It's Time To Split Up NSA Between Spooks and Geeks 122
Hugh Pickens writes "Noah Shachtman writes in Wired that most of us know the National Security Agency as the supersecret spook shop that allegedly slurped up our email and phone calls after the September 11 attacks, but not so many know that the NSA is actually home to two different agencies under one roof: the signals-intelligence directorate, who can tap into any electronic communication, and the information-assurance directorate, the cybersecurity nerds who make sure our government's computers and telecommunications systems are hacker- and eavesdropper-free. 'The problem is, their goals are often in opposition,' writes Shachtman. 'One team wants to exploit software holes; the other wants to repair them.' Users want to know that Google is safeguarding their data and privacy. The trouble is that when Google calls the NSA, everyone watching sees it as a package deal. Google wants geeks, but it runs the risk of getting spies, too."
The NSA practices equal opportunities (Score:1, Funny)
Hats of all colors welcome!
Re:Of course (Score:5, Funny)
Re:They already did, and it made things worse (Score:2, Funny)
The "geeks and spies" division in the article is bogus. NSA is all geeks. (Mostly the middle-aged federal employee version thereof.) It's buildings full of people working at desks. There are no "NSA agents". The spies and the guys with guns are at CIA, FBI, DIA, and in the intelligence units of the armed services.
This. I always get a laugh out of people saying "NSA agents"... the classic example was from Sneakers and the "NSA Agents" that were pursuing the decryption box. The only "Agents" that work for the NSA are internal types that manage polygraphs and security clearances. The rest of the people are geeks/nerds... well, actually managers and geeks/nerds. I remember an old joke floating around about the NSA: If the NSA ran a rowing crew it would have 7 people calling out "stroke" (managers) and 1 guy actually rowing (geek/nerd).
Re:Two sides of the same coin (Score:1, Funny)
Yeah, take a good long look at SELinux. You'll find it everywhere - after all, it's been distributed for a decade now! And in the past ten years, they've gone on to... ?
In terms of improving overall American cybersecurity, SELinux has proven marginally more effective than sticking your dick in a toaster.
Let's face it - expecting the NSA to highlight security flaws in commonly deployed software is like expecting a magician to explain his tricks to the audience before he does them.
If the NSA handles SIGINT, who handles SIGTERM? (Score:2, Funny)
And how about SIGHUP?
Re:Why does Google need to 'partner' with the NSA? (Score:3, Funny)
Amerika! Amerika ist wunderbar!
Amerikahu akbar!
Re:If the NSA handles SIGINT, who handles SIGTERM? (Score:5, Funny)
SIGSTOP is handled by KAOS.
SIGCONT is handled by CONTROL.
SIGHUP? It's handl#`%${NO CARRIER