NSA technology transfer (fwd)
I'm reposting this in response to a few recent posts inquiring about the NSA flyer. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- Date: Tue, 14 Jun 1994 00:21:30 -0500 (CDT) From: Dan Harmon <harmon@tenet.edu> To: cypherpunks@toad.com Subject: NSA technology transfer The following was posted on the list in the middle of May. Being curious I called the number list at Ft. Meade. The person on who answered was real shaken, for lack of a better term, that I called, it seems that this was the second inquiry that day. He wanted to know various things, like where did I get the information, was my name Bruce.... After a few minutes he finally took my name and said, to call him in a week to 10 days if I did not here from him. A few day later he called and said I needed to send a letter to expressing my interest in the technology. About 10 ten days after that I called to inquire if he received my letter and what was the next step. It seems that there had been quite a few requests and that they were trying to determine whether or not they were going to allow the technology to be transferred to individuals. The person said to call back in 4 or 5 days. I called today and they said in essence that they were not going to let individuals have a shot at it. They said that they were going to charge stiff license fees, that you would need to show a plan of how you were going to develop the product..... You get the point. It is obvious that they really don't want to transfer the technology. And if they do it will be to someone with deep pockets and who they like. I wonder where the fees that they want to charge will go, to the general treasury or to their own budget? More later. Dan Harmon On Thu, 19 May 1994, Anonymous wrote:
Newsgroups: sci.crypt,alt.security,alt.privacy From: schneier@chinet.chinet.com (Bruce Schneier) Subject: "Interesting Stuff" Checkers at the NSA Message-ID: <Cq2934.q0@chinet.chinet.com> Organization: Chinet - Public Access UNIX Date: Thu, 19 May 1994 17:40:15 GMT
This is from a flyer that NSA people have been distributing:
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY -- TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Information Sorting and Retrieval by Language or Topic
rest elided
It is obvious that they really don't want to transfer the technology. And if they do it will be to someone with deep pockets and who they like.
Which rather gives one the impression that the technology transfer program was forced from above, rather than being their own initiative. Two suggestions: 1. See your local Congress-critter, and explain that the NSA's Technology Transfer program is being subverted. After all, you guys in the US PAID for the development of this algorithm, and it strikes me as being a bit offensive that you should pay again to see it. 2. FOI it. I'm rather glad that _I_ didn't ring the number up and ask for the details ("Hello, I am a foreign national. Can I have this algorithm please?") I must admit that I was sorely tempted after reading Bruce's post, though! Ian.
"Dan Harmon" wrote:
I'm reposting this in response to a few recent posts inquiring about the NSA flyer.
[..]
This is from a flyer that NSA people have been distributing:
NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY -- TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
Information Sorting and Retrieval by Language or Topic
Related note: I was doing some research at the National Library of Australia the other day and came across a publication (a 12 page pamphlet or thereabouts) titled "Careers for Mathematicians and Engineers at the National Security Agency". It's dated about 1976, and describes what engineers, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists can engage in at NSA. The people in the pictures look like they had been rescued from a 70's low budget CIA or Police TV flick. As for equipment, there were pictures of oscilloscopes, `computers' with LEDs and switches on the front and other stuff as well (and neat labels on the switches too). Much was given to the potential types of work you can do, and descriptions of the facilities at Ft. Meade (though, it didn't explicitly name the place, but named campuses where you can study at while working at NSA -- the target audience is high school students it seems), most either in Maryland or Washington DC (if my US geography serves me the best), Georgetown University was one of them. IMHO a security risk in itself, knowing the exact places and courses that NSA personel are located, almost as bad as our DSD advertising for job placements in the Government Gazette ` .. for the collection and interpretation of foreign signals intelligence ..'. Some of the claims are down right funny. For instance, it is stated that "To assure maximum opportunity for achievement, the Agency provides a high degree of personal freedom to pursue individual interests in an atmosphere conducive to scholary achievement". Sure! You just have to suffer the indignation of not being able to publish it to your respected peers (well, at least those outside the agency). I made a photocopy of two pages, one with a guy standing in front of the NSA emblem, smiling of course [would you by a cryptosystem from this man ...]. The other, my favourite, is of a woman standing at a blackboard with another guy, she's obviously teaching him about something. Chalked on the board is a picture of a 7 bit LFSR with a single tap, and then next to it (partly obscured by the man) are a few equations. It lost a bit in the color -> b/w photocopy, but I plan to scan in the two photocopied papers when next I see my friend and his flatbed. It was a good giggle! Matthew. -- Matthew Gream <M.Gream@uts.edu.au> -- Consent Technologies, (02) 821-2043 Disclaimer: I'm only a student at UTS, and don't represent them.
Related note: I was doing some research at the National Library of Australia the other day and came across a publication (a 12 page pamphlet or thereabouts) titled "Careers for Mathematicians and Engineers at the National Security Agency". It's dated about 1976, and describes what engineers, physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists can engage in at NSA.
There is a similar information brochure for the DSD, available at most career advisory services in Australian Universities.
The people in the pictures look like they had been rescued from a 70's low budget CIA or Police TV flick. As for equipment, there were pictures of oscilloscopes, `computers' with LEDs and switches on the front and other stuff as well (and neat labels on the switches too).
The DSD brochure is interestingly sanitized too. The surprise was their acknowledgement that they own a Cray, although the pictured model is an X-MP (which I know has been subsequently decommissioned, cut in half, and now graces the CRI foyer in Melbourne and, it is rumored, the DSD foyer in their HQ at Russell, ACT). DSD have a more recent model now. Amusingly, it was not up until recently that they were admitting that they HAD a Cray, and the current model is still confidential. The picture also shows some fairly hackerish looking people pointing logic probes into circuitry, and viewing the output of programs on what look like 3270 terminals! On closer inspection, these boards appear to be domestic modems (Dataplex models, by the look of them). There is one fairly interesting looking board, which appears to be covered in ceramic- packaged custom chips, but it looks circa 1975 or so and ancient. I went through the document as closely, but could not get much out of it. The sanitisation was quite competent, which is no surprise for that organisation.
Some of the claims are down right funny. For instance, it is stated that "To assure maximum opportunity for achievement, the Agency provides a high degree of personal freedom to pursue individual interests in an atmosphere conducive to scholary achievement". Sure!
*ROTFL!!!!* Does this include left-wing political interests?! Ian.
participants (3)
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Dan Harmon -
Ian Farquhar -
mgream＠acacia.itd.uts.edu.au