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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsSnowden Helped Guardian Reporter With Secure Communication System
Before he handed over classified Power Point slides that detailed a sweeping National Security Agency surveillance program, Edward Snowden helped the Guardian's Glenn Greenwald create a secure means of communication, which Greenwald was unfamiliar with, the Huffington Post reports:
Snowden only wanted to communicate securely using PGP encryption, for which Greenwald didnt have the proper software installed at the time. In an interview with The Huffington Post, Greenwald acknowledged that he's no expert in using such technology and said that Snowden even provided a step-by-step email and video to help secure their communication. At that point, however, Greenwald didn't know what his would-be source had (or didn't have) and continued to prioritize other stories instead.
Snowden then approached Laura Poitras, a filmmaker and a colleague of Greenwald, with the story, according to the Post. Poitras met Greenwald a few months later after the initial exchange and told him that the source was working for an NSA contractor and had "documents showing serious government wrongdoing." After listening to Poitras, Greenwald set up the secured transmission line and resumed his communication with Snowden in late March or early April.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/snowden-helped-guardian-reporter-with-secure-communication-system
This story keeps getting more weird.
Huh. Greenwald said he's been working with Snowden since February. He's been at BAH since March
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022984574
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)ProSense
(116,464 posts)the story is fishy. I mean, you posted Greenwald's response to the second link in the OP:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022984574#post13
Greenwald's motives are questionable.
Hissyspit
(45,788 posts)Luminous Animal
(27,310 posts)warrior1
(12,325 posts)may be a co-conspirator in egging Snowden in the illegal leak. That's how I'm reading this.
Since he knew him before the hire at is last job, ever.
ProSense
(116,464 posts)SunSeeker
(51,787 posts)Especially with the Booz Allen job. WTF? You think Greenwald goaded Snowden into the Booz Allen job and the thumb drive stunt?
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)He said he was thinking about leaking the info 'before' the Nov 2008 election, and then decided to wait to see what Obama would do after/if he was elected.
Read that yesterday somewhere.
Edited to add a link...
-snip-
He later went to work for the CIA as an information technology employee and by 2007 was stationed in Geneva, Switzerland, where he had access to classified documents.
During that time, he considered going public about the nation's secretive programs but told the newspaper he decided against it, because he did not want to put anyone in danger and he hoped Obama's election would curtail some of the clandestine programs.
He said he was disappointed that Obama did not rein in the surveillance programs.
-snip-
warrior1
(12,325 posts)His resume seems pretty lite.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)That's a very sought after post.
LeftInTX
(25,720 posts)CIA requires college degrees for most IT work.
Snowden has a GED
Snowden took some classes at a community college, but didn't take necessary computer classes.
Sorry I don't have the link, but the community college he went to released some info today.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Community College Says NSA Whistleblower Edward Snowden Took No "Cyber-Related Classes"
DU OP here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10022986425
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)-snip-
Snowden told The Guardian he lacked a high school diploma and served in the U.S. Army until he was discharged because of an injury, and later worked as a security guard with the NSA.
He later went to work for the CIA as an information technology employee and by 2007 was stationed in Geneva, Switzerland, where he had access to classified documents.
During that time, he considered going public about the nation's secretive programs but told the newspaper he decided against it, because he did not want to put anyone in danger and he hoped Obama's election would curtail some of the clandestine programs.
-snip-
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57588462/snowden-leak-of-nsa-spy-programs-marks-my-end/?pageNum=2
LeftInTX
(25,720 posts)Unfortunately, I don't know if the CIA will verify or not verify this.
Anyone can say anything!
LeftInTX
(25,720 posts)The Swiss govt has a record of him being there from 2007-09!
I also read in various articles there is a need for these young self taught types in the intelligence community.
longship
(40,416 posts)Most e-mail clients support it directly. It can also be made fucking secure, likely beyond even NSA capability. That's straightforward, too.
Another step is traffic analysis, and that can be partially circumvented as well by use of readily available off-site tools preventing tracerouting of messages.
There is a maxim about the Internet that has proven true. The Internet protocols view censorship as network damage and automatically route around it. (Or something to that effect.)
All these tools have been in place since the birth of this technology and have only become more advanced and robust as the years go by, and as the pressures to reign such things in have increased. It's a classic example of evolution in progress. In a hostile environment, the surviving lifeforms have to adapt.
Recursion
(56,582 posts)along with the Russian mafia and whoever else wants to read your emails. But nobody bothers to use it.
Tarheel_Dem
(31,250 posts)about to dump him? Is this really retaliation? And why Hong Kong? WTF is that about? Lots of questions, not to mention he's apparently a Paulite.
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)Recursion
(56,582 posts)1. For Greenwald to insure that a message actually came from Snowden and was not tampered with
2. For Snowden to insure that nobody but Greenwald could read it in transit
As a side note, I have long advocated that everyone use PGP in their electronic communications.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Seems like a basic--if you're going to dedicate yourself towards making the surveillance state's life difficult, probably want to make sure you're not getting bugged.