NSA Chose Invasive Phone Analysis Option

Encrypted Anonymous Coward writes "The Baltimore Sun reveals the existence of an interesting experimental NSA program codenamed ThinThread from the late 90`s. The program involved link analysis of traffic data, with a twist; The phone numbers from the U.S. would only be analyzed in an encrypted form. This way the analysis would potentially be possible under existing privacy laws, according to the people behind the program. The NSA could gather further unencrypted details if there was evidence of a threat. Political infighting seems to have dropped an interesting and respectful program from the books."

On condition of anonymity

[Billosaur]

Four intelligence officials knowledgeable about the program agreed to discuss it with The Sun only if granted anonymity because of the sensitivity of the subject.

Let's hope they didn't talk on the phone...

Can We Get the NSA involved in F/OSS?

[Quirk]

"...an interesting experimental NSA program codenamed ThinThread..."

3 lettered government agencies seem to be able to come up with cool codenames for their projects. Maybe they have a coterie of fine arts graduates, dressed in casual black outfits, drinking exotic coffee drinks, whose only job is to come up with cool names for projects.

I wonder if we can get them on board F/OSS projects in a naming capacity? F/OSS projects usually have some halfbaked, nerdy name like GIMP .Maybe if F/OSS projects had really cool names they would get mentioned in scifi flics by beautiful actresses dressed in black latex....

Hmm

[The Living Fractal]

NSA: "Stand very still, we're going to beat you with this baseball bat."
U.S. Citizen: "Don't I have rights? You can't just beat me with that bat!"
NSA: "Don't worry, we've encrypted it."

Re:Can We Get the NSA involved in F/OSS?

[gEvil (beta)]

Exactly! Perhaps they could come up with a descriptive name that alludes to the level of utility and usability of the program. In which case, they'd end up calling it...The Gimp!

*ducks*

HA!

[j0nkatz]

Yeah, and I "encrypt" all the mp3s I download for free off the internet. I never listen, I just analyze.

Re:Okay, have we caught anyone?

[Colonel Angus]

Would you stop aiding the terrorists already! You know if they answer that, the terrorists will have won.

You Americans are big pussy, in Soviet Russia

[Anonymous Coward]

You Americans are big pussy. Here in Soviet Russia KGB kills you then listen to phone tap to see if mistake made.

Bureaucratic shuffle

[Saint Facetious]

Lots of people seem to be worried that the encrypted information would have been decrypted and then misused. C'mon people, haven't any of you dealt with a federal government agency? Do you have any idea what kind of mounds of paperwork an analyst would have probably had to have gone through to decrypt anything? Probably so much paperwork that they'd rather just dismiss the most blatant evidence just so they wouldn't have to work on the bureaucratic shuffle.