Re: [iwar] [fc:CIA,.FBI.Developing.Intelligence.Supercomputer]

From: Fred Cohen (fc@all.net)
Date: 2002-02-15 05:09:42

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Message-Id: <200202151309.g1FD9gI32402@red.all.net>
To: iwar@yahoogroups.com
In-Reply-To: <20020215074309.45285.qmail@web14501.mail.yahoo.com> from "e.r." at Feb 14, 2002 11:43:09 PM
Organization: I'm not allowed to say
From: Fred Cohen <fc@all.net>
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Date: Fri, 15 Feb 2002 05:09:42 -0800 (PST)
Subject: Re: [iwar] [fc:CIA,.FBI.Developing.Intelligence.Supercomputer]
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More people with more access to more of the most sensitive information
we have.  Higher risk in the name of lower risk and more efficiency.
The equities issue hits us again.

FC

Per the message sent by e.r.:

> There was $500 million in the initial Internet Superhighway Bill of
> Black $ in case such a contingency came up. This appeared in an open
> source journal.
> --- Fred Cohen <fc@all.net> wrote:
> > CIA, FBI Developing Intelligence Supercomputer 
...

> > "They're trying to push more data and resources to the agencies and
> > people in the field that otherwise wouldn't have them," a U.S. official said,
> > referring to a data-mining system that could be used by the 32 federal agencies that collect
> > classified information.
...
> > "The goals are to tear down the information stovepipes," Johndroe
> > said yesterday, referring to the long-held practice of various agencies to keep data
> > to themselves. "Information stays in one pipe, and now we're going to tear down
> > those stovepipe walls."

Sounds like "Information Needs to be Free!!!"

> > The use of massive high-speed computers with cutting-edge software
> > could allow a wide range of U.S. organizations to pool resources, enabling them to
> > better monitor and prevent the movements of terrorists and those that participate in
> > the proliferation of dangerous weapons, officials said.

Or enhance it by making a larger more easily defeated system with
greater access.  My experience with cutting edge software is that you
tend to bleed a lot when you use it. 

> > Utilizing the types of supercomputers already used by private
> > industry to conduct marketing research, the CIA, FBI and other investigative agencies
> > should be able to move beyond Counterintelligence-21--an information-sharing system
> > now being used but already considered outdated, analysts said. The new system would
> > take advantage of a faster, more comprehensive database, they said.

When someone anywhere decides you are a terrorist, you are screwed for
life.  No longer will we have independent assessments and views - we
will now suffer from a whole new breed of group think in the
intelligence community. 

> > The officials and analysts have said that it could be dangerous for
> > too many people to get their hands on classified information during the war on
> > terrorism, a concern balanced by the need to get information to all pertinent officials,
> > including state and local authorities.

Equities it is.

> > There are ways to safeguard the information on a single database, so
> > that data is shared only on a "need to know" basis, they said.

Sure there are...  and that's why Hansen had access to the whole bundle
of wax.  He needed to know it so he could sell it to the Russians.

> > To make the most of scarce resources, intelligence officials need to
> > make their raw data available to pertinent agencies or officials, analysts
> > added.

Sources and methods must be made available to more and more folks.  That
way when our agents go into a life threatenning situation, more people
will know what and how they are doing it, but don't worry - we trust all
the FBI and CIA agents implicitly...

> > FBI officials would not comment, but the U.S. official said the major
> > challenge in devising a new supercomputer is making sure it has all the proper
> > safeguards needed to protect the vital information it provides.
> > 
> > "Intelligence agencies are very reluctant to put a lot of information on a database 
> > that can be shared," Bremer said. "There are very few home runs in counterintelligence. 
> > You win with a lot of bunts and singles."

OK - so I have reared my ugly infosec views.  Time for someone else to
tell me off.  Do we win the informaiton war by more and better sharing
or more and better security - you can't have both. 

FC
--This communication is confidential to the parties it is intended to serve--
Fred Cohen		Fred Cohen & Associates.........tel/fax:925-454-0171
fc@all.net		The University of New Haven.....http://www.unhca.com/
http://all.net/		Sandia National Laboratories....tel:925-294-2087


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