A-Space is a Myspace and Facebook for spies.
September 7th, 2008 | 324 wordcountAccording to this article from CNN, the CIA and FBI has made a new social network for spies on the internet. It’s a place where they can not only share thoughts with one another, but also share information easier. That is just what we want, isn’t it? Sixteen plus intelligence agencies freely sharing information more easily then before.
They use it under the guise that this is to fight terrorism. In the article, Michael Wertheimer, a assistant deputy director of national intelligence for analysis, states “One perfect example is if Osama bin Laden comes out with a new video. How is that video obtained? Where are the very sensitive secret sources we may have to put into a context that’s not apparent to the rest of the world? … In the past, whoever captured that video or captured information about the video kept it in-house. It’s highly classified, because it has so very short a shelf life. That information is considered critical to our understanding.”
That’s all well and good, but have we forgotten that the Justice Department already proposed new legislation for police to easily share information with the FBI? Not to share information only about “terrorists”, but about UNITED STATES CITIZENS. I can only wonder what’s going to happen on this A-Space.
Also, can you imagine the intrigue and espionage as well? How easy would it be to fake being a CIA agent if you’re from a counter intelligence agency? Myspace, Facebook and the internet already has its share of drama, fakes and gender benders. If we throw in state wide and international agencies in the mix, along with the safety of innocent lives like you and me, this could be a very dangerous and explosive combination.
Remember: Just because they’re spies and just because they’re in the government, that doesn’t make them omnipotent or RIGHT.
Part of me is hoping this is just a smoke screen, because overall I believe this is a bad idea.
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I actually think this is a fairly awesome idea. Some of that might be the counter-intelligence education I did though…
On the point about people faking their way on to the site. The sort of access that is being discussed for this A-Space would most likely be TS:SCI (Top Secret - Special Compartmental Information), people with that level of access are all known and well tracked.
And even though the guys keeps saying “spies” the most likely users are analysts. And making them able to share information in badly needed.
I’m not excited about any use to track citizens, but this may push our intelligence abilities to the level they need to be at.
There you are, the outside the box thinker.
I’m just not too thrilled about this because what if there are hackers that can get in? The internet is an iffy place.
Where did you do counter-intelligence training, and what did you learn?
Oh yeah, I agree that there are tons of security questions. Most programs similar to this are run on intranets and accessible only in places like Langley, so putting this on the “public” side of things does cause worries.
Although from the little bit of information that is out there, it sounds like there are several layers of security to keep even authorized users only able to view certain areas and parts of information.
It makes me want to know much more about the program, security on it, and all the things they really won’t tell us…
Also I messed up SCI. It is Sensitive Compartmental Information, rather than Special. Mostly that means you have to not only be TS cleared, but then have the right level of access within that, and work for the right department, etc.
I was in a program through the American Military University (Open to civilians, like myself). Mostly I learned a great deal about the structure of the intelligence community and the different types of intillgence ( HUMINT, SIGINT, etc.). Also a lot about the history of intelligence.
To a smaller extent I learned about some of the now declassified platforms (like the Aurora satellites) and military intelligence operations. From personal reading and research I have learned a great deal about types of tradecraft (how spies do what they do), but only to the extent of what sorts of methods exist, not how to pull anything off.