NSA chief defends surveillance programs at hacking conference

Comments (36)
WhyMeLord wrote:

Just like a kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar; “WHO ME?”.
And just like that kid, NSA is pretending to have complete innocence.
I can’t believe we tolerate such foolishness in this country, and are paying for it through the snoot; who needs these idiot bozos anyhow?
Send them packing without any benefits, and they can become greeters.

Jul 31, 2013 5:26pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
AlkalineState wrote:

Bet he starts receiving more spam.

Jul 31, 2013 5:41pm EDT  --  Report as abuse

Americans, wake up for God’s sake! You no longer live in a democracy. Take action before it’s too late!

Jul 31, 2013 5:54pm EDT  --  Report as abuse

Take action before it’s too late.

Jul 31, 2013 5:55pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
GabeMcCreary wrote:

I’m glad Alexander is calling for a discussion on the balance between liberty and security, however that should have taken place before PRISM ever began operating. The truly alarming part of this is our government’s willingness act without our consent. If it were both constitutional and in the people’s best interest, there would be no need for it to be clandestine in the first place.

Jul 31, 2013 5:58pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
dburry wrote:

Apparently we give “sustained applause” for destroying the constitution and the bill of rights!

Jul 31, 2013 5:59pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
dd606 wrote:

@WhyMeLord – So because you are too inept to comprehend what an organization does, that means we don’t need them? What else are you incapable of understanding, that you have therefore deemed it to be unnecessary? Do you know what the Army ISA is? I doubt it. So I guess that means they’re “bozos” that we don’t need. How about the DSS… Know what that is? Oh, well then I guess we don’t need it. The only thing that’s foolish in this country, are the people that have absolutely no clue how their country functions, and need some desperate media outlet searching for ad revenue, to tell them what they should and shouldn’t think.

Jul 31, 2013 6:00pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Iconoline wrote:

Did I read that right? Alexander kept most of the crowd “on his side”? At a Black Hat conference? What, as a professional courtesy or something? I suspect the Reuters reporters mistook politeness for agreement.

Jul 31, 2013 6:02pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Arulin wrote:

The more of this I hear the more I see why the Taliban wants to attack us. Our government is beyond redemption. If these truths are coming out I wonder what lies we are being feed. Still think my first comment would of explained my stance better but this is more clear. These cowards are so afraid they fear even George Washington and Franklin. Let’s take this country back and clean up the mess of two decades.

Jul 31, 2013 6:04pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
usagadfly wrote:

The 4th Amendment reads verbatim as follows:

“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.”

Your communications, behavior patterns, and continuous physical location are all protected under this clause and no one, including the “Supreme” Court or any Secret Court or any legislative body is legally authorized to change that without following the exact procedure laid out in the Constitution itself. Thus, violating it is never, ever “lawful”. Period. If someone cooperates with illegal, improper and unethical Government activities, they should know what it is they are doing and stop apologizing for what is essentially a coup.

Technologists who cooperate with this activity should never again be given your trust or cooperation. The Government is always claiming a “war on” something. That is no excuse. If you are smart enough to sniff packets you are smart enough to know that. Lines must be drawn.

Jul 31, 2013 6:04pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Apuleius wrote:

If Alexander read the Constitution, he sure didn’t understand what he was reading. What part of the 4th Amendment doesn’t he understand? The 4th reads: “The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause…” They have NO probable cause to monitor my phone or internet. And, of course, due process went out the window when we murdered four American citizens by shoving a drone missile up their wazoo.

Jul 31, 2013 6:08pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
OnAnIsland wrote:

How can you defend letting a private firm gather information on US citizens and then sell that information to 43 different countries? That’s what Booz Alan Hamilton boasts in their advertising. A firm stupid enough to hire a down and out loser like Snowden (he was released form the military during basic training for the good of the service after he got both his legs broken) and then entrust him with classified documents. How can congress defend renewing Booz’s contract without even a second thought like they did last week? There is no justification for this stupidity, just a big cover up of what is really going on.

Jul 31, 2013 6:12pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
John30303 wrote:

Hackers – those who oppose totalitarism that is – are the “Minute Men” of America’s twenty-first century.

Jul 31, 2013 6:16pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
GHCro wrote:

I don’t know if the Black Hat hackers are any better or worse than the NSA. I do know that us ordinary folks are at their mercy, and I don’t like that.
I want to be in control of my own stuff online and offline. I have enough street smarts to handle myself offline. But online, that’s a different story. I’m hoping for some White Knight entrepreneurs to come along with new ways to protect myself from these POTENTIAL evil-doers. Maybe a bunch of enterprising techies, even some Black Hats, will come up with ways to make our media invisible or at least keep it out of NSA’s reach.
Products like Hemli, the spy-proof messaging app, and CloudLocker, the private cloud that keeps all your digital media safe at home, are already on the market. I expect to see wave of new products like these soon.

Jul 31, 2013 6:23pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
ThoseWhoServe wrote:

Too many people appear to be unaware that the NSA has been scouring global communications for a very long period of time to gather information about governments, organizations, and individuals planning to take grievous actions against U.S. citizens and properties at home and abroad.

They fail to fully appreciate that the ease of information and travel between the U.S. and the rest of the globe results in increased risk from visitors, legally resident aliens, illegal aliens, citizens with dual citizenship with split loyalties and allegiances, and citizens with sympathy towards people, organizations, and governments, who are openly antagonistic and willing to take action against to the United States of America and all that it stands for.

The icing on the cake is that many of the 99%-plus of the electorate that sees no obligation or responsibility to volunteer for service in the Armed Forces support the actions of Manning and Snowden. Of course, they also expect the less than 1% to volunteer while they sit home and let the likes of Snowden and Manning steal and publish the intelligence-gathering procedures and information that leads to fewer casualties in the Armed Forces and reduces the threat of civilian casualties from terrorist actions at home.

It’s time for Americans to wake up

Jul 31, 2013 6:25pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
AlkalineState wrote:

OnAnIsland writes: “How can congress defend renewing Booz’s contract without even a second thought like they did last week?”

Because they are major campaign donors. They give some of that cushy contract money back. To the coffers of the politicians who then deposit it into their Cayman Islands bank accounts. Turning public money…. into private money. This whole machine is perfectly legal as a form of ‘free speech’ now that we have the Citizens United decision and others.

Jul 31, 2013 6:29pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
datsneefa wrote:

“The CIA owns everyone of any significance in the major media.”
– William Colby, former CIA director

“We’ll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false.”
– William Casey, CIA Director (from first staff meeting, 1981)

“Deception is a state of mind and the mind of the State.”
– James Angleton, head of CIA counter intelligence from 1954-1974

“I never would have agreed to the formulation of the Central Intelligence Agency back in forty-seven, if I had known it would become the American Gestapo.”
– Harry S. Truman

“The individual is handicapped by coming face-to-face with a conspiracy so monstrous he cannot believe it exists.”
– J. Edgar Hoover, ex-FBI director on the New World Order conspiracy

Jul 31, 2013 6:37pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
anonymot wrote:

He’s paid to defend his job. So are hangmen, electric chair button pushers, terminal chemical injectors, politicians, and the others in positions like his. Lie, exaggerate, omit, minimize, blackout, it’s all standard procedure. There’s nothing new about it. It has just hit levels that are in conflict with democracies and we thought that America was one of them. Wrong again.

Jul 31, 2013 6:41pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Obsilutely wrote:

Actually…we just made fun of him.

Jul 31, 2013 7:01pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
UScitizentoo wrote:

> NSA chief gives surveillance defense at hacker gathering
This is an absolutely STUNNING title.
Obama and congressional voters plus the originators of this program have not only broken their vows to the constitution, this has threatened the very core of US credibility. Absolutely unbelievable.
Nobody who voted for this abortion of a spy program should be left in office after the next election.

Jul 31, 2013 7:04pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
WinslowWilson wrote:

The NSA’s win last week in the House of Reps moves them closer to gaining visual access inside our homes through our children’s x-box’s,
our TV’s and monitors. They are already turning on our cell phones remotely even when we have them turned off and they do this with our computer’s camera.

Each of us can change all of this madness. Have faith in your power and Start here.. Copy and paste my following comment down for later use, refine it or edit it to your liking..

Vote out of office all of the Representatives who voted last week to allow the NSA continue its foolishness. Organize by sending this post to at least 5 solid friends and ask them make a commitment to go to the polls next year and vote against these Reps. Then ask your friends to send this along to 5 of their friends asking the same thing and so on and so on. These Reps names are on the web at

Most of these Reps have a Face Book page where people of their district discuss things. Post your alert to them about this particular Rep. Ask them to join you and commit to getting him or her out of office next year and also telling their friends. Be polite but firm, swear words tend to invalidate your opinion. Try and take on as many of these Reps as possible, make a check list of the ones you’ve smacked with your posting.

Sending out 5 letters as described above, if this is done 10 times down the line, it’s nearly 50 million potential allies. One important thing; people in Washington count on the short memory span of voters, so you have to form a way of staying in touch with each other lest you let the energy and commitment disappear.

Doing this will help you realize your awesome power by staying on target. Then on election day, move on them.

Once we’ve overthrown this batch of Reps at the polls, we move on the Senators in the next election who voted for the National Defense Authorization Act, articles 1021 & 1022. It allows US citizens to be arrested without warrant, held in secret prisons and never brought to trial. The NSA will use this new law

It’s no longer about Dems vs Repubs. Start with the Representatives and the Congress will get its wake-up call. Everything will begin changing for the better if you do this. Let this be your very own… “Midnight Ride of Paul Revere.”

Jul 31, 2013 7:44pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
dd606 wrote:

Arulin wrote: “The more of this I hear the more I see why the Taliban wants to attack us. Our government is beyond redemption.”

Oh, so you’re saying that guys who force themselves into people’s homes, rape their daughters and shoot women in the back of the head… Shoot at little girls coming out of school… Blow up dozens of people at markets for no logical reason… and string bodies up to goal posts in the middle of soccer fields, to show the public who’s in charge… Those are the good guys? OK.

Well, you’re always free to go join them if you think you have it so bad here.

Jul 31, 2013 7:53pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
puddintain wrote:

@THoseWHoServe: I served. My father served. My brothers served. None of that has anything to do with what is going on with the NSA and the government overreach. I recall nothing in the US Constitution that says the Bill of Rights may be ignored if there are good intentions to keep the military safe. Nothing says it may be suspended to provide ease of travel in the US. You argument is not the issue.

(The US has decided that only a minority need fight wars and public has accepted it. Makes it easier an less controversial that way.)

Jul 31, 2013 8:02pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Chiefsurfer wrote:

After 911, America was changed forever, as some predicted back then. How true indeed. These days, many Americans are scared out of their wits that they’re prepared to exchange anything to chase the mirage of safety.

Jul 31, 2013 9:56pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
RonHat10 wrote:

Payne_Thetford, The United States never has been, was never meant to be, a democracy. Even in the Pledge, it is to the Republic, not the Democracy.

Jul 31, 2013 10:21pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
MrAndre76 wrote:

Alexander is a liar. The chairman of the Senate Committe on Inteligence says there is not a single piece of evidence indicating more than fifity terrorist plots thwarted by the surveillance in fact the report to the committee could not identify one terrorist that was blocked.
NSA has way overstepped its authority. Apparently Alexander lied to the heckler as well or he just does not understand the Constitution.

Jul 31, 2013 11:13pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
MrAndre76 wrote:

Alexander is a liar. The chairman of the Senate Committe on Inteligence says there is not a single piece of evidence indicating more than fifity terrorist plots thwarted by the surveillance in fact the report to the committee could not identify one terrorist that was blocked.
NSA has way overstepped its authority. Apparently Alexander lied to the heckler as well or he just does not understand the Constitution.

Jul 31, 2013 11:13pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
AlexDeng wrote:

This is the same person who has had committed prejury in front of a Senate hearing. If it were not for Edward Snowden’s public disclosure, he would have been able to get away with his lies. So General Alexander has lied before, and it is likely he will continue to lie until the truth is revealed.

Jul 31, 2013 11:22pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
Rhino1 wrote:

“No one shall be subjected to arbitrary interference with his privacy, family, home or correspondence. Everyone has the right to the protection of the law against such interference.”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 12

Aug 01, 2013 4:28am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Rhino1 wrote:

And here a few more links. Some might help you protect yourself against PRISM.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2041044/how-to-protect-your-pc-from-prism.html

https://www.torproject.org/

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fed-up-with-skype-here-are-6-of-the-best-free-alternatives/

https://startpage.com/

http://www.ibtimes.com/alternatives-google-gmail-private-search-email-services-promise-online-anonymity-wake-nsa-1317983

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/opinion/americas-shameful-human-rights-record.html?_r=0

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/germany-should-honour-its-debt-and-offer-nsa-whistleblower-edward-snowden-asylum-8722923.html

Aug 01, 2013 4:30am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Rhino1 wrote:

And here a few more links. Some might help you protect yourself against PRISM.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2041044/how-to-protect-your-pc-from-prism.html

https://www.torproject.org/

http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fed-up-with-skype-here-are-6-of-the-best-free-alternatives/

https://startpage.com/

http://www.ibtimes.com/alternatives-google-gmail-private-search-email-services-promise-online-anonymity-wake-nsa-1317983

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/25/opinion/americas-shameful-human-rights-record.html?_r=0

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/germany-should-honour-its-debt-and-offer-nsa-whistleblower-edward-snowden-asylum-8722923.html

Aug 01, 2013 4:30am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Rhino1 wrote:

@ WinslowWilson:

You got it!!!!!

Aug 01, 2013 5:40am EDT  --  Report as abuse
pyanitsa wrote:

Washington under Obama: Defending the indefensible, contempt for the citizen’s intelligence, abominable management, empty rhetoric.

“My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration” – Barack Obama, 2009

Yeah, sure.

Aug 01, 2013 9:52am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Des3Maisons wrote:

Between WikiLeaks, Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden it is becoming clearer and clearer every day why no investigations were ever allowed of the Bush/Cheney administration, especially in relation to the crimes associated with the war in Iraq. Remember Nancy Pelosi stating, “Impeachment is off the table.” Remember also that Obama did not allow the Justice Department to investigate the crimes of the Bush/Cheney administration after he was elected. Who knows what would have crawled out from under that rock. It’s becoming clearer and clearer every day that the United States intelligence organizations are controlling the President and Congress rather than the other way around. We have one stunningly out of control situation here and this is most likely just the tip of the iceberg.

Aug 01, 2013 11:06am EDT  --  Report as abuse
Des3Maisons wrote:

The idea that National Security Agency Director Keith Alexander would have an ounce of credibility is absolutely ludicrous! His job title alone tells you that.

Aug 01, 2013 11:13am EDT  --  Report as abuse
ThomasShaf wrote:

The claim that those that disagree are unpatriotic and only support the enemy [compliments of Hermann Goring at the Nuremberg Trials as a tactic to bring along the masses] was repeated by our prior President George Bush in support of the Iraq war and is now repeated in different ways to justify just about any intrusion by “our” U.S. Government. So, why not let us in on the specifics about what all this intrusion has protected us from? How many law abiding individuals have had their lives ruined by unreasonable suspicions? What is their remedy, what they receive in Heaven?

Aug 01, 2013 1:02pm EDT  --  Report as abuse
 
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