worried the leaks may have peaked a bit early, but this was very well timed.
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#4This bit both somewhat limits the impact and makes Greenwald et. al.'s claims that most everything is being Hoovered up a lot more credible:
"The XKeyscore system is continuously collecting so much internet data that it can be stored only for short periods of time. Content remains on the system for only three to five days, while metadata is stored for 30 days. One document explains: "At some sites, the amount of data we receive per day (20+ terabytes) can only be stored for as little as 24 hours.""
Of course, as the article goes on to detail, anything that's found to be of interest in that window can be saved permanently, and NSA analysis do that a lot.
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#5Well then they are going to need that big data center. That is an unimaginable amount of data...
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#6Imagine if storage limitations weren't holding back the NSA.
Those 60TB density HAMR[1] drives that are due in 2016 are really going to take invasive to a whole new level.
[1] http://storageeffect.media.seagate.com/files/2012/03/perpham...
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#7I wonder how they store all that. Surely a side benefit of this could be NSA contributions to CS journals about database techniques.
Also I doubt the veracity of the claim that they collect "nearly everything". Wouldn't they show up on, say, Sandvine's Internet traffic reports? I think it's more likely this claim is made simply to generate FUD in the general population.
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#8The Guardian strongly implies this system is used to intentionally target US citizens in violation of the law, but then admits that would be "illegal." I wonder if the leaked presentation touches on this point.
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#9This bit both somewhat limits the impact and makes Greenwald et. al.'s claims that most everything is being Hoovered up a lot more credible: " The XKeyscore system is continuously collecting so much internet data that it can be stored only for short periods of time. Content remains on the system for only three to five days, while metadata is stored for 30 days. One document explains: "At some sites, the amount of dat…
>"To solve this problem, the NSA has created a multi-tiered system that allows analysts to store "interesting" content in other databases, such as one named Pinwale which can store material for up to five years."
It does not describe "interesting". Maybe metadata, encrypted sessions etc? Any conversations in threads linking to these articles?
Re: XKeyscore: NSA program collects 'nearly everything a user does on the internet'
#10That UI looks awfully similar to a theme I've seen used in SharePoint Portal Server. I hope that's not what they use for the front end, but I wouldn't put it past them.