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News :: Civil & Human Rights : Elections & Legislation : Government Secrecy : Regime |
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Yahoo Muzzles Mail List Devoted to Security for Exposing Flaws in DNC Preparations |
Current rating: 0 |
by via cryptome
(No verified email address) |
25 Jul 2004
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Government retaliates against security expert for exposing flawed security at the Democratic National Convention by having Yahoo shut down his email group |
James Atkinson, Granite Island Group (http://www.tscm.com), writes today:
In an attempt to muzzle me about the massive security problems I found at the DNC convention site (http://cryptome.org/dnc-insec.htm), the government has pressured Yahoo to shutdown my TSCM-L security mailing list, and has had them delete my archive of thousands of messages which is read daily by over 1000 subscribers.
The List has been on Yahoo for six years, is over ten years old, and there was no warning of any sort given before they did this.
Subscribers to the list are not being allowed to post, and as the list moderator I have been locked out from approving messages, posting messages, or communicating in any way with the list membership.
The list mission and charter can be found at:
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/TSCM-L/?yguid=118830581
Curiously, the list or group itself still exists, it's just that I, the moderators, and the other list members have been muzzled.
I have repeatedly contacted Yahoo on this matter, and have not yet obtained a response in any form from them.
It looks like the government is trying to muzzle me...
Welcome to John Ashcroft's and Tom Ridge's vision of America.
Cryptome has been a subscriber to TSCM-L since December 2001. We confirm that the list archives are no longer accessible and posts are not being accepted.
A member attempt today to post produces this message:
The list TSCM-L is temporarily unavailable
A member request today for the files produces this message:
File access is currently unavailable. Please try again later
Shame on Yahoo for caving: if a subpoena/court order was served to ga TSCM-L, admit it publicly. Or, Yahoo staff: snarf a copy and send the gag to Cryptome for publication.
E-mail: jya (at) pipeline.com
Fax: 212-787-6102
Snail, Fedex, by hand:
John Young
251 West 89th Street
New York, NY 10024
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/TSCM-L/
Description Category: Security
TSCM-L Technical Security Mailing List - Dedicated to TSCM specialists engaging in expert technical and analytical research for the detection, nullification, and isolation of eavesdropping devices, wiretaps, bugging devices, technical surveillance penetrations, technical surveillance hazards, and physical security weaknesses. This also includes bug detection, bug sweep, and wiretap detection services.
Special emphasis is given to detecting and countering espionage and other threats and activities directed by foreign intelligence services against the United States Government, United States corporations, establishments, and citizens.
The list includes technical discussion regarding the design and construction of SCIF facilities, Black Chambers, and Screen Rooms. This list is also for discussing DIAM 50-3, NSA-65, and DCID 1/21, 1/22 compliance.
The primary goal and mission of this list is to "raise the bar" and increase the level of professionalism present within the TSCM business.
The secondary goal of this list is and increase the quality and effectiveness of our efforts so that we give spies and eavesdroppers no quarter, and to neutralize all of their espionage efforts.
This mailing list is moderated by James M. Atkinson and sponsored by Granite Island Group as a public service to the TSCM, Counter Intelligence, and technical security community.
What's New
Nothing new within the last 7 days
Recent Messages
Message archives are not currently available.
*******
Related Links on Cryptome:
http://cryptome.org/dnc-insec.htm
http://cryptome.org/dnc-dauphine.htm
http://cryptome.org/dncpen-eyeball.htm
http://cryptome.org/dnc-radio.htm |
See also:
http://cryptome.org
http://www.tscm.com
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Security Theater: Security expert draws DHS ire in Boston |
by Richard Forno via cryptome
(No verified email address) |
Current rating: 0
26 Jul 2004
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SECURITY THEATER: A term first coined by security technologist Bruce Schneier in his 2003 book "Beyond Fear" to describe what generally passes for "security" these days -- namely presenting the appearance (and reassuring illusion) of security (or improved security) despite however ineffective in reality such postures really are to those who know what real security is all about. Also a favored approach to security by the United States government, even after September 11.
Below is an interesting thread about James Atkinson, a well-known TSCM specialist in Boston (www.tscm.com) -- who, after publicizing the goofy nature of physical security in/around the Fleet Center in advance of this week's Democratic National Convention, reports what he believes is harassment by the Department of Homeland Security and others, including the sudden and unannounced shutdown of his TSCM mailing list by Yahoo last week.
Apparently James was (unofficially) informed that "Yahoo was contacted by a "Federal Law Enforcement Agency" and asked to disable the TSCM list as it posed a national security threat. Also, his contact stated that on Friday afternoon Yahoo was served with a formal request by the US government for copies of all list members, and copies of the thousands of messages and postings that were made to the list, plus a history of everything he had ever subscribed to or posted."
If the events listed below are true (and knowing James' competence, I have no reason to think otherwise) and while DHS may view him as a "troublemaker" I think it's a refreshing (and much-needed) situation to have an otherwise objective and competent security expert take a look at the state of "improved security post-911" and report publicly their findings without the usual watering-down, politicization, or classification of such matters by those responsible who seek to avoid embarrassment or accountability for their actions -- or lack thereof.
We need more such disclosures, not less. Otherwise, we're forced to accept the government's word on things being "better, safer, or more secure" than they really are -- a reality not overlooked by those who might seek to attack us, even absent such publicized disclosures like this one. Pretending vulnerabilities don't exist doesn't make anyone any safer and actions that perpetuate such a mindset are a concrete demonstration of security theater in action.
For your reference, the situation involving Atkinson can be found at the following links:
18 July - What's Wrong with Security at the DNC in Boston
http://cryptome.org/dnc-insec.htm
21 July - DHS Contacts Cryptome to Complain
http://cryptome.org/nicc-cryptome.htm
23 July - Eyeballing the DNC Protest Pen (AKA "Free Speech Zone")
http://cryptome.org/dncpen-eyeball.htm
25 July - Yahoo Shuts down TSCM Mailing List
http://cryptome.org/dncsec-yahoo.htm
25 July - DNC Radio Frequencies Discovered
http://cryptome.org/dnc-radio.htm
25 July - Additional Comments about DNC Security Operations
http://cryptome.org/dnc-apeshit.htm
A lesson our government has yet to learn -- even after the renewed interest in security theory post-911 -- is that security through obscurity does not work. Neither does saying "trust us, but don't ask any questions."
Sadly, the more things change, the more they stay the same. |
