LinkedIn Used To Create Database of 27,000 US Intelligence Personnel 82
An anonymous reader writes: A new group, Transparency Toolkit, has mined LinkedIn to reveal and analyze the resumes of over 27,000 people in the U.S. intelligence community. In the process, Transparency Toolkit said it found previously unknown secret codewords and references to surveillance technologies and projects. "'Transparency Toolkit uses open data to watch the watchers and hold the powerful to account,' the group's website says. 'We build free software to collect and analyze open data from a variety of sources. Then we work with investigative journalists and human rights organizations to turn that into useful, actionable knowledge. Currently, our primary focuses are investigating surveillance and human rights abuses.'"
First Post - New Computer Language ? (Score:2)
unknown code words ?
Has a strange new computer language been discovered ?
or just "forth" subroutines !
Go Forth and factor !
Re: (Score:2)
unknown code words ?
How can they tell the difference between a new unknown codeword and a typo? For that matter, is CLOUD SYNERGY a secret program or a marketing term?
(If you want to create the ultimate hiding-in-plain-view secret program, start it with the ACTION ITEM view controller driving ELEVATOR PITCH monitoring devices built on PARADIGM SHIFT technology with STRATEGIC ROLE functionality and optional COMPETITOR STRATEGY and BIG PICTURE modules, all tied together via CRITICAL PATH and CUSTOMER FOCUS software. 50% of peo
Re: (Score:1)
If you have a sizable chunk of 27000 folks misspelling the same exact $THING, then it might just be something that the general public hasn't heard about but is known in the inner circles of these organizations.
Riiight... (Score:4, Funny)
So it's mining for a mix of deliberate misinformation and incompetence?
I mean, couldn't you just get that from Congress?
Re: (Score:2)
Every applicant would face same database search- state and federal, a interview with family, friends depending on the position, contractor, gov, mil.
Historically that could be done as part of the draft or national service 'testing' for math, languages in some countries.
Other nations just had vast university networks to feed in their maths, science, anthropology, language, computer science, psychology
Re: (Score:3)
Just sayin'. Don't those guys know that you don't antagonize the mighty and powerful, especially when they have armies of gun-toting thugs at their disposal, the ability to utterly destroy anyone's life financially, the power to detain anyone for an indefinite amount of time, suspend all of your rights without even needing to tell you why and abosolute immunity for any wrongdoing? And should I mention that they have shown no fear at all about using those powers? And that the vast majority of the populace and the media supports them? There's bravery and there is stupidity. This is just stupidity.
That's what has been said to those intent on change right before every sea-change in government/leadership.
It's a numbers game a government cannot win without first destroying the people's will to resist. If it were a matter of simple firepower, practically no revolution or rebellion from history would ever have succeeded.
Any single individual can hurt, be it ever so slight, an entire government of many thousands (Snowden), but that government of many thousands can only hurt that single individual, and can
Re: (Score:2)
Bottom line, these "intelligence" folks had either the nerve or stupidity to post their super secret clandestine code names then they deserve to be smacked down.
Re: (Score:2)
And if these guys are not subjected to any of the bad consequences you listed would you be willing to reevaluate your arguments?
I recall this technique during the Snowden leaks (Score:2, Insightful)
e.g. you search for one of the tools Snowden refers to, and it leads to CVs with those skills on it, which mentions others:
https://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-miller/39/741/a49
"Skilled in the use of several Intelligence tools and resources: ANCHORY, AMHS, NUCLEON, TRAFFICTHIEF, ARCMAP, SIGNAV, COASTLINE, DISHFIRE, FASTSCOPE, OCTAVE/CONTRAOCTAVE, PINWALE, UTT, WEBCANDID, MICHIGAN, PLUS, ASSOCIATION, MAINWAY, FASCIA, OCTSKYWARD, INTELINK, METRICS, BANYAN, MARINA"
I bet Monster.com would be a real gold mine for
Found the original 2013 article on this: (Score:2, Informative)
http://sploid.gizmodo.com/job-networking-site-linkedin-filled-with-secret-nsa-pro-514057863
Is it better to be visible? (Score:5, Interesting)
When you decide to dedicate part of your life to annoy powerful people who regularly break the law and later become immune to the consequences, at some point you have to decide whether to try to be invisible, risking a mistake that could make you disappear; or trying to be as visible as possible, to make it too cumbersome to dispose of you.
I wonder how does one take that decision.
It's ... (Score:1)
... Lets face it, its still our fucking government, we shouldn't fear them. We should stand up while there is still time ...
Too fukin' late
Re: (Score:1)
Re: (Score:1)
So now we know you prefer a QWERTY keyboard layout...dox are on the way!
Re: (Score:2)
By his chosen name, "djfuq", we also know some other things:
- he's a dj
- he fucks
- he's dyslexic
Our artist is finishing a sketch at this very moment.
Yes (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Yeah, data quality in this seems pretty poor. It looks like the only "useful"/interesting fields are -- no surprise -- the skill and contact lists. Most of these resumes only have matching keywords under skills, and I would guess the only useful thing you can do with the data set is social network analysis. The data is also practically anti-normalized: Most of the fields for a given user are repeated for each position that a person has held, so grepping for things turns up way more hits than it should.
I
Morons (Score:2)
only a moron would include 'Unknown Code Words' and 'references to surveillance technologies and projects' in a resume. Seems to be over 27,000 of them.
Re: (Score:1)
only a moron would include 'Unknown Code Words' and 'references to surveillance technologies and projects' in a resume. Seems to be over 27,000 of them.
Which part of "intelligence community" don't you understand? :-)
Was this used at DEF CON? (Score:3)
Were LinkedIn profiles used in the little games of Spot The Fed at DEF CON? Seems that if you could tie someone to their profile, you could determine a lot more about them than they're actually willing to tell you directly.
Now do the same for Russian & NK? (Score:1, Insightful)
Or maybe draw up a list of Islamic militants and post it. Oh, they won't? Why is that then? A bit scared of what might happen? Boo hoo.
Typical 21st century armchair warriors, pick on easy targets and make it look like you're a hero Sticking It To The Man when you know you're really living in a comfy democracy where nothing particularly bad is going to happen to you. Try doing the same in various other countries around the world and see how long it is before someone kicks down your door at 3am and your famil
Re: (Score:2, Insightful)
Maybe they don't care? Maybe the Islamic militant nor the russian or north korean guys have no influence over what happens in their daily life and the US intelligence community does? Hell, how fucking many Islamic militants can you find on linkedIn?
I can accept that my neighbors car runs worse than mine, doesn't mean I shouldn't take care of mine until it runs like my neighbors.
Re: (Score:1)
At least the Islamic militants do not pretend that they are there to create peace, liberty and democracy.
Re: (Score:2)
Russians and north koreans are brown are they? Or is everyone outside 'merica "brown" to you?
Re: (Score:3)
Or maybe draw up a list of Islamic militants and post it. Oh, they won't? Why is that then? A bit scared of what might happen? Boo hoo.
Yes, you're right.
Islamic militants post their resume on LinkedIn in perfect American English with all the right keywords to make sure ISIS's clueless Human Resources minions don't throw their resumes in the trash by mistake.
It also helps that when they decapitate someone in an online video, they hire someone to close caption the video, translate it, and make sure all the names of the participants, from the executioner, down to the make up artists, and the fashion consultants, get clearly written into the c
Re: (Score:2)
Or maybe draw up a list of Islamic militants and post it. Oh, they won't? Why is that then? A bit scared of what might happen? Boo hoo.
Yes, you're right.
Islamic militants post their resume on LinkedIn in perfect American English with all the right keywords to make sure ISIS's clueless Human Resources minions don't throw their resumes in the trash by mistake.
It also helps that when they decapitate someone in an online video, they hire someone to close caption the video, translate it, and make sure all the names of the participants, from the executioner, down to the make up artists, and the fashion consultants, get clearly written into the credits (because like they say in Hollywood, if my name is not in the credits, I will f___g kill you).
Right. Just like US intelligence personnel post their "code words" on LInkedIn, oblivious of the mad skillz of the lefties..
Re: (Score:3, Insightful)
Or maybe draw up a list of Islamic militants and post it. Oh, they won't? Why is that then? A bit scared of what might happen? Boo hoo.
Typical 21st century armchair warriors, pick on easy targets and make it look like you're a hero Sticking It To The Man when you know you're really living in a comfy democracy where nothing particularly bad is going to happen to you. Try doing the same in various other countries around the world and see how long it is before someone kicks down your door at 3am and your family never see you again.
Yet here you are, in your armchair picking safe fights with people on a harmless Internet forum. Bravo.
Re: (Score:2)
You get it now?
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
When Islamic militants start a social network, I'm sure people will be interested in mining it.
If we're in such a nice comfy "democracy" why don't we have complete transparency in government? How are government personnel able to engage in blatant criminal activity without fear of consequences?
Cheers to these guys. There should be a searchable database of ALL employees of the government we're paying for.
Re: (Score:1)
There should be a searchable database of ALL employees of the government we're paying for.
The janitor is a Soviet spy.
Re: (Score:3)
...or maybe they're helping expose the morally-bankrupt twats what work in the security services? If everyone thought less of the 'intelligence community' than they do of their local estate agent or lawyer or whatever, then maybe, just maybe we'd bet the intelligence community we want rather than one that's way too big and way too intrusive and has it's head way too far up its own arse.
Re: Now do the same for Russian & NK? (Score:1)
These 21st century "armchair warriors" exist because they're striving to prevent further decline toward *becoming* one the countries that steal people away at night. It's not about sticking it to the Man so much as it is about maintaining accountability. If we held people who start wars of aggression accountable, maybe we wouldn't have quite so many problems with terrorists. Ignoring and or minimizing the domestic side of the issue isn't helpful.
Re: (Score:2)
It's not 100% safe, or hadn't you been tracking the state of Whistle-blowers or people in the press who get imprisoned? Whether it's just "more free" than Russia but less free than Norway and we can pat ourselves on the back or not -- the assumption that secret organizations keeping us safe without any oversight is anti-Democratic. America is better than Russia BECAUSE of the ACLU and other organizations and individuals that stand up to secrecy and how people are treated. The only thing we know is what we k
This is at least two years old (Score:5, Informative)
From June 2013, Job Networking Site LinkedIn Filled With Secret NSA Program Names [gizmodo.com].
Re: (Score:2)
I also support DoD. This is not about social media, we are expected to be careful in all forums.
Seriously? (Score:2)
Just between us billy goats gruff, there is no legitimate service that demands your password, that it is foolish to think they aren't reading everything tha
Re: Seriously? (Score:2)
When I signed up I did not have to do that. It was an optional convenience feature and I said nope.
Re: (Score:2)
When I signed up I did not have to do that. It was an optional convenience feature and I said nope.
Problem is twofold - a lot of people are not clever enough to realize they are giving LinkeIn access to at least their mail, and the same dummies are probably even their whole computer.
THe other is optional or not, its a slimy organization that would even ask for that access.
So no thank you.
Re: (Score:2)
You should write a letter. Or file a lawsuit. I'm sure that the US court system would show all due appreciation for your desire to prevent people from exercising their freedom to associate with LinkedIn.
Re: (Score:2)
You should write a letter. Or file a lawsuit. I'm sure that the US court system would show all due appreciation for your desire to prevent people from exercising their freedom to associate with LinkedIn.
Huh? Hey muchacho, stupid people are gonna be stupid. I personally don't care, even though I won't violate the TOS of my ISP ot the policy of my employer by handing out both my email and it's password. for what is really a phishing expedition.
However, I'm not above warning others that if you are handing out your password to complete strangers, you might as well not have one.
I would have serious questions about hiring someone for a sensitive position that would hand out their company email without a thou
Re: (Score:2)
You must be one of those stupid people who are going to be stupid, because as someone else explained to you even before my earlier comment, LinkedIn does not require its users to submit any password for any email account. You are making entirely unwarranted (and stupid) assumptions about what other people have done, and then using those faulty assumptions to argue about what people should be allowed to do.
Re: (Score:2)
You must be one of those stupid people who are going to be stupid, because as someone else explained to you even before my earlier comment, LinkedIn does not require its users to submit any password for any email account.
Your assessment of my stupidity doesn't change the fact that people are giving LinkedIn access to their email. It doesn't matter if its optional, because its happening.
Tell me, if you had a business, and an email system, you'd be okay with your employees handing out their passwords?
You are making entirely unwarranted (and stupid) assumptions about what other people have done, and then using those faulty assumptions to argue about what people should be allowed to do.
I get several emails every week with datamined invitations to LinkedIn. These come from the accounts of people who have allowed LinkedIn access to their email. LinkedIn is sending email to everyone in their address book, and s
Re: (Score:2)
Are you getting those invitations from people with security clearances? If so, try letting their security officers know -- security@example.org, or whatever domain name they used. They will almost certainly get a dressing down, will probably get written up, and everyone else at the site or company will get a sternly worded reminder (in addition to their annual training) never to share their passwords with anyone, for any reason.
You complain loudly that people with clearances shouldn't do that, but so far
Re: (Score:2)
You complain loudly that people with clearances shouldn't do that, but so far you have not even asserted that they have done that
I'm not certain why on earth you would assume that I'm only talking about DOD.
No one anywhere should to that. If you don't know why it's a stupid thing for anyone, anywhere to do that, I can't help you on that. Not much use in having a password at all if you voluntarily hand it out ot strangers.
Re: (Score:2)
I know perfectly well why it's a stupid thing to do, regardless of whether one has a security clearance or even any significant access to trade secrets, export-controlled materials, or anything similar. I can't convince strangers about that, though, and I haven't been on the receiving end of such spam, so I don't have a solution for the general problem. I do think it is spectacularly stupid to jump, as you did, from "LinkedIn has an entirely optional way for you to give them control of your email" to "DOD
Re: (Score:2)
I do think it is spectacularly stupid to jump, as you did, from "LinkedIn has an entirely optional way for you to give them control of your email" to "DOD employees should not be allowed to use FaceBook, period". My way of fighting that particular stupidity is to call you on it.
I think you are reading something in to my posts that I never said. Seeing how you used quotes, I am assuming that you are saying that I wrote exactly what you quoted..
Just in case I had made a typo, I went back and re-read my posts in this thread. I never mentioned Facebook at all. Much less your quotation. So why are you accusing me of making some kind of jump from LinkdIn to Facebook?
Re: (Score:2)
Facebook was a typo. Please excuse my brain for substituting one social networking site for another one. Do you get so easily butthurt because you're an oversensitive moron, or because you're a troll?
Re: (Score:2)
All i did was catch your lie, and called you on it. Yer pwnd, and you are a liar. What's that like Entrope? As for butthurt, frankly, you made my day.
Just in case you didn't catch it, Entrope, you are a liar.
And that, little man, is something you can quote me on.
Re: (Score:2)
I apparently know better than you what a typo is.
I regret thinking you had any intention of arguing in good faith, and shall not make that mistake again.
LookingGlass rings a bell (Score:2)
Launch codes (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Finally, a hiring black list! (Score:2)
May they never be able to get a job on the outside ever again! The price you pay for betraying your country and spying on your own.
Slashdotted, or taken down? (Score:1)
https://transparencytoolkit.or... [transparencytoolkit.org]
We're sorry, but something went wrong.
If you are the application owner check the logs for more information.