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No, but they need to ask HW mfrs like Cisco to put backdoors in for NSA's use... at least, that's what some Chinese newspaper was suggesting recently. Based on

No, but they need to ask HW mfrs like Cisco to put backdoors in for NSA's use... at least, that's what some Chinese newspaper was suggesting recently. Based on the talks I've been watching by the group of NSA whistleblowers who worked on what became PRISM, I'm not sure NSA was a "center of excellence" regarding computer networks back in the 90's, when the general public started connecting to the internet. There was (and maybe still is) a huge effort to "transform" the agency. Away from what? Just my opinion, but it seems they are spending a lot of money and effort to become a center of excellence. It's like an updated version of that old Uncle Sam poster: "We want you," addressed at BlackHat attendees.

tptacek 13y ago
They were indeed, during the '90s. You are incorrect in speculating that they're just now becoming one.
- hispeedencrypt 13y ago
  May I ask what convinced you they were a center of excellence in the 90's? I ask this sincerely, not in rebuttal. What do you make of the comments of Binney that NSA was caught sleeping (for lack of a better phrase) by 9/11? Why the need to "transform" the agency? He said he headed a group that was responsible for instituting change in the organization. I believe they even had "change" in the name given to the group. It sure seems like they want(ed) to morph into something they were not previously.
  - tptacek 13y ago
    I'm a professional in this field and closely acquainted with many people who worked there in the '90s. I don't care what Binney said.
- e3pi 13y ago
  I interviewed with them in the late 80's. they were just then moving away from their own proprietary programming language(s?), not ADA, just beginning to open into C, perhaps others. Anyone know of this? What is the name of this language? Interesting NSA history transition, presumably, from the considerable force of recruiting mass civilian literacy with the downside of its security vulnerability.
  - tptacek 13y ago
    It's worth mentioning that NSA is a very large organization with lots of different functions. I can imagine a stodgy Ada-programming division in the NSA living alongside a division that, say, knew how to reliably exploit heap overflows in 1991.

tptacek 13y ago

They were indeed, during the '90s. You are incorrect in speculating that they're just now becoming one.

hispeedencrypt 13y ago
May I ask what convinced you they were a center of excellence in the 90's? I ask this sincerely, not in rebuttal. What do you make of the comments of Binney that NSA was caught sleeping (for lack of a better phrase) by 9/11? Why the need to "transform" the agency? He said he headed a group that was responsible for instituting change in the organization. I believe they even had "change" in the name given to the group. It sure seems like they want(ed) to morph into something they were not previously.
- tptacek 13y ago
  I'm a professional in this field and closely acquainted with many people who worked there in the '90s. I don't care what Binney said.
e3pi 13y ago
I interviewed with them in the late 80's. they were just then moving away from their own proprietary programming language(s?), not ADA, just beginning to open into C, perhaps others. Anyone know of this? What is the name of this language? Interesting NSA history transition, presumably, from the considerable force of recruiting mass civilian literacy with the downside of its security vulnerability.
- tptacek 13y ago
  It's worth mentioning that NSA is a very large organization with lots of different functions. I can imagine a stodgy Ada-programming division in the NSA living alongside a division that, say, knew how to reliably exploit heap overflows in 1991.