How the NSA's XKeyscore program works

NBC ^ | 7/31/13 | Yannick LeJacq

[SoFloFreeper]

Until Wednesday morning, you'd probably never heard of something called "XKeyscore," a program that the National Security Agency itself describes as its "widest reaching" means of gathering data from across the Internet. According to reports shared by NSA leaker Edward Snowden with the Guardian, is that in addition to all of the other recent revelations about the NSA's surveillance programs, by using XKeyscore, "analysts can also search by name, telephone number, IP address, keywords, the language in which the Internet activity was conducted or the type of browser used."

David Brown, who co-authored the recent book "Deep State: Inside the Government Secrecy Industry" under the pseudonym D.B. Grady, told NBC News Wednesday the main value of XKeyscore is that it serves as a first point of collection for massive amounts of data the NSA can now cull from digital activities, such as a person's email or Web browsing.

[max americana]

Thanks bro for the tip. :)

[Old Sarge]

If you’re here, you’re probably on a death list.

I am on ELEVEN lists.

How many are YOU on?

[Old Sarge]

Bump for later image swiping! ;)

[brandon24]

Tor works pretty good these days. In the beginning it was MUCH slower. As for VPN this one seems good so far in about 6 months of use. http://www.ibvpn.com/

www.i2p2.de, a darknet, has out proxies to the regular web too but, i havent used it in good while so don’t know the quality or availability lately.

[brandon24]

alternative DNS providers:

http://www.opennicproject.org/
https://www.opendns.com/

useful page to bookmark:
https://prism-break.org/

[null and void]

Dunno. How do I get a count?

[Vendome]

Funny how they named their program after an old universal password for opening cash registers “X-Key” and the new term for master key to XBOX 360 and other game consoles...

[brandon24]

I do private Infosec work. I don’t have anything to hide but, i run with a lot of security just to annoy these .Gov creeps. Using a virtual machine is good advice. https://www.virtualbox.org/ Other good advice to consider here below.

Consider changing your browser homepage and search default. When your worried about your search use Startpage’s integrated proxy feature in the search results. https://startpage.com

Consider putting Truecrypt on your host if you want an elevated degree of the assurance of the confidentiality of your computer. Use a long strong pass PHRASE with it. http://www.truecrypt.org/

Consider the TOR browser package and/or VPN. https://www.torproject.org/projects/torbrowser.html.en
http://www.ibvpn.com/

Consider installing a NON-PERSISTENT RAMDrive program (there are free ones but i like “Primo’s”) and put a portable version of your preferred web browser program on it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_RAM_drive_software
http://www.romexsoftware.com/en-us/primo-ramdisk/

Consider using Sandboxie in the RAMDrive to isolate the browser further against “hacks”. Optionally set the program to dump and wipe the contents of the sandbox on browser close. “Eraser” can be called for a secure wipe.
http://www.sandboxie.com/
http://eraser.heidi.ie/

Consider using “Boxcryptor” if you use online storage. https://www.boxcryptor.com/

Consider using “CCleaner” and/or “Privazer” for keeping your system tidy.
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner
http://privazer.com/

Consider changing to alternative DNS provider like the OpenNicProject or OpenDNS.
http://www.opennicproject.org/
https://www.opendns.com/

Consider annoying your friends to switch to PIDGIN and all get the encryption plugin if you IM.
http://www.pidgin.im/
http://www.cypherpunks.ca/otr/
http://pidgin-encrypt.sourceforge.net/

Consider annoying your friends to setup Mozilla Thunderbird with a service like GMail and integrate GPGP4Win for secure email. http://www.enigmail.net/home/index.php

Consider annoying your friends to all get the free Keytone app from the app store for secure voice and text on your mobile phones. https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/keytone-free!/id532401119?mt=8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mocana.keywe&hl=en

[CedarDave]

You only need to google the wrong words to get a visit from the KGB ehh.. US-GOV.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/08/government-knocking-doors-because-google-searches/67864/

FR thread posted earlier:

Feds Investigate Couple for Online Searches (pressure cookers, backpacks and quinoa, oh my!)

[In Another Time...]

“When the backlash comes it will be driven by Libertarians.”

I hope it’s that simple.
Fearing The Beast may pull a false-flag operation, validate all they have done and take even more freedom.

[Old Sarge]

Just start listing the terrible things about yourself:

White;
Heterosexual;
Male;
Veteran;
Over 50;
Guns (we don’t talk about that);
Married;
“Are you now, or have you ever been, a Republican?”;
Freeper;
Written my Congresscritter;
Breathing;

[longtermmemmory]

the new xbox is DOA.

cloud computing is for suckers.

[Old Sarge]

Bump for good hints...

[cynwoody]

or a free wireless connection.

But do remember to change your MAC address and avoid video cameras. And change locations often.

[cynwoody]

You only need to google the wrong words to get a visit from the KGB ehh.. US-GOV.

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2013/08/government-knocking-doors-because-google-searches/67864/

That story is highly exaggerated.

The truth is bad enough: Ms Catalano got visited for posting an innocuous picture of some fireworks on Facebook.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WD0qbNmT-cQ

The SWAT team pic the Atlantic Wire used is also fraudulent. It was taken in Watertown, Massachusetts during the Joker Tsarnaev manhunt but is made to appear relevant.

[TomGuy]

Are you familiar with Keyscrambler? I have been using it with both IE and Firefox for several years.

The newest version, however, which expands the keyscrambling to other programs, crashed my system when I tried to install it several months ago. Now, I just use the older version because I am using the older (v 15) version of Firefox.

http://www.keyscrambler.com

[brandon24]

Yea i used to use it but use this alternative now > http://www.zemana.com/. No single security control is a panacea but, together provide “Defense in depth”.

[Chode]

from another article

But training materials for XKeyscore detail how analysts can use it and other systems to mine enormous agency databases by filling in a simple on-screen form giving only a broad justification for the search. The request is not reviewed by a court or any NSA personnel before it is processed.

and there it is...

[Paul R.]

Source? Link?