Category: Government

Government Security

The NSA Is Building a Quantum Computer? We Already Knew That

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As reported on Wired. BY ROBERT MCMILLAN NSA Director Keith Alexander speaking at the 2009 Cyberspace Symposium. Photo DoD/Dan Rohan   The internet is abuzz over revelations that the NSA is building its own quantum computer, a machine that could crack the computer encryption codes exponentially faster than any machine available today. But this should come as no surprise. “It’s an interesting topic,” says Scott Aaronson, a theoretical computer scientist at MIT who has followed quantum computing efforts…

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Government Security

New Leaks Detail How The NSA’s ‘TAO’ And ‘ANT’ Units Spy On Devices, Global Networks

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As reported on TechCrunch. by Colleen Taylo New leaks emerged today in Germany’s Der Spiegel newspaper about the scope of electronic surveillance conducted by the United States’ National Security Agency. In short, it looks like the agency has even more access to personal data than we already thought. Der Spiegel says it has obtained documents detailing the depth and breadth of access that the Tailored Access Operations (TAO) unit, an elite group within the NSA that’s reportedly tasked with gaining access to foreign…

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Government

Tim Draper Wants To Split California Into Pieces And Turn Silicon Valley Into Its Own State

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As reported on TechCrunch. by Gregory Ferenstein TechCrunch has learned about noted technology investor Tim Draper’s plan to split California into six separate states, including a Northern California slice appropriately named “Silicon Valley.” Draper shared his vision with TechCrunch tonight. He says he’s submitting a polished version to the state’s Attorney General in the form of a ballot proposition proposal within the next 48 hours. “Six Californias” already has a campaign website up and is eager for an…

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Apple Government iPhone

President Obama says he can’t have an iPhone

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As reported on The Verge. By Sean Hollister Barack Obama was a BlackBerry addict even before he became President of the United States, but these days he may not have a choice. “I’m not allowed for security reasons to have an iPhone,” he quipped today, in a speech promoting Obamacare to a youth audience attending a summit at The White House. OBAMA’S BLACKBERRY IS “NO FUN” The restriction is not much of a surprise, considering how…

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Government

New York puts state troopers in unmarked SUVs to catch texting drivers in the act

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As reported on The Verge. By Chris Welch New York state is getting even more aggressive in its pursuit of drivers that text on the road. Thirty-two unmarked SUVs are now traveling the state’s highways in hopes of catching distracted drivers in the act. The tall vehicles give state troopers a better vantage point than traditional police cars, which put them at eye level with other drivers and can make it difficult to spot when someone…

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Government Security

The edge of the abyss: exposing the NSA’s all-seeing machine

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As reported on The Verge. by T.C. SOTTEK “I know the capability that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see to it that this agency and all agencies that possess this technology operate within the law and under proper supervision, so that we never cross over that abyss. That is the abyss from which there is no return.” Senator Frank Church on Meet The Press, 1975 On November 4th, 1952, a new…

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Government Internet

The story behind the company contracted to make the buggy Healthcare.gov website

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As reported on The Verge. By Dante D’Orazio  It’s no secret that the Healthcare.gov website — which is home to Obamacare’s health insurance exchanges — hasn’t had a smooth launch. The company that won the $93.7 million contract to construct the site is CGI Federal, a subsidary of a Canadian firm called CGI Group. Blame for the botched launch has largely settled on the company, the contractors it hired to complete the job, and the bureaucratic system that awards…

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Government Security

NSA collecting email and messaging contacts worldwide, Yahoo moves to encrypt webmail by default

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As reported on Engadget. By Jon Fingas Don’t think that the NSA’s bulk communication data collection is focused solely on the communications themselves. The Washington Post has published more Edward Snowden documents which reveal that the agency collects large volumes of contact lists from email and instant messaging users around the world. While the NSA gathers the information on foreign soil, its method reportedly prevents it from automatically screening out any Americans in the list. The NSA and anonymous officials argue that American laws…

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Government

Goodbye, government: shutdown affects science, the environment, and health

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As reported on The Verge. By Carl Franzen Hardest-hit agencies are those in charge of forward-thinking projects Congress was unable to pass the funding bill before the deadline, and as of midnight tonight the US government has begun shutting down. The US government is headed for a shutdown as of this writing, after members of Congress were unable to reach a compromise on the federal budget. They have until midnight tonight to pass a new funding bill…

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Government Hacking Security

Shutting Down The US Government Likely Won’t Slow The NSA’s Surveillance Activities

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As reported on TechCrunch. by ALEX WILHELM According to an unnamed government officialspeaking with The Hill, shutting down the U.S. government wouldn’t lead to the National Security Agency (NSA) halting its controversial, and broad surveillance efforts. The United States may shut down in short order, due to political intransigence between the two chambers of Congress. Republicans want to defund the Affordable Care Act, while Senate Democrats and the president do not. It isn’t clear if there…

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