Internet Searches Reveal CIA's Secrets

GabrielF writes "In another blow to the reputation of the agency that just can't seem to get anything right, the Chicago Tribune used web searches and various commercial online databases to uncover a treasure trove of information about the CIA. The Tribune found the identities of over 2600 CIA employees (including an undisclosed number of covert operatives) as well as the locations of over two dozen CIA facilities across the U.S., internal telephone numbers, and information on 17 aircraft."

Nothing To See Here

[mysticwhiskey]

Don't worry, damage control is by default in effect as most people won't bother registering with the Chicago Tribune's website to read the story. ;)

Boy, are they in trouble....

[David Hume]

the Chicago Tribune used web searches and various commercial online databases to uncover a treasure trove of information about the CIA.

And by doing so violated both the Patriot Act and the DMCA.

Re:Red Herrings

[Anonymous Coward]

How do you know it's not a clever double-bluff and really it's true information disguized as a clumsy disinformation campaign?

Just a minute - there's a knocking on the door I have to answer...

Re:Nothing To See Here

[Dante Shamest]

Does it work for pr0n sites?

Er, I'm just asking for a friend.

^_^

Re:Nothing To See Here

[Asztal_]

Actually, yes...

Uhm... apparently, anyway >_>

Equal opportunities employer

[15Bit]

This is the problem with equal opportunities employment - you can't turn someone away for being stupid or incompetent (or just plain unsuitable). In the old days incompetent spies got shot and no-one knew or cared (And frankly, any "covert operative" who books into a hotel in their real name when on "company business" deserves to get shot.). Now they have to receive 5 verbal warnings, 3 written warnings and a final interview with their line management to "clarify their career objectives".

And even after all that they can probably sue for unfair dismissal.

Thoughts and feelings

[babbling]

I'm not too sure this article should be posted under "your rights online". It should be more like "the CIA's rights online".

... look, the poor CIA are getting their privacy invaded because people are looking at what they've been searching for!! :-(

Maybe the CIA could get a blanket, some hot chocolate, and sit down with the DOJ to share their thoughts and feelings about this invasion of their privacy. Perhaps then the DOJ might stop trying to demand search data from Google.

In Other News...

[Crisses]

... The Tribune has suddenly vanished without a trace. The offices are scrubbed clean, the files are empty, and there's a For Lease sign up by the building management company.

... Hundreds of families across Illinois have filed new missing persons reports this month, a drastic rise from the usual numbers. Oddly, a high percentage of the newly missing persons seem to have worked for the Chicago Tribune.

Sneaky Plan

[nicolastheadept]

You know, it could just be a really clever diversion.

Re:Covert Agency?

[MK_CSGuy]

They might as well start a group on MySpace and issue bumper stickers and T shirts.

Something like this T-Shirt [thinkgeek.com] and this bumper sticker [thinkgeek.com]?

Re:Nothing To See Here

[mysticgoat]

What is a "barnyard epithet" ?

That would be an epithet most commonly heard in a barnyard, like "Moo!" or perhaps "Bah!"

h4rm0ny, these would be more familiar to you as "m00" and "B44", as said by 1337 c0w5 and 5h33p.

It is important in understanding the CIA to recognize that they use barnyard epithets like "bah" where other professionals would be more open in their communications and just say "bullsh*t".

Re:Disinformation

[Anonymous Coward]

Nice try but how do we know that you are not yourself a CIA agent trying to minimize the leaks by pretending that they were done on purpose with false data.

It is well known that since its inception /. has been infriltrated by suspicious people as well as CIA agents posing as no less suspicious people. Proof: English literacy level in most postings is rather low.

It is also well known, at least to the CIA, that there are distinct patterns in the frequency of RTFA and IANAL appearing in all the postings. The CIA is not stupid.

You seem to imply that publishing an article in Chicago Tribune was purposely targetting the US enemies using /. as a vehicle for their nefarious activities...

As a matter of fact, after second thought, maybe you are one of these people trying to pose as a regular guy who basically says "I don't believe that the CIA is so stupid" so that the CIA is not going to implement countermeasures to minimize its last snafu.

Google "is" The Company a.k.a. the CIA

[aristotle-dude]

I'm surprised nobody brought up the connection between Google and the CIA's venture capital arm In-Q-Tel [in-q-tel.com]? In-Q-Tel was a significant investor in Keyhole Inc [in-q-tel.com].

There are other connections between Google and the Intelligence community. Like this job ad [google-watch.org] and this [google-watch.org].

Got to go, the black helicopters are circling. Remember, trust no one.

Re:what the CIA really doesn't want you to know

[Mark-Allen]

>> what about the .secretStuff/ and the .pr0n/ folders?

Disallow: /_notes = secret agent reports (MS Word)
Disallow: /Templates = secret agent expenses report forms
Disallow: /includes = secret agent cool gadgets and stuff
Disallow: /javascript = secret agent secret messages in foreign language
Disallow: /scripts = secret agent instructions
Disallow: /graphics = secret agent pr0n (well, duh?)
Disallow: /search = secret agent torrents

I mean, come on, do you think they would have this hidden under super-double-secret names? It's the CIA, for crying out loud! They hide this stuff under normal names which almost all the people who'd see them wouldn't think twice about. Similar to "Nothing to see here." and "The Purloined Letter".

I do the same thing by hiding all my pr0n under "My pr0n" and nobody ever guesses what's there.

Duh?

Re:"the locations of over two dozen CIA facilities

[SeaFox]

There was also a secret police not allied with the Gestapo, because the watchers needed to be afraid of someone as well. These were completely secret police who answered only to Hitler and/or Goering.

Damn. Even the Nazis understood and practiced checks & balances better than us.

[ducking]

Hanlon's Razor

[dviswa]

Never attribute to malice that which can be adequately explained by stupidity.

Obligatory Dr. Strangelove quote:

[Hosiah]

Russian Ambassador DeSadeski: "There are those of us who fought against it, but in the end we could not keep up with the expense involved in the arms race, the space race, and the peace race. And at the same time our people grumbled for more nylons and washing machines. Our doomsday scheme cost us just a small fraction of what we'd been spending on defense in a single year. But the deciding factor was when we learned that your country was working along similar lines, and we were afraid of a doomsday gap."

President Muffley: "This is preposterous. I've never approved of anything like that."

DeSadeski: "Our source was the New York Times."