5 ms·

Headline two years in the future: "US plans submarine mission to tap into undersea cable."

by astrodust 13y ago

tachyonbeam 13y ago
Snowden already leaked this info, it just isn't public yet.
- mchouza 13y ago
  It's already public: http://www.dawn.com/news/1077275/nsa-tapped-into-undersea-cables-report http://www.dawn.com/news/1077275/nsa-tapped-into-undersea-ca...
  - gtirloni 13y ago
    I think you missed the joke. The first paragraph clearly says it's "top secret" and "confidential", so even though it was published by the Spiegel, it's not public information. Got it? I know, it only makes sense in NSA's distorted rhetoric but if this is disputed in a court, that is what you're going to hear (that the information is not public, as in, it should not be disclosed).
    - rbanffy 13y ago
      > I know, it only makes sense in NSA's distorted rhetoric Any US citizens propagating this information would probably be in big trouble precisely because of that. I am not sure about this, but IIRC, US citizens may even get in trouble for reading this information if they lack proper clearance.
      - Karunamon 13y ago
        A US citizen is under no legal obligation to do or not do anything with "classified" information. That is a standard that only its employees must observe. I can go to Wikileaks and read Snowden and Assange-backed papers all day long. Govt. employees on the other hand aren't allowed to read that info even though it's already public (even at home, even on their own time).
        rbanffy 13y ago
        Interesting. Thanks for clarifying. I wonder if those files can have other restrictions tied to them, such as being transported or copied between two computers.
justinph 13y ago
Been there, done that. That's what the USS Jimmy Carter is for: http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/07/18/the-navys-underwater-eavesdropper/ http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/07/18/the-navys-u... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jimmy_Carter_(SSN-23) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jimmy_Carter_(SSN-23)
- smoyer 13y ago
  I came here to mention that the NSA/Navy could already tap undersea fiber ... and to implore everyone to encrypt their traffic.
- dm2 13y ago
  Is it even possible to transmit all of the tapped data? It's possible to transmit part of it with a buoy and a satellite connection or using UHF transmitters but if the data is encrypted it seems like it would be impossible to determine the important data or transmit all of it.
  - alexeisadeski3 13y ago
    They could just junction it and run their own cable back to the US. Probably too expensive, but hey why not.
    - rbanffy 13y ago
      TFA says the project will cost $185 million. That's not what the US military would consider expensive. It's probably cheaper to sell compromised routers to network operators.
    - astrodust 13y ago
      The NSA doesn't understand what this "too expensive" thing is you're talking about.
DasIch 13y ago
Which brings up the interesting question: What happens if someone is bold enough to blow up a US submarine that's spying?
- saraid216 13y ago
  Depends. Is the submarine manned?
  - mpyne 13y ago
    Yes. The submarine also contains a fully-operational nuclear reactor.
- marcosdumay 13y ago
  I guess just saying that you know it's there, and asking the US to remove the submarine would be enough to make its government go insane.
- sanoli 13y ago
  Very, very few nations would be bold/crazy enough to pull something like this. I don't know, would DPRK or Iran go this far?

Headline two years in the future: "US plans submarine mission to tap into undersea cable."

tachyonbeam 13y ago

Snowden already leaked this info, it just isn't public yet.

mchouza 13y ago
It's already public: http://www.dawn.com/news/1077275/nsa-tapped-into-undersea-cables-report http://www.dawn.com/news/1077275/nsa-tapped-into-undersea-ca...
- gtirloni 13y ago
  I think you missed the joke. The first paragraph clearly says it's "top secret" and "confidential", so even though it was published by the Spiegel, it's not public information. Got it? I know, it only makes sense in NSA's distorted rhetoric but if this is disputed in a court, that is what you're going to hear (that the information is not public, as in, it should not be disclosed).
  - rbanffy 13y ago
    > I know, it only makes sense in NSA's distorted rhetoric Any US citizens propagating this information would probably be in big trouble precisely because of that. I am not sure about this, but IIRC, US citizens may even get in trouble for reading this information if they lack proper clearance.
    - Karunamon 13y ago
      A US citizen is under no legal obligation to do or not do anything with "classified" information. That is a standard that only its employees must observe. I can go to Wikileaks and read Snowden and Assange-backed papers all day long. Govt. employees on the other hand aren't allowed to read that info even though it's already public (even at home, even on their own time).
      - rbanffy 13y ago
        Interesting. Thanks for clarifying. I wonder if those files can have other restrictions tied to them, such as being transported or copied between two computers.

justinph 13y ago

Been there, done that. That's what the USS Jimmy Carter is for: http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/07/18/the-navys-underwater-eavesdropper/ http://blogs.reuters.com/great-debate/2013/07/18/the-navys-u... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jimmy_Carter_(SSN-23) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Jimmy_Carter_(SSN-23)

smoyer 13y ago
I came here to mention that the NSA/Navy could already tap undersea fiber ... and to implore everyone to encrypt their traffic.
dm2 13y ago
Is it even possible to transmit all of the tapped data? It's possible to transmit part of it with a buoy and a satellite connection or using UHF transmitters but if the data is encrypted it seems like it would be impossible to determine the important data or transmit all of it.
- alexeisadeski3 13y ago
  They could just junction it and run their own cable back to the US. Probably too expensive, but hey why not.
  - rbanffy 13y ago
    TFA says the project will cost $185 million. That's not what the US military would consider expensive. It's probably cheaper to sell compromised routers to network operators.
  - astrodust 13y ago
    The NSA doesn't understand what this "too expensive" thing is you're talking about.

DasIch 13y ago

Which brings up the interesting question: What happens if someone is bold enough to blow up a US submarine that's spying?

saraid216 13y ago
Depends. Is the submarine manned?
- mpyne 13y ago
  Yes. The submarine also contains a fully-operational nuclear reactor.
marcosdumay 13y ago
I guess just saying that you know it's there, and asking the US to remove the submarine would be enough to make its government go insane.
sanoli 13y ago
Very, very few nations would be bold/crazy enough to pull something like this. I don't know, would DPRK or Iran go this far?