NSA 'spy room' at AT&T exposed

[shance]

NSA 'spy room' at AT&T exposed

Agency can spy on email and web use with impunity

Documents obtained by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) claim to show that US telco AT&T allowed the National Security Agency (NSA) to set up a 'secret room' in its offices to monitor internet traffic.

The documents were handed over as part of an EFF legal case against AT&T for alleged violation of user privacy. The US government has asked the courts to dismiss the case, claiming that the lawsuit could expose state secrets.

"The district court rejected the government's attempt to sweep this case under the rug," said EFF senior staff attorney Kurt Opsahl.

"This country has a long tradition of open court proceedings, and we are pleased that, as we present our case to the Court of Appeals, the millions of affected AT&T customers will be able to see our arguments and evidence and judge for themselves."

The room, described as secret and secure, houses surveillance equipment used to spy on AT&T customers. Investigations could include web use, email and voice communications.

"This is critical evidence supporting our claim that AT&T is cooperating with the NSA in the illegal dragnet surveillance of millions of ordinary Americans," said EFF legal director Cindy Cohn.

"This surveillance is under debate in Congress and across the nation, as well as in the courts.

"The public has a right to see these important documents, the declarations from our witnesses and our legal arguments, and we are very pleased to release them."


http://www.itweek.co.uk/articles/print/2191993

[Blue_Tires]

1. first rec

[shance]

4. Thanks BT*

more people need to know the "war in terror" is actually a "war on America"

[Nomad559]

2. Video: The NSA's Eavesdropping at AT&T

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/view/3.html?&c=3wm

:)

[shance]

3. Thank you Nomad.

n/t

[L. Coyote]

18. MUST SEE programming, SPYING ON THE HOME FRONT

FRONTLINE has sixty-three reports available for online viewing
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/

Spying on the Home Front
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/view/
"So many people in America think this does not affect them. They've been convinced that these programs are only targeted at suspected terrorists. … I think that's wrong. … Our programs are not perfect, and it is inevitable that totally innocent Americans are going to be affected by these programs," former CIA Assistant General Counsel Suzanne Spaulding tells FRONTLINE correspondent Hedrick Smith in Spying on the Home Front. ...

Although the president told the nation that his NSA eavesdropping program was limited to known Al Qaeda agents or supporters abroad making calls into the U.S., comments of other administration officials and intelligence veterans indicate that the NSA cast its net far more widely. AT&T technician Mark Klein inadvertently discovered that the whole flow of Internet traffic in several AT&T operations centers was being regularly diverted to the NSA, a charge indirectly substantiated by John Yoo, the Justice Department lawyer who wrote the official legal memos legitimizing the president's warrantless wiretapping program. Yoo told FRONTLINE: "The government needs to have access to international communications so that it can try to find communications that are coming into the country where Al Qaeda's trying to send messages to cell members in the country. In order to do that, it does have to have access to communication networks." ... more »

==========================
Those FBI National Security Letters - http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/homefront/preemption/nsl.html
They allow the FBI to compel the release of private information, such as communications or financial records, without getting court approval. But a new internal FBI audit shows the agency violated rules more than 1,000 times in collecting this data. Here's FRONTLINE's primer on the letters.

BY Fritz Kramer (production assistant for Spying on the Home Front)
Since late 2001, the FBI has been using a type of administrative subpoena known as a national security letter (NSL) to acquire reams of financial and communication records to aid investigations. But in the inner-most circles of politics, technology and law, a debate has raged over the power wielded by a few sheets of paper. ......

===========DU=============
Conyers: New FBI Report Confirms "Worst Fears" on FBI abuse of NSLs
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x1123651

======ARCHIVED DU ========
DIA SPYING: NGIA collecting data, 133 U.S. cities, ID everyone, nationality, political affiliations
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x983282

Campaign 2004: Were Bush / Cheney / NSA illegal wiretaps spying on Dems?
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x925247

[L. Coyote]

24. K&R

[flyarm]

5. can you hear me now???????????..fuck you * admistration of criminals!! eom

[shance]

6. LOL Flyarm**** I can hear you!!

Loud and clear.

Thanks for posting.

;)

[19jet54]

7. If the need really exists...

... Congress & America will change the law for good ideas; the problem is the method they sneak around and hide everything without real legal authority, and then strong arm everyone - Trust me went out the window a long way back!

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

8. Spying on AT&T customers! WOW!!!

Surely, the same arrangement exists with other providers, like Sprint.

This country is crazy.

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

54. No way! Sprint rocks!

:patriot:

[tkmorris]

9. Yeah but they'll give ya DSL for 10 bucks.

Any takers?

Bueller?...........Bueller?....................

[mhatrw]

10. Kick n/t

[formercia]

11. AT&T has had a special relationship with the Federal Government

since WWI, when the Government allowed it to form a monopoly in the name of National Security. The Government turned a blind eye when AT&T strong armed regional telephone companies into selling their lines, I know, my Great Grandfather had a small telephone company and AT&T starved him out by refusing him connection rights for long distance calls. He wound up selling for a fraction of what it was worth and AT&T paid him in worthless Hungarian War Bonds, Bonds that were purchased by AT&T for pennies on the dollar. They literally stole it.

AT&T has since repaid the Government by allowing unrestricted access.

[sicksicksick_N_tired]

12. I didn't know that. So, corporatocracy has been evolving for quite some time.

Huh. x(

[formercia]

13. same old Robber Barons...

Global Crossing was one of their latest capers.

Corporations evolved as a way to deflect personal liability and use other peoples' money to get rich.

[On the Road]

19. This is Completely and Utterly False:

"AT&T has since repaid the Government by allowing unrestricted access."

As an employee of what used to be part of the old AT&T, the Bell System guarded its customers' privacy jealously. Legal proceedings and court orders were always necessary before any call data was turned over.

This NSA thing is completely unprecedented and is absolutely appalling.

I would like to hear more about your ancestor's phone company. It sounds absolutely predatory and illegal. Depending on the year, maybe it was before a lot of the regulations were written.

[formercia]

21. It was some time during WWI

My Great grandfather was in the lumber business in Canada. To keep his workers busy during the Summer, he had them put up telephone poles. He was friends with Alexander G. Bell who had convinced him that telephony was the thing of the future. It was at the time, and many started small telephone exchanges which were bought up by AT&T, and yes, it was predatory because he was forced to sell and accept what would be worthless bonds. Our family was never compensated for the loss and the Depression finished the lumber business.

The US Government encouraged AT&T to consolidate the small telephone exchanges and gave them a free hand.

It's one of the dirty little secrets of what happens in wartime. Same crap going on today.

[On the Road]

29. I Understand That During WWI

the US phone system was run by the military. Took years to clean up the mess afterwards.

I'm familiar with the independents, although not with the environment in Canada. There is an elaborate regulatory structure in place nowdays to prevent that kind of abuse. Presumably, this is before that happened. Consolidation was not a bad thing, but the small telcos should have been compensated fairly.

When you say he was forced, does that mean he was not granted full network access and there were no other buyers? Or was it mostly a financial matter?

I'm sorry to hear about your family's business. My grandfather had an early radio station in NJ which he sold to RCA. He went bankrupt in the depression also.

[formercia]

31. Under Color of Authority

From what I understand, AT&T had authority from the Government and there was no choice in the matter apparently. My Great Grandfather was well connected politically and if anyone could have fought it, he could have.
The part I can't understand is that Canada was at War with the Austro-Hungarian Empire since they were allied with Germany. Why is it that AT&T was using enemy War Bonds as payment? I know the Bonds exist because my Mother still has them.

[colorado_ufo]

30. Amazing story!

So much goes on that the average citizen never hears.

[formercia]

33. How do you think AT&T got so big, so fast?

They stole it fair and square and apparently there is no chance of compensation because during the breakup of the monopoly, there was some clause nullifying claims.

This is why the boys love War. They can literally get away with murder.

[The Count]

40. Makes sense. Same thugs rule them both. For all the "government is bad" BS

the GOP has staffed all power positions with CEOs/their hatchet men (we all know of Cheney - he's just one of them)

[The Backlash Cometh]

14. So, will AT&T face civil lawsuits?

Or is this another case of white collar crime, forgiven?

[L. Coyote]

15. If there is illegality, they are subject to claims such as violation of constitutional rights

[formercia]

34. They had a free pass.

War time is War time and too many well connected people would have gone to jail.

Back in those days, there was no Internet to smoke them out.

The boys were in complete control.

[C_U_L8R]

16. I'm not buying an Apple Phone until AT&T proves they aren't spying

are you listening Steve Jobs?

hahaha

[file83]

22. That's right - I heard the iPhone uses AT&T. Not so "cool" now, is it!!

[Harry Monroe]

42. Is Steve Jobs aware that AT&T condones spying via NSA??

I am also a Cingular (now AT&T) customer. Did Steve Jobs award the distribution and sales of iPhone with this knowledge beforehand?? Makes you wonder. BTW, I am seriously considering cancelling my cell service with AT&T . I will DEFINITELY let them know how pissed I am about this!!

[CabalPowered]

17. "Get the goddammed tap off the phone!"

One of the more memorable quotes from the movie Where the Buffalo Roam. Hunter S Thompson was man before his time.

In all seriousness, lets not forget that the other major carriers are more than likely involved as well. Beyond telecom, I think the NSA reach goes even further. I'd encourage everyone to take a close look at the ToS from PayPal.

[Vyan]

20. Watch out for the Evil-Eye!

[yella_dawg]

23. As someone pointed out yesterday...

This would be a good source for recovering Rove's missing emails.

[BlueIris]

25. This sheds some light on the cheap DSL.

[L. Coyote]

26. How I sooo hope they were spying on my every communication, Pleeeze make it so.

List #1. Like the one informing the FBI of election fraud evidence, and the one informing the USA in Northern Ohio, and the one to Blackwell, and other Republicans, none of whom have replied yet.

List # 2. All the e-mails exchanged with the Dems who actually replied and are investigating.

Just think, if they knew about the evidence and did nothing, they get added to list #1, those obstructing justice!!

Pleeeez, please, spy on me. :rofl: I got lots of info for you to investigate. Like all my DU posting.

[hunter]

27. We are very Soviet here in the United States.

Our domestic central planning, propaganda, and spy agencies simply operate with greater finesse and subtlety, and are for the most part disguised within the apparatus of very large corporations.

[Gregorian]

28. Wow. That's something to think about.

It's the conservative agenda.

It makes my blood boil when people lie. If they said they were going to do it, it would have been different. But Contract with America and all of that kind of shit really irks me. They made it seem like they were the good guys.

Once again, I put the blame on sleeping Americans.

[Harry Monroe]

43. Put the blame on our cowering, complicit media

The link came from the UK. The US media doesn't have the courage to report this stuff. Blame the sleeping Americans as well for allowing this to happen.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

48. Kinda unavoidable when you become an empire, da? -nt

[Javaman]

32. AT&T formally SBC are gigantic humongous repuke contributors.

I bet you are soooooo surprised by that, huh?

[anitar1]

35. I saw this aired on Frontline some time ago. n/t

[daa]

36. AT&T is also blocking content like China

<snip>
AT&T to Block Pirated Content

Telco exec says illegal content costs the carrier; skeptics question privacy.
June 13, 2007

By Alexandra Berzon

AT&T on Wednesday became the first major U.S. telecommunications carrier to announce that it was taking steps to curb Internet piracy on its network.

The move marks a surprising reversal for AT&T, given that telecoms and cable companies have traditionally stood behind legal protections to avoid responsibility for copyrighted movies and music flowing through their pipes.


“What we’re trying to do in our piracy initiative is to try to come up with a network-based solution,” AT&T head of external and legislative affairs Jim Cicconi said during a panel about rights management at the Digital Hollywood conference in Santa Monica.


http://www.redherring.com/Article.aspx?a=22586&hed=AT%26T+to+Block+Pirated+Content+§or=Industries&subsector=EntertainmentAndMedia

[november3rd]

37. This surveillance

"This surveillance is under debate..." baloney! There's no debate. Everyone knows the surveillance is illegal and unjustifiable. We can only assume that that is the primary reason the government is trying to keep it secret: in order to circumvent the law and the just will of the people.

[Truth2Tell]

38. I have a friend

who works as a tech guy at the Cingular/AT&T wireless data center facility in Bothell, WA.

He tells me that similar Fed Gov infrastructure exists there, capturing HUGE amounts of data on a daily basis - including voice data. He tells me that secure server cabinets and an outdoor, barbed wire enclosed, switching box even have their own armed security. He says many people who work there are aware of the system. He also says that many, including his boss, have had to sign a document promising to never discuss the program. He has not had to sign anything, but he has never worked directly with their equipment. He does however have access to information on data flow, so he can see what gets passed to the Feds.

I have on several occasions in the past 1 1/2 years asked my friend if he would be willing to talk to Congressional staff or friends in the press about what he knows. He has declined for a variety of reasons - primarily because he is largely apolitical, soon to be married, and financially dependent on his job.

Take this for what it's worth, second hand information, I know. But I believe him implicitly, and maybe someone else could take it from here.

[peacetalksforall]

39. I would delete your message immediately.

[MelissaB]

44. Why?

[Truth2Tell]

47. I do not fear these people.

I very firmly believe that what our government is doing is ILLIGAL, and therefore my disclosure of it is not.

If you are concerned for the welfare of my friend, I can understand that. However, enough people work at this particular facility that I don't think this info will expose him.

If these bastards want to come knock on my door they will just be proving this information to be true.

[peacetalksforall]

51. They don't need to knock at your door except to see if they can

gather some additional 'stuff'. Would your friend be OK if you told him you shared this? Tracing would probably be easy. Precaution when a third party is involved is a consideration. It's the threat and nuisance factor and the possiblity that someone couid be placed on a no-fly that could affect a career. These people use people who are impassioned and with part of a thinking brain for the practicality of a situation.

[Truth2Tell]

52. Good question

so I called him and asked (a tad late, yes, but I suppose forgiveness is easier than permission).

He's OK with me relating this info as long as I provide no info on him (already have more than I should, so your point is fair HC) I'm not sure that tracing would be as easy as you think. Even if it were, he has signed nothing about this, nor been cautioned in any way re national security etc.. he's just passing along observations to a friend - so I can't imagine he's actually violated any law. Nor I.

Maybe I'm wrong. I tend to err on the side of disclosure. Just my nature. This stuff needs to be public IMO.

[peacetalksforall]

60. You're right - it has to get out. I despise it when people tell me

what I should do when they don't know me, but I think these people are rabid and lawless. So, I just say - think how you could mask it if something else comes up with anyone else. Glad you understand.

[tbyg52]

50. Yep, there are a lot of people out there

who would be up the creek without their next paycheck, and have no reason to believe they could find another job in this supposedly good economy. A neocon plan, or just a happy (for them) side effect.....?

[Harry Monroe]

41. Is there a pattern here??

AT&T buys out Cingular. Then they buy out BellSouth. I have both Cingular (now AT&T) cell service and BellSouth (AT&T) broadband internet. This is a very disturbing development; I am now considering changing my cell and internet providers. Although AT&T, probably with the assistance of the Bush Administration plans to acquire more communication companies so they can get the NSA on board to spy on us. Is is any coincidence that they still use the "Death Star" as a corporate symbol???


BTW, NSA if you are monitoring my e-mails or cell phone conversations, GO FUCK YOURSELF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[formercia]

45. Ain't War wonderful?

It opens up all kinds of business opportunities.

[SeekingDemocracy]

58. I'm in the same boat

Wish there was something in that Cingular contract I signed last year stating "If the provider company is purchased by a scumbag organization that blatantly allows the government to spy on it's own citizens in order to get said acquisition approved, this contract is null and void". I'm looking into VOIP and ISP through Comcast and some other provider like Sprint or T-mobile.

Here's a start if you aqre looking for a list of who helped NSA and who might not have. http://news.com.com/Some+companies+helped+the+NSA,+but+which/2100-1028_3-6035305.html

[Supersedeas]

46. everytime you see an AT&T advertisement on the major networks--consider the crickets in the News

[toddaa]

49. Don't you just love "small government" Republicans?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

53. This is what is known as...

The price of a merger.

[autorank]

55. Very nice shance! It's all true, they're Quislings.

[live love laugh]

56. "...government has asked the courts to dismiss the case, claiming that the lawsuit could expose

state secrets."

Yeah. Boosh's secrets. :eyes:

[wildbilln864]

57. kick! eom

[formercia]

59. kick. n/t

[L. Coyote]

61. K&R

[Quantess]

62. I wonder if some of the NSA workers...

...use their spy-powers just to listen in on juicy gossip. You know they have to wade through a lot of irrelevant info before getting any useful information.