
Defense subcontractor posted a job listing for XKEYSCORE 2 weeks ago - steveklabnik
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2013/08/01/is-xkeyscore-still-active-defense-contractor-posted-a-job-listing-for-it-2-weeks-ago/
======
mutagen
Also interesting in that the job description 'leaks' another name for a
system, SKIDROWE. Some quick searches only turn up the same or similar
positions for open for XKEYSCORE.

Cryptome is already on it: [http://cryptome.org/2013/08/nsa-xkeyscore-
saic.htm](http://cryptome.org/2013/08/nsa-xkeyscore-saic.htm)

~~~
subsystem
It's pretty easy to collect large lists of these types of code names from
places like linkedin. Search for code name, find new code names, repeat.

[https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Alinkedin.com%2Fpub%2F...](https://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Alinkedin.com%2Fpub%2F+XKEYSCORE)

~~~
iblaine
Ah, I like the guy who lists his databases knowledge to include Excel &
XKeyScore. Either XKeyScore is so slick that it is indistinguishable from
Excel or this particular person doesn't know what a database is. Either way,
that cannot be good.

~~~
rhizome
At the end of the day, it's evidence of the NSA having low-skills computer
users rifling through your calls and internet. Make of that what you will.

------
jonknee
The first thing I did yesterday after seeing Snowden's leaked Powerpoint was
search for mentions of XKeyscore in the past and I came across these same job
postings (and copied them down since I doubted they would last).

I started compiling a database of the different programs, what's known about
them, what you can do to stay off their radar, etc. Sound interesting to
anyone?

Programs/tools I came across include: AGILITY, ANCHORY/MAUI, AUTOSOURCE,
CONTRAOCTAVE, WISE, INFOSHARE, TREASUREMAP, TUNINGFORK, SCORPIOFORE, TAPERLAY,
MAINWAY, PINWALE, Tripwire Analytic Capability, Combating Terrorism Knowledge
Base (CTKB), etc. Quite a few and some of those names are Hollywood quality.

Tools that HN readers would know about that were mentioned: ArcGIS, Wireshark,
IDA Pro, OLLY Dbg, Snort, Analyst Notebook.

~~~
fsck--off
This article [1] also mentions finding lists of program names from LinkedIn
profiles, especially this one [2].

[2] mentions:

    
    
      ANCHORY, AMHS, NUCLEON, TRAFFICTHIEF, ARCMAP, SIGNAV,
      COASTLINE, DISHFIRE, FASTSCOPE, OCTAVE/CONTRAOCTAVE,
      PINWALE, UTT, WEBCANDID, MICHIGAN, PLUS, ASSOCIATION,
      MAINWAY, FASCIA, OCTSKYWARD, INTELINK, METRICS, BANYAN,
      MARINA
    

The names of the programs aren't classified; if they were they would not show
up on LinkedIn. What the programs actually do _is_ classified information.

[1] [http://front.kinja.com/job-networking-site-linkedin-
filled-w...](http://front.kinja.com/job-networking-site-linkedin-filled-with-
secret-nsa-pro-514057863)

[2] [http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-
miller/39/741/a49](http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-miller/39/741/a49)

~~~
jonknee
Names are the first step though. You can collect a decent amount from them,
like when things started, if they are currently in use, which companies deal
with which programs, etc.

~~~
salgernon
Codenames can also be useful when social engineering. "Oh, it's ok, I know all
about FOXYROT, what part did you work on?"

------
zby
So - do you guys apply to these jobs? We need more Snowdens!

By the way - have you guys noticed the text RMS adds to his emails recently:

    
    
      [ To any NSA and FBI agents reading my email: please consider
      [ whether defending the US Constitution against all enemies,
      [ foreign or domestic, requires you to follow Snowden's example.

------
noname123
I've been thinking about making a switch over to working for a defense
contractor over start-up.

The pay seems to be better in lower cost of living area's (Washington DC metro
vs. SF); job security better in BigCo like Mitre, SAIC and Booze and less
competition from H1B visa holders that cannot obtain security clearance
easily.

Get to work on cool technology with big scaling and parallel processing over
web CRUD frameworks. Anyone has experience making the switch?

~~~
falk
Why would you want to work for a defense contractor after seeing all the awful
things they do on behalf of the U.S. government? Is a little extra cash in
your pocket and a little more job security worth your selling your soul to the
devil?

~~~
bennyg
God damn. Not all defense contractors work on the NSA spying technologies.
Personally, I think it'd be cool to work on anti-missile guidance systems or
fighter jet avionics.

~~~
falk
He specifically pointed out Booze Allen which is known for their NSA spying.
It's not like you can walk into the organization and say, "Hey, I'd like a
job. You guys don't spy on Americans, right?".

~~~
bennyg
Not the comment I replied to. He just lumped all defense contractors into
soulless assholes basically. And that's just intellectually dishonest.

------
gcb0
And we learn the importance of commas

Defense subcontractor posted a job listing for XKEYSCORE, 2 weeks ago

Defense subcontractor posted a job listing for XKEYSCORE 2, weeks ago

------
beatpanda
Is it legal to deny people employment based on their having worked on projects
like this?

~~~
bennyg
Meet Bob. Bob got a job working on a random system through an NSA
subcontractor. After several weeks on the job, and having gone through
rigorous training, Bob was starting to feel uneasy with the work requirements
and amount of details he knew. Bob had a TopSecret clearance however, and
couldn't tell anyone - not even his wife. After a few more weeks, he decided
to try his luck at another employer. Bob was damn good too, one of the best in
his field - he was guaranteed a job anywhere for competitive pay.

Except word got out about Bob's employer - and specifically the subsystems Bob
was responsible for implementing. After the negative press, the NSA didn't
renew Bob's company's contract which forced said company to let Bob go. That's
okay, Bob thought, he had enough experience in the field, right? Everywhere
Bob looked was disgusted at his previous job and the moral choices his
superiors' superiors made. But they took it out on Bob. Bob was never offered
a job anywhere for close to the amount of money and psychological income he
had at his former job.

Must suck to be Bob.

~~~
iskander
>After several weeks on the job...Bob had a TopSecret clearance.

Top Secret clearance usually takes a few months. I'm comfortable with a world
in which someone who worked for an NSA subcontractor for several months being
stuck with menial employment for the rest of their days. Sometimes it pays to
have ethics.

~~~
Balgair
My brother got a TS. It took him about a year to get the thing. He had no clue
what the TS part of the company was like before 'stepping through the rabbit-
hole.' He worked at the job just fine for a few years. One day, he said he
knew he had to look for other work. It took him a few months to find a way to
leave. Eventually, he just quit without any job at all. He has a job now, not
nearly as glamorous but he is employed.

Just because they work for a contractor for the NSA, or they have a TS or S or
Q clearance, doesn't mean they are not very smart and hard working. Hell, you
know they went through the ringer to prove they are trustworthy and loyal.
Because they wanted to help out all of us here in the US and then they felt
they could no longer, that does NOT mean they should be punished. What did
they themselves do wrong?

Besides, this is ONE program the NSA runs. Mostly likely the majority of the
TS cleared people out there have nothing to do with all this stuff. Those
people do make a lot of sacrifices for their job and for the US. A lot are
multiply divorced because of the stress, the secrecy, and the unpredictability
of the job.

"Hey Sugar, gotta go. I can't tell you where, for how long, or if I will be
safe, or talk about a really traumatizing experience afterwards so I'll drink
hard liquor quietly on the back porch a lot. Pick the kids up at basketball,
will yah?"

~~~
peterkelly
> "Hey Sugar, gotta go. I can't tell you where, for how long, or if I will be
> safe, or talk about a really traumatizing experience afterwards so I'll
> drink hard liquor quietly on the back porch a lot. Pick the kids up at
> basketball, will yah?"

In addition to the potential ethical issues, this is the second reason why I
made the decision not to get involved with classified work (the majority of IT
jobs in my hometown are at defence contractors). I simply couldn't handle
_not_ being able to talk to my family and friends about my work - _especially_
if there were things that were causing me stress on the job.

------
antoinec
Am I the only thinking that working on a project like this would be awesome ?
From an engineering point of view, they offer an incredible technical
challenge.

~~~
wavefunction
There's a whole world of problems like that though, that don't involve
questionable ethical practices (depending on your own personal beliefs).

Math is the language of reality, it's applicable to anything so I don't know
why getting involved with these sorts of projects over just about anything
else is so alluring from a technical standpoint.

------
hendzen
Previous discussion:
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6138205](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6138205)

------
D9u
When I saw the ads in my state for Booz-Allen-Hamilton jobs requiring
clearance a few months ago I knew that it was spook work, but thought nothing
of it at the time... (I refuse to relocate, it's telecommute or I go
freelance) I wonder if Ed Snowden responded to those same advertisements?

------
aswanson
A script combing linkedin for skill solicitations that regex match ALLCAPS
could probably uncover all NSA job postings. For supposed mastery of
encryption/deception these fucks sure seem hamfisted in looking for employees.

------
bazillion
XKEYSCORE is just a Java front-end GUI, not servers/backend databases.

------
northwest
That's one hell of an opportunity!

Anybody with a conscience in here? Please apply and report back!

Let's penetrate the Borg.

~~~
mindcrime
I'd apply just for an opportunity to be another leaker, but there's no f%!#ng
way in Hades that the feds would ever hire me. I've been WAY too outspoken in
my radical anti-government / libertarian / anarcho-capitalist viewpoints and
have said way too many things that would - I'm pretty sure - automatically
disqualify me.

Them: "Have you ever advocated for the overthrow of the US government?"

Me: "Well... ah, I mean, errm... aah... define 'overthrow', please?"

Them: "GTFO out here."

~~~
Balgair
My brother has a TS. He said they mostly hire Mormons. They have a clean
living background and can speak the languages due to their missions. Also he
said they asked a lot about being a member of the Communist Party.

~~~
conover
Really? The Community Party? Seems somewhat quaint. I would assume now they
ask you stuff like, "What do you think about the war in Afghanistan?" "Have
you ever traveled to the PRC?" etc.

------
ToothlessJake
SAIC is also running domestic surveillance, currently having a facility in
Oakland built[1]. The facility is currently being funded by the DHS, being
built while no privacy controls or data retention policies are known.

This is an ongoing trend of the names most know as being involved in national
level surveillance actively involved on the state and local level too. Another
case is Booz Allen Hamilton's processing of digital forensics for local law
enforcement via federal funds[2].

Yea, no chance for conflict of interests when firms granted immunity, having
access to the world's data, are involved in 'petty' things like domestic
surveillance/forensics to assist in prosecutions of the wire-tapped non-
immunes.

This is an absolutely horrific trend that must be halted, as in halting
literal construction.

[1]
[http://oaklandwiki.org/Domain_Awareness_Center](http://oaklandwiki.org/Domain_Awareness_Center)
[2]
[https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6014168](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=6014168)

