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Nsa

All articles tagged with #nsa

politics26 days ago•7 min saved

Wyden, Cotton Clash Over NSA Abuses as 702 Extension Moves Forward

Sen. Ron Wyden pressed to declassify a court opinion that faulted the Trump administration’s use of data under Section 702, as lawmakers debated renewing the NSA’s domestic-spying program. He sparred with Sen. Tom Cotton, who warned of consequences for distorting highly classified material, and the Senate approved a 45-day extension to allow more negotiation. Wyden secured a commitment to seek declassification within 15 days, with Sen. Mark Warner playing a key role in the talks. An update noted Congress later extended FISA as the story noted.

via The Intercept|

#declassification #fisa #nsa

technology26 days ago•11 min saved

Whistleblower Reveals NSA's Secret Internet Tap in AT&T Building

Mark Klein, a former AT&T technician, provided the Electronic Frontier Foundation with evidence that the NSA was secretly tapping the U.S. internet backbone from an AT&T facility (641A) on Folsom Street, creating a copy of traffic for the NSA. This post-9/11 revelation — prompted by Patriot Act changes that blurred the line between foreign and domestic surveillance — became pivotal in the Hepting v. AT&T case and underscored the legal and privacy battles over mass surveillance. The disclosure helped push a legal challenge against the program and highlighted the challenges of handling potentially sensitive information in court.

via The MIT Press Reader|

#641a #atandt #electronic-frontier-foundation

technology1 month ago•5 min saved

Daily vs Weekly Reboots: The Right Cadence for Your Phone

Samsung advocates daily reboots for users who never adjust settings, while analyses suggest a weekly restart suffices for most current devices. A reboot clears RAM and background processes (not data), can fix intermittent freezes, and can be automated; updates often include mandatory reboot, and NSA guidance also endorses reboots to disrupt malware in volatile memory. Choose cadence based on device age, RAM, and update habits: daily for aging or low-RAM devices, weekly for recent flagships.

via The Daily Galaxy|

#nsa #performance #phone-reboot

technology1 month ago•17 min saved

NSA Expands Anthropic Mythos Deployment Despite Pentagon Pushback

NSA is reportedly broadening its use of Anthropic’s Mythos Preview AI despite Pentagon warnings about national security risks, with Axios noting the model is used within the agency and by banks and other firms for defense and cybersecurity tasks; the exact use cases remain unclear. The move fuels a broader debate over whether powerful AI should be tightly restricted or more widely deployed, drawing attention from the White House and European regulators, while Anthropic cautions Mythos is too powerful for public release.

via TipRanks|

#ai #anthropic #mythos

technology1 month ago•88 min saved

NSA taps Anthropic Mythos despite Pentagon risk designation, Axios reports

Reuters reports the U.S. National Security Agency is using Anthropic's Mythos Preview AI despite the Pentagon's formal supply-chain risk designation; Axios cites sources saying Mythos is being deployed more widely within the NSA, but Reuters could not immediately verify the claim. Comment requests were not answered by the NSA, Anthropic or the DoD. The piece notes discussions between the Trump administration and Anthropic and raises concerns that Mythos’s autonomous coding capabilities could heighten cybersecurity risks.

via Reuters|

#ai #anthropic #cybersecurity

politics-and-government1 month ago•18 min saved

NSA taps Anthropic Mythos for security tasks amid policy tensions

The NSA is reportedly using Anthropic's Mythos Preview, a general-purpose AI model, for security tasks; Axios cites two sources noting broader use within the agency. The move comes after Anthropic CEO meetings with White House officials to discuss Mythos, with the White House calling the talks productive amid past government bans and ongoing DoD litigation. About 40 organizations reportedly have access to Mythos Preview, and NSA usage is said to be expanding within the department.

via Engadget|

#anthropic #government #mythos

politics1 month ago•4 min saved

Congress Keeps FISA in Limbo with 10-Day Extension amid 702 Reform Talks

Congress voted to extend the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act for 10 days after failing to secure a longer reform package, keeping Section 702 powers that let the NSA collect foreigners’ communications (and incidental Americans’ data) without warrants as lawmakers debate changes like ending the backdoor search loophole; supporters say it aids national security, critics argue it enables mass surveillance; the extension runs to April 30 while negotiations continue, with President Trump pressuring for a no-change extension but signaling openness to extending without reforms.

via BBC|

#fisa #nsa #politics

politics3 months ago•3 min saved

Whistleblower Report Ties Trump Ally to Iran-Related Intercept, Sparking Oversight Clash

A whistle-blower report describes an NSA intercept of a call between two foreign nationals discussing someone close to President Trump; Tulsi Gabbard, the director of national intelligence, restricted access to the report and briefed the White House, while the inspector general cleared her of wrongdoing and Congress weighs how much of the underlying intelligence should be shared, amid ongoing questions about its credibility and significance (the content was not definitively identified and could involve Iran).

via The New York Times|

#intelligence #nsa #politics

politics3 months ago•6 min saved

Whistleblower Alleges Gabbard Suppressed Classified Call Involving Trump Ally

The NSA reportedly detected a highly sensitive call between a foreign intelligence-linked individual and someone close to Donald Trump. A whistleblower’s attorney says DNI Tulsi Gabbard took the information to the president’s staff and instructed NSA to withhold publication, instead directing the details to her office. ODNI denies any improper action, while lawmakers debate legality and transparency, and the independence of the IC inspector general is under scrutiny as the full contents of the complaint remain largely unknown.

via The Guardian|

#gabbard #inspectorgeneral #nsa

defense-and-intelligence4 months ago•2 min saved

NSA appoints Tim Kosiba as Deputy Director amid leadership changes

The NSA announced Timothy Kosiba as its new Deputy Director, a role in which he will oversee strategy, policy, and operations, leveraging over 30 years of experience in cybersecurity and signals intelligence to support U.S. national security efforts.

via National Security Agency (NSA) (.gov)|

#cybersecurity #defense-and-intelligence #deputy-director

technology6 months ago•2 min saved

CISA, NSA, and Partners Release New Microsoft Exchange Security Guidance

CISA and NSA have issued guidance for securing Microsoft Exchange servers, emphasizing best practices like strong authentication, minimizing attack surfaces, and decommissioning outdated servers, especially after recent vulnerabilities and attacks exploiting Exchange flaws. They recommend migrating to Microsoft 365, enabling multi-factor authentication, applying security patches, and monitoring for suspicious activity to prevent breaches.

via BleepingComputer|

#cisa #cybersecurity #microsoft-exchange

world9 months ago•1 min saved

Joe Francescon Named NSA Deputy Director

Joe Francescon has been appointed as the next NSA deputy director, bringing extensive experience in countering foreign threats and a background as an NSA intelligence analyst. His appointment follows a period of leadership changes at the NSA, and he is expected to lead efforts in cybersecurity and national security. Far-right activist Laura Loomer played a role in the staffing decision process, and Francescon expressed enthusiasm about returning to the agency.

via Politico|

#cybersecurity #government #intelligence

politics9 months ago•3 min saved

Gabbard Revokes Security Clearances of 37 Officials Amid Political Controversy

The acting NSA director attempted to intervene to save top scientist Vinh Nguyen from losing his security clearance amid a broader purge of national security officials ordered by President Trump, which has been criticized as a campaign of retribution and fear-mongering within the government.

via The New York Times|

#intelligence #nsa #politics

technology2 years ago•3 min saved

NSA Urges Weekly Phone Restarts to Prevent Hacks

The NSA advises iPhone and Android users to restart their devices weekly to enhance security and disrupt malware operations. This recommendation is part of broader best practices, including updating software, using strong authentication, avoiding public Wi-Fi, installing apps from trusted sources, and reviewing app permissions. The guidance aims to mitigate the increasing sophistication of cyber threats targeting mobile devices.

via CybersecurityNews|

#android #cyber-threats #iphone

technology2 years ago•7 min saved

NSA Urges Weekly Phone Restarts to Prevent Hacks

The NSA has issued seven crucial steps for iPhone and Android users to protect their devices from cybercriminals, who exploit WiFi networks, apps, and software vulnerabilities to conduct cyber espionage, steal identities, and deploy ransomware. Key recommendations include updating software and apps, only installing apps from official stores, turning off WiFi and Bluetooth in public, using encrypted communication apps, avoiding unknown links and attachments, rebooting devices weekly, and using mic-drowning cases and camera covers. These measures aim to mitigate risks and safeguard personal data from hackers.

via Daily Mail|

#android #cybercrime #iphone