7 ms·

* Our leaker is a person with a Twitter timeline that makes you wonder how she maintained her Secret clearance. She retweets @Snowden, yet was hired at Pluribus

* Our leaker is a person with a Twitter timeline that makes you wonder how she maintained her Secret clearance. She retweets @Snowden, yet was hired at Pluribus in Feb. of this year, days after doing so. * The story is a huge black eye for the Intercept, makes it look like they are very inept. * The leak is not really substantial, mostly analyst notes about an ongoing thing that's been talked up in the press quite a bit. * The DocuColor thing is ancient as well: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/20/outlaw_printer_dots/ https://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/10/20/outlaw_printer_dots... Maybe my tinfoil hat is on too tight, but this just has a funny odor to it. One might speculate that this is a calculated leak intended to discredit The Intercept, sow fear in the minds of potential leakers?. If the comments on other forums are anything to judge by, there are at least two groups of paid astroturfers battling it out today.

danso 9y ago
She had top secret clearance prior to being hired by Pluribus in February. She was formerly in the Air Force and apparently specialized in Middle Eastern languages. Apparently, top secret clearance is renewed every 5 years [0], so she may have had carte blanche to do what she wanted for a few years. [0] http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs/avoid-having-security-clearance-expire.html http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs...
- fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
  I don't know how that works, but I'd be surprised if there were not a sort-of abbreviated check?
  - scottLobster 9y ago
    Why would there be? Pluribus doesn't issue security clearances, the customer agency (in this case the NSA) does. It would be up to the NSA to do any additional background checks/vetting/polygraphs regarding security clearance for any contractors. Working for a contractor/switching jobs is hardly suspicious activity, so the NSA would have no reason to investigate her. Likewise Pluribus had no reason to be suspicious, so the most they'd do beyond the standard corporate background check is call up the NSA to confirm her clearance was active. At the end of the day even the NSA doesn't have the resources to be constantly vetting 100,000+ employees and contractors.
    - bdavisx 9y ago
      How about applying machine learning towards vetting social media wrt people with TS and >TS clearance?
      - wyck 9y ago
        I have great name for this start-up, Minority Report...or maybe just boring old Palentir.
        fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
        I was about to say, Palantir's been done.
      - phaus 9y ago
        Lots of people with TS clearances hate Trump, but most aren't going to ruin their lives just because the president is an asshole. You'd end up ruining a lot of careers and chances are you'd never stop a single leak.
    - fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
      No, a contractor like Pluribus wouldn't issue the clearance, but they'd surely verify that the clearance exists and is valid. That seems like a good time to generate a cursory once over of the applicant's clearance. OTOH, since the IC is in the growth hacking phase these days maybe they don't want to do anything to slow down the money train.
  - phaus 9y ago
    There are things that can easily be detected and cause you to have issues with a clearance. For example, if you get arrested or have other significant legal issues, someone will probably find out. Also, if you stop paying your bills long enough to have severe credit issues, someone will likely find out about that too. For social media activity, someone would likely have to report you for anyone to take action. I for one think its pretty reasonable, it sucks working for the government enough already, if we put people under 24x7 surveillance just for trying to serve their country they will go from having very few talented/ethical people working for them to absolutely none.
    - jewbacca 9y ago
      That was exactly Julian Assange's original thesis: ---- "The non linear effects of leaks on unjust systems of governance [...] The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie. This must result in minimization of efficient internal communications mechanisms (an increase in cognitive "secrecy tax") and consequent system-wide cognitive decline resulting in decreased ability to hold onto power as the environment demands adaption." https://web.archive.org/web/20071020051936id_/http://iq.org:80/#Thenonlineareffectsofleaksonunjustsystemsofgovernance https://web.archive.org/web/20071020051936id_/http://iq.org:... https://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf https://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf
    - kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
      People with security clearances are under 24/7 surveillance. They sign away their 4th amendment rights by agreeing to the terms of EO12333 and the gov can do anything as part of its investigation process. Sort of foolish for anyone with TS to be blabbing about such things on social media but you know, kids these days.
- ultimatejs 9y ago
  HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYONE NAMED "REALITY"? I'd sooner hear of a girl named "CRYSTAL BALL." "Reality Winner" is a subliminal message having the desired effect across the nation: it's the same sort of effect rhymes have, pleasing musical harmonies have, and that sociable people have when they communicate through simile jokes. It's pleasing to the mind, and the light bulb seems to be going off for everyone and they feel a sensation of delight for pinpointing how "ironic" it is that her name is "Reality" "Winner." It's a subliminal trick that feeds into "conception bias" (i.e. when you're the one who comes up with an idea) by an institution in a 5-sided building that has spent decades studying human psychology. Also, dont u think it's funny that supposedly the case is finally closed that Russia actually did the DNC hacking the week after Putin's very public denial to Megyn Kelly??????? This is the main indicator for those paying attention. This is all theatrics and damage control. It's all fabricated. This girl doesn't exist, at least not as we're made to think she does. What she leaked (that stupid hacking diagram) is also likely fabricated. The pyramid of propaganda functions because of one premise: for the average person, it's so impossible to believe (too grand and out in the open and subject to being figured out, too immoral). People don't want to believe it, and naturally don't think it's possible. It's a pyramid--because all it takes is pundits and experts to also buy into it. Then us common folk say to ourselves: "well, these respected experts buy it, it must be true." I'm no follower and follow no man, I hope you aren't either! Watch this short VIDEO FROM TODAY discussing "Reality Winner". It's by an ex Merrill Lynch finance guy who tracks the conspiracies far more than I do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjQygVChyW0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjQygVChyW0 ...(as if supposed credibility of being from Merrill Lynch is what's needed to see the obvious forrest for the trees). Too much aint adding up. Where else in your life would you tolerate someone telling you something is the way it is without evidence (Russian hacking, Assad gassing, etc)? Your boyfriend/girlfriend? No, u'd correctly assume he/she was lying. See, modern espionage is less about spies peering through windows looking for secrets, and more about disseminating false information to decision-makers to guide their predictable behavior. And there's a 5-sided building in Washington DC that specializes in just that, just like the false reports they fabricated about weapons of mass destruction in 2003 that they gave to our many honest congressmen prior to invading Iraq. I want you to internalize this: just because YOU can't figure out how they do it, doesn't mean an entity as powerful as the CIA hasn't figured it out. It's simply what Noam Chomsky explains in his famous 1989 book, "Manufacturing Consent": with 90% of the people buying it and discrediting anyone who doesn't, the pump is primed. And that's it. Story over. We are taught to believe for centuries states outright competed for resources and stole each other's land in wars (Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, House of Tudor, Habsburg Empire, Napoleon), then all of a sudden were given democracy in 1789 and 1776 and such empire building came to an end. Bullshit. With the advent of media, they rule by secrecy. It's the game of risk or chess. Let's not miss the forrest for the trees by getting caught up on one line-item that can supposedly be disproven and discredited (for, the whole thing won't be true UNTIL IT IS). They are playing empire building, always have, and never stopped. The individual "trees" will never be enough proof, but when you look at the whole (all the mysterious discrepancies [for example, 3 Kennedy patriarchs were killed??????!!] JFK's killer was killed, Lee Harvey Oswald, his killer's killer, Jack Ruby, was killed/died soon after!?!!?), open your mind, and do the research, it becomes obvious that the pentagon holds shit down like an old-fashioned boss. When things are fishy, it's cuz fucked up shit is going on. Period. That's how it is in your day-to-day life, and the same applies at higher levels. Don't be another lemming buying this shit. I'm not even saying I don't get where they're coming from. Violence and wars is a serious thing and operates by different rules. In the past, perhaps we had to operate so cut-throat and cunningly. Think: Sun Tzu (The Art of War) and Robert Greene books. I do think, though, as the world has evolved, we have evolved beyond those rules and that played-out game. I could be wrong though, but I think it's worth the true leaders of this world taking a gamble on a more cooperative route, not one where they gotta lie to us so they can do what they deem best. They may be too caught-up in their old ways to get it though. All that matters though is that we shift our perspective. We don't even have to physically do anything. Just don't be duped and become more conscious about everything in your life.
- samer66 9y ago
  Both the Intercept and the Washington post have one thing in common, Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...
- samer66 9y ago
  Both the Intercept and the Washington post have one thing in common, Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...
nthcolumn 9y ago
Feeding information to the enemy is not a new tactic either in the form of misinformation to mislead or of mountweasels to flush out moles. Perhaps she did not expect them to publish originals. They do seem inept. But then their warez aren't all over the internet and I cannot see it doing anything other than educating potential leakers as to the necessity to at least think about opsec. So if that was NSA's game then that too is inept. It stinks though.
fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
I've just noticed that the Intercept journalist who burned Winner is the same one who burned Kiriakou some years ago.
samer66 9y ago
Both the Intercept and the Washington post has one thing in common,Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...
samer66 9y ago
Both the Intercept and the Washington post has one thing in common,Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...

danso 9y ago

She had top secret clearance prior to being hired by Pluribus in February. She was formerly in the Air Force and apparently specialized in Middle Eastern languages. Apparently, top secret clearance is renewed every 5 years [0], so she may have had carte blanche to do what she wanted for a few years. [0] http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs/avoid-having-security-clearance-expire.html http://www.military.com/veteran-jobs/security-clearance-jobs...

fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
I don't know how that works, but I'd be surprised if there were not a sort-of abbreviated check?
- scottLobster 9y ago
  Why would there be? Pluribus doesn't issue security clearances, the customer agency (in this case the NSA) does. It would be up to the NSA to do any additional background checks/vetting/polygraphs regarding security clearance for any contractors. Working for a contractor/switching jobs is hardly suspicious activity, so the NSA would have no reason to investigate her. Likewise Pluribus had no reason to be suspicious, so the most they'd do beyond the standard corporate background check is call up the NSA to confirm her clearance was active. At the end of the day even the NSA doesn't have the resources to be constantly vetting 100,000+ employees and contractors.
  - bdavisx 9y ago
    How about applying machine learning towards vetting social media wrt people with TS and >TS clearance?
    - wyck 9y ago
      I have great name for this start-up, Minority Report...or maybe just boring old Palentir.
      - fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
        I was about to say, Palantir's been done.
    - phaus 9y ago
      Lots of people with TS clearances hate Trump, but most aren't going to ruin their lives just because the president is an asshole. You'd end up ruining a lot of careers and chances are you'd never stop a single leak.
  - fnordfnordfnord 9y ago
    No, a contractor like Pluribus wouldn't issue the clearance, but they'd surely verify that the clearance exists and is valid. That seems like a good time to generate a cursory once over of the applicant's clearance. OTOH, since the IC is in the growth hacking phase these days maybe they don't want to do anything to slow down the money train.
- phaus 9y ago
  There are things that can easily be detected and cause you to have issues with a clearance. For example, if you get arrested or have other significant legal issues, someone will probably find out. Also, if you stop paying your bills long enough to have severe credit issues, someone will likely find out about that too. For social media activity, someone would likely have to report you for anyone to take action. I for one think its pretty reasonable, it sucks working for the government enough already, if we put people under 24x7 surveillance just for trying to serve their country they will go from having very few talented/ethical people working for them to absolutely none.
  - jewbacca 9y ago
    That was exactly Julian Assange's original thesis: ---- "The non linear effects of leaks on unjust systems of governance [...] The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie. This must result in minimization of efficient internal communications mechanisms (an increase in cognitive "secrecy tax") and consequent system-wide cognitive decline resulting in decreased ability to hold onto power as the environment demands adaption." https://web.archive.org/web/20071020051936id_/http://iq.org:80/#Thenonlineareffectsofleaksonunjustsystemsofgovernance https://web.archive.org/web/20071020051936id_/http://iq.org:... https://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf https://cryptome.org/0002/ja-conspiracies.pdf
  - kevin_thibedeau 9y ago
    People with security clearances are under 24/7 surveillance. They sign away their 4th amendment rights by agreeing to the terms of EO12333 and the gov can do anything as part of its investigation process. Sort of foolish for anyone with TS to be blabbing about such things on social media but you know, kids these days.
ultimatejs 9y ago
HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF ANYONE NAMED "REALITY"? I'd sooner hear of a girl named "CRYSTAL BALL." "Reality Winner" is a subliminal message having the desired effect across the nation: it's the same sort of effect rhymes have, pleasing musical harmonies have, and that sociable people have when they communicate through simile jokes. It's pleasing to the mind, and the light bulb seems to be going off for everyone and they feel a sensation of delight for pinpointing how "ironic" it is that her name is "Reality" "Winner." It's a subliminal trick that feeds into "conception bias" (i.e. when you're the one who comes up with an idea) by an institution in a 5-sided building that has spent decades studying human psychology. Also, dont u think it's funny that supposedly the case is finally closed that Russia actually did the DNC hacking the week after Putin's very public denial to Megyn Kelly??????? This is the main indicator for those paying attention. This is all theatrics and damage control. It's all fabricated. This girl doesn't exist, at least not as we're made to think she does. What she leaked (that stupid hacking diagram) is also likely fabricated. The pyramid of propaganda functions because of one premise: for the average person, it's so impossible to believe (too grand and out in the open and subject to being figured out, too immoral). People don't want to believe it, and naturally don't think it's possible. It's a pyramid--because all it takes is pundits and experts to also buy into it. Then us common folk say to ourselves: "well, these respected experts buy it, it must be true." I'm no follower and follow no man, I hope you aren't either! Watch this short VIDEO FROM TODAY discussing "Reality Winner". It's by an ex Merrill Lynch finance guy who tracks the conspiracies far more than I do: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjQygVChyW0 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjQygVChyW0 ...(as if supposed credibility of being from Merrill Lynch is what's needed to see the obvious forrest for the trees). Too much aint adding up. Where else in your life would you tolerate someone telling you something is the way it is without evidence (Russian hacking, Assad gassing, etc)? Your boyfriend/girlfriend? No, u'd correctly assume he/she was lying. See, modern espionage is less about spies peering through windows looking for secrets, and more about disseminating false information to decision-makers to guide their predictable behavior. And there's a 5-sided building in Washington DC that specializes in just that, just like the false reports they fabricated about weapons of mass destruction in 2003 that they gave to our many honest congressmen prior to invading Iraq. I want you to internalize this: just because YOU can't figure out how they do it, doesn't mean an entity as powerful as the CIA hasn't figured it out. It's simply what Noam Chomsky explains in his famous 1989 book, "Manufacturing Consent": with 90% of the people buying it and discrediting anyone who doesn't, the pump is primed. And that's it. Story over. We are taught to believe for centuries states outright competed for resources and stole each other's land in wars (Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, House of Tudor, Habsburg Empire, Napoleon), then all of a sudden were given democracy in 1789 and 1776 and such empire building came to an end. Bullshit. With the advent of media, they rule by secrecy. It's the game of risk or chess. Let's not miss the forrest for the trees by getting caught up on one line-item that can supposedly be disproven and discredited (for, the whole thing won't be true UNTIL IT IS). They are playing empire building, always have, and never stopped. The individual "trees" will never be enough proof, but when you look at the whole (all the mysterious discrepancies [for example, 3 Kennedy patriarchs were killed??????!!] JFK's killer was killed, Lee Harvey Oswald, his killer's killer, Jack Ruby, was killed/died soon after!?!!?), open your mind, and do the research, it becomes obvious that the pentagon holds shit down like an old-fashioned boss. When things are fishy, it's cuz fucked up shit is going on. Period. That's how it is in your day-to-day life, and the same applies at higher levels. Don't be another lemming buying this shit. I'm not even saying I don't get where they're coming from. Violence and wars is a serious thing and operates by different rules. In the past, perhaps we had to operate so cut-throat and cunningly. Think: Sun Tzu (The Art of War) and Robert Greene books. I do think, though, as the world has evolved, we have evolved beyond those rules and that played-out game. I could be wrong though, but I think it's worth the true leaders of this world taking a gamble on a more cooperative route, not one where they gotta lie to us so they can do what they deem best. They may be too caught-up in their old ways to get it though. All that matters though is that we shift our perspective. We don't even have to physically do anything. Just don't be duped and become more conscious about everything in your life.
samer66 9y ago
Both the Intercept and the Washington post have one thing in common, Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...
samer66 9y ago
Both the Intercept and the Washington post have one thing in common, Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...

nthcolumn 9y ago

Feeding information to the enemy is not a new tactic either in the form of misinformation to mislead or of mountweasels to flush out moles. Perhaps she did not expect them to publish originals. They do seem inept. But then their warez aren't all over the internet and I cannot see it doing anything other than educating potential leakers as to the necessity to at least think about opsec. So if that was NSA's game then that too is inept. It stinks though.

fnordfnordfnord 9y ago

I've just noticed that the Intercept journalist who burned Winner is the same one who burned Kiriakou some years ago.

samer66 9y ago

Both the Intercept and the Washington post has one thing in common,Bezos who received $600 million contract from the CIA:"Meanwhile, a petition campaign was launched related to news that Amazon, under the Post’s new owner, Jeff Bezos, recently secured a $600 million contract from the CIA. That’s at least twice what Bezos paid for the Post this year. Bezos recently disclosed that the company’s Web-services business is building a “private cloud” for the CIA to use for its data needs. Critics charge that, at a minimum, the Post needs to disclose its CIA link whenever it reports on the agency. Over 15,000 have signed the petition this week hosted by RootsAction." http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives-600-million-cia/ http://www.hangthebankers.com/washington-post-owner-receives...

samer66 9y ago