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The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

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Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#2
So with all the attention (advertisement/panic) the NSA has generated, the CIA wants a cut of the cake for themselves?

That whole agency disco in the US is so confusing that I have the feeling this has to be the plan all the way or it's some kind of old cold war virus spawning divisions and agencies. Don't they all overlap? Is there enough reality for all of them to spy on?

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#3
post #2

So with all the attention (advertisement/panic) the NSA has generated, the CIA wants a cut of the cake for themselves? That whole agency disco in the US is so confusing that I have the feeling this has to be the plan all the way or it's some kind of old cold war virus spawning divisions and agencies. Don't they all overlap? Is there enough reality for all of them to spy on?

The NSA is primarily charged with Signals Intelligence, Where as the CIA is Human Intelligence. So it's actually a pretty clear line. They also have their own security clearance process (though they tend to recognize each others in join work).

The Department of Homeland security is a bit different, they're charged with domestic operations and support (TSA).

The FBI is a Domestic Detective agency for lack of a better description. They're charged with being the Federal investigative force vs relying on varying state and city groups.

So yes, theres plenty for all of them to spy on / work on. Each have their own laws and limitations. That's why they're incestuous and work together on many projects.

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#4
post #2

So with all the attention (advertisement/panic) the NSA has generated, the CIA wants a cut of the cake for themselves? That whole agency disco in the US is so confusing that I have the feeling this has to be the plan all the way or it's some kind of old cold war virus spawning divisions and agencies. Don't they all overlap? Is there enough reality for all of them to spy on?

It's partially intentional and partially a holdover from Cold War strategies.

Our own military and government barely know what the hell is going on within its own circles, there is absolutely no chance someone will be able to make sense of what is important and relevant. It's essentially a strategy of overwhelming with force and noise signal.

As the economic and global power we had been over the American Century we were able to play fast and loose and wild, whether our strategy will still work in this new century is a different story though. It may very well still work, it may very well lead to our demise. The only thing going for us is that there does not seem to be any alternative power and authority that is any less shitty than ours; whether that is due to natural factors of by CIA sabotage is a different story. Are we really all going to support China's or Russia's supplanting of American power in the world? It's not a good choice, but as horrible as we are, I'll go with the less bad over the worst any time.

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#5
post #2

So with all the attention (advertisement/panic) the NSA has generated, the CIA wants a cut of the cake for themselves? That whole agency disco in the US is so confusing that I have the feeling this has to be the plan all the way or it's some kind of old cold war virus spawning divisions and agencies. Don't they all overlap? Is there enough reality for all of them to spy on?

The NSA is primarily charged with Signals Intelligence, Where as the CIA is Human Intelligence. So it's actually a pretty clear line. They also have their own security clearance process (though they tend to recognize each others in join work). The Department of Homeland security is a bit different, they're charged with domestic operations and support (TSA). The FBI is a Domestic Detective agency for lack of a better…

Add to this list the Secret Service for financial fraud related things (as well as protecting government officials), including credit card fraud, phone fraud (at least in the 80s), and the odd whatever-the-hell-we-feel-like-doing fear-based thing (e.g., Steve Jackson Games).

Rule of thumb: If something contains the word 'Cyber' in it, it's gonna be clueless, bureaucratic and political, and utterly incompetently done.

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#7
post #2

So with all the attention (advertisement/panic) the NSA has generated, the CIA wants a cut of the cake for themselves? That whole agency disco in the US is so confusing that I have the feeling this has to be the plan all the way or it's some kind of old cold war virus spawning divisions and agencies. Don't they all overlap? Is there enough reality for all of them to spy on?

I'm guessing that's exactly what it is. I think some of the Snowden leaks showed NSA already has a bigger budget than CIA and is also growing that budget at a much faster rate. Their budgets probably increase by $10 million for every "cyber" word they say in their presentations to Congress. The CIA wants in on that action.

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#9

> In the wake of last year’s attack by North Korea against Sony Pictures Entertainment and numerous other breaches, the urge to hack back, or at least build up the means to do so when and if needed, has increased. So this is just casually accepted as fact now?

It's sad that Mutually Assured Destruction is the first place they go.

They could get a better understanding of security and enforce, research, and advise standards of protection on consumer data, making everyone in the country better off, or they can "hack back".

I don't really see how knowing what the average Joe in North Korea is Googling is supposed to help when my data is leaking like a sieve, but whatever.

Re: The CIA Says It’s Time to Up Its Cyber Game

#10

> In the wake of last year’s attack by North Korea against Sony Pictures Entertainment and numerous other breaches, the urge to hack back, or at least build up the means to do so when and if needed, has increased. So this is just casually accepted as fact now?

If it is said enough times ;-)
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