CDR: RE: CIA in Oregon, Intelink

[Trei, Peter]

> ----------
> From: 	John Young[SMTP:jya at pipeline.com]
> Reply To: 	John Young
> Sent: 	Wednesday, October 25, 2000 6:34 PM
> To: 	cypherpunks at cyberpass.net
> Subject: 	CIA in Oregon, Intelink
> 
> Would anyone in the Oregon area know about
> a CIA organization acronymed ISTAC?
> 
> Here's the NIC entry, which includes a CIA rep
> in Bend, OR. Note that the other CIA rep used
> only a last name initial.
> 
>                   CIA (ISTAC-DOM)
>                   1820 Electric Avenue
>                   Vienna, VA 21076
> 
> 
>                   Domain Name: ISTAC.GOV
>                   Status: ACTIVE
>                   Domain Type: Federal
> 
>                   Technical Contact, Administrative Contact:
>                      S, Dan  (DS3)
>                      703-281-8087
>                      DAN at ISTAC.GOV
> 
[...]

Well, you *could* call up Mr. Dan and ask (the worst he could do 
is lie), but that would be too easy, wouldn't it?

The most likely suspect appears to be a BXA advisory body. Of 
course, acronyms can get overloaded :-)

Since the duties of this ISTAC appear to include advising BXA
on encryption, I think it's relevant to the list.

Peter.


google gives:
--------------------------------
http://207.226.239.89/990126mo.htm

and

http://bxatac.doc.gov/
suggests ISTAC = Information Systems Technical Advisory Committee

That page also has links to minutes from the public parts of meetings, 
(which are held in DC) The next ISTAC meeting is November 15 &16,
and is partially open to the public.


Here's some cut&paste text

                          WHAT ARE TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEES?

                      Technical Advisory Committees (TACs) advise the
Department of Commerce
                      on the technical parameters for export controls
applicable to dual-use
                      commodities and technology and on the administration
of those controls.
                      The TACs are composed of representatives from industry
and Government
                      representing diverse points of view on the concerns of
the exporting
                      community. Industry representatives are selected from
firms producing a
                      broad range of goods, technologies, and software
presently controlled for
                      national security, foreign policy, nonproliferation,
and short supply reasons
                      or that are proposed for such controls, balanced to
the extent possible among
                      large and small firms. 

                          HOW ARE MEMBERS CHOSEN?

                      TAC members are appointed by the Secretary of Commerce
and serve terms
                      of not more than four consecutive years. The
membership reflects the
                      Department's commitment to attaining balance and
diversity. TAC members
                      must obtain secret-level clearances prior to
appointment. These clearances
                      are necessary so that members can be permitted access
to relevant classified
                      information needed in formulating recommendations to
the Department of
                      Commerce. Each TAC meets approximately 4 times per
year. Members of the
                      TACs will not be compensated for their services. 

                          HOW MANY TACS ARE THERE, AND WHAT DO THEY DO?

                      The following is a list of TACs that currently advise
BXA, along with a
                      short summary of each TAC's issue areas. You can
access the
                      committee's charter by clicking on its name. 

                         1.Information Systems - Articles, materials and
supplies of computers
                           electronics, and telecommunications equipment. 
                         2.Materials - Articles, materials, and supplies for
radar absorption, jet
                           engine turbines blades, super- conductivity,
fluids, lubricants,
                           composites, and for nuclear, missile, chemical,
and biological
                           weapons, including technical data and other
information. 
                         3.Materials Processing Equipment - Articles,
materials and supplies of
                           metal-working equipment, numerically controlled
machine tools and
                           robots, including technical data on the
integration of numerically
                           controlled machine tools and robotics equipment
to form
                           manufacturing cells and flexible manufacturing
systems and enterprise
                           automation technologies, as well as other
information. 
                         4.Regulations and Procedures - The Export
Administration Regulations
                           (EARs) and procedures implementing these
regulations. 
                         5.Sensors and Instrumentation - Articles, materials
and supplies of
                           sensors and instrumentation, including technical
data and other
                           information. 
                         6.Transportation and Related Equipment - Articles,
materials and
                           supplies of transportation and related equipment,
including technical
                           data and other information.