[AusNOG] Commsday: New NSA training deck reveals servers in ANZ

[Skeeve Stevens]

Hey all,

I haven't seen any discussion on AUSNOG/NZNOG about the details revealed in
the XKeyscore presentation (
http://www.theguardian.com/world/interactive/2013/jul/31/nsa-xkeyscore-program-full-presentation
).

If, as expected, more revelations and details emerge, then there might be
ISPs and carriers in the ANZ region who are complicit in assisting in this
programme...

In Australia I am expecting the Internet Society in Australia, the
Australian Privacy Foundation, the EFA, and others to be having something
to say about this.

This is from 2008... I'd hate to think to what extent their capabilities
are now.

Discussion? ;-)

-----

New NSA training deck reveals servers in ANZ

A NSA presentation newly leaked by former government employee Edward
Snowden detailing a global online surveillance system clearly shows
infrastructure inside the borders of Australia and New Zealand. According
to a map shown in the 2008 training presentation on a program called
XKeyscore, there are at least four surveillance nodes in Australia and at
least one in New Zealand.

 The actual map does not specify the exact location of the nodes, but they
roughly correspond to coordinates near Darwin, Perth, Sydney, and Alice
Springs.

The document also explicitly names Australia and New Zealand, along with
Canada and Great Britain in its footnotes although their exact roles
remained unclear. At the time the presentation was created, XKeyscore
covered “approximately 150 sites” and operated “over 700 servers.”

According to the presentation, XKeyscore used the servers to gather data on
internet activity by users. The data is then catalogued by different
variables, including phone numbers, email addresses, log ins and user
activity through the use of metadata tables. Once indexed, the information
is searchable by NSA operatives via different parameters, such as
geography, encryption, language, and even web searches, the material
asserted.

The author of the presentation said XKeyscore has led to the arrest of 300
terrorists. But Australia’s Pirate Party, which has put forth two
candidates for Senate in Queensland and New South Wales, warns the
revelation could have far wider implications for Australians.

“The implications of all these revelations are troubling and it should
concern all Australians that Australian spy agencies may be using US
surveillance programs and information-sharing agreements to bypass local
restrictions and safeguards,” the Pirate Party said in a release. “As
Australians, the US agencies see us as ‘foreign’ and thus not even the
minimal safeguards that apply to US citizens would apply to Australians
under these programs.” Tony Chan

-----


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...Skeeve

*Skeeve Stevens - *eintellego Networks Pty Ltd
skeeve at eintellegonetworks.com ; www.eintellegonetworks.com

Phone: 1300 239 038; Cell +61 (0)414 753 383 ; skype://skeeve

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