'We can't defend ourselves against the NSA'

[FarCenter]

When faced with the capacities of the NSA, counterintelligence can be difficult, says secret service expert Erich Schmidt-Eenboom in an interview with DW.

DW: What is the National Security Agency (NSA) capable of - or rather, what can't they do?

Erich Schmidt-Eenboom: The Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) in Bonn attempts to protect government communication. It is responsible for encryption technology, not only for the chancellor but also for the ministers, state secretaries, all government agencies. But all the IT experts in Germany agree that it's nearly impossible to defend against the massive capacities of the NSA and its advanced technology. If they want to break through the encryption somewhere, then they can do it. Their orders come from the White House; the president decides what intelligence objectives are to be pursued. In this respect, it's not really an NSA scandal, but an Obama scandal.

Who is responsible for counterintelligence in Germany?

For counterintelligence, the monitoring of the activities of foreign intelligence services in Germany, it's the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) that's responsible. The technical security of government communications is the responsibility of the BSI, which attempts to protect communication with the appropriate encryption. Since the beginning of the last century, we have actually experienced a constant race between encryption and decryption experts. And that has mostly worked in the favor of those who want to access data, in this case the NSA.

Would you say that the BfV and the BSI do their job well?

From a technical standpoint, the BSI is certainly world-class. Concerning the BfV, there are also political demands. And until now there hasn't been any political direction to defend the country from all sides. Counterintelligence must become more active in every direction - even in the West, with an emphasis on the US and Britain.

http://www.dw.de/we-cant-defend-ourselves-against-the-nsa/a-17184525

[Octafish]

1. That's what Frank Church said.

“That capability at any time could be turned around on the American people and no American would have any privacy left, such is the capability to monitor everything: telephone conversations, telegrams, it doesn’t matter. There would be no place to hide. If this government ever became a tyranny, if a dictator ever took charge in this country, the technological capacity that the intelligence community has given the government could enable it to impose total tyranny, and there would be no way to fight back, because the most careful effort to combine together in resistance to the government, no matter how privately it was done, is within the reach of the government to know. Such is the capability of this technology.

I don’t want to see this country ever go across the bridge. I know the capability that is there to make tyranny total in America, and we must see 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.”

-- Sen. Frank Church (D-Idaho) FDR New Deal, Liberal, Progressive, World War II combat veteran. A brave man, the NSA was turned on him. Coincidentally, he narrowly lost re-election a few years later.

http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Octafish/277

[bananas]

7. Art Buchwald too? nt

[randome]

2. So...no more technology because 'capabilities' might exist?

An 'Obama' scandal, huh? And if Obama says we are not spying on the German prime minister then it's not an Obama scandal?
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[FarCenter]

3. There is also this ---

Is Germany able to protect itself against the NSA spying?

Only through binding international treaties with the United States, which exclude mutual spying in the political and economic arenas. Something like this was already tried in 2010, between France and the US. At the time, the French foreign intelligence service and the CIA had negotiated an agreement, which only failed after personal resistance from President Obama. This proves, however, that it is politically possible.

[randome]

4. I truly don't want to be an NSA booster but...

...corporations do evil in the world, too. Bribe government officials. Even serve as organized crime cartels. It would seem to me to be of some benefit to spy on foreign corporations, especially those that operate equally on our shores.

I don't know if that has anything to do with Obama's reluctance but it's a point to consider, IMO.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[FarCenter]

5. If a foreign corporation does something illegal in the US, we should enforce our laws here

If a foreign corporation does something illegal in Germany, it is Germany's responsibility to enforce their laws.

Of course if a US company is doing something illegal, it might be useful to spy on them in Germany, since it is unlawful to spy on them in the US without a warrant and other troublesome niceties.

[randome]

6. I hear you. It would be interesting to hear Obama's reluctance to agree to something like this.

I would think there is a rationale behind it. Not something that everyone would support but something that would make logical sense other than 'we want to keep spying'.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]