HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019721.jpg
1.36 MB
Extraction Summary
3
People
7
Organizations
3
Locations
3
Events
2
Relationships
4
Quotes
Document Information
Type:
Book page / congressional evidence
File Size:
1.36 MB
Summary
This document is page 233 from a book (likely by Edward Jay Epstein, based on the file name and ISBN 9780451494566 corresponding to 'How America Lost Its Secrets') titled 'The Russians Are Coming' or similar. It discusses the NSA's capabilities in cracking Tor networks, specifically referencing the capture of Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht and Edward Snowden's activities in Hawaii. The text also highlights the SVR's (Russian intelligence) interest in infiltrating the NSA, potentially through a disgruntled contractor like Snowden.
People (3)
| Name | Role | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Snowden | NSA contractor/Subject |
Operated a Tor exit node in 2012 near Hawaii; arrived in Hong Kong with Level 3 NSA files.
|
| Ross Ulbricht | Founder of Silk Road |
Discovered his Tor software did not make his server invisible; currently serving a life sentence.
|
| Morell | Former CIA deputy director |
Author of 'The Great War of Our Time' (2015); quoted regarding NSA cyber security.
|
Organizations (7)
| Name | Type | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Tor |
Anonymity network software targeted by intelligence agencies.
|
|
| NSA |
National Security Agency; discussed regarding its tracking capabilities and vulnerabilities.
|
|
| Silk Road |
Illicit marketplace founded by Ross Ulbricht.
|
|
| Justice Department |
Source of information regarding the locating of Ulbricht's server.
|
|
| CIA |
Central Intelligence Agency; referenced via former deputy director Morell.
|
|
| SVR |
Russian Foreign Intelligence Service; mentioned as monitoring U.S. intelligence workers.
|
|
| House Oversight Committee |
Stamped in footer (HOUSE_OVERSIGHT), indicating the document is part of a congressional record.
|
Relationships (2)
NSA located his server by cracking Tor software.
Key Quotes (4)
"It even offered a cash prize to anyone in the hacking community who could break Tor."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019721.jpg
Quote #1
"The Silk Road founder, Ross Ulbricht, discovered to his distress that his Tor software did not make his computer server in Iceland invisible."Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019721.jpg
Quote #2
"many financial institutions have 'better cyber security than the NSA.'"Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019721.jpg
Quote #3
"Did it find its man? If so, was it before or after Snowden arrived in Hong Kong with the Level 3 NSA files?"Source
HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_019721.jpg
Quote #4
Full Extracted Text
Complete text extracted from the document (2,028 characters)
The Russians Are Coming | 233
it targets Tor software. It even offered a cash prize to anyone in the
hacking community who could break Tor. Prior to 2013, according
to cyber-security experts, it spent over a decade building cyber tools
aimed at unraveling the Tor networks used by hacktivists, criminal
enterprises, political dissidents, and rival intelligence operatives. To
this end, it reportedly attempted to map out computers that served
as major Tor exit nodes (such as the one Snowden operated in 2012
near an NSA regional base in Hawaii). It also reportedly attached
the equivalent of "electronic ink" to messages, which would allow
it to trace the path of messages that passed through them. Through
this technology, it could tag and follow Tor users as their commu-
nications traveled across the Internet. It could even borrow their
Internet identities. To be sure, the NSA also had such a capability.
The Silk Road founder, Ross Ulbricht, discovered to his distress that
his Tor software did not make his computer server in Iceland invis-
ible. According to a former top official in the Justice Department, the
NSA was able to locate it by cracking the Tor software (Ulbricht is
currently serving a life sentence for his activities). Unlike adversary
services, however, the NSA needs a warrant to investigate U.S. citi-
zens who use Tor.
hacking community who could break Tor. Prior to 2013, according
to cyber-security experts, it spent over a decade building cyber tools
aimed at unraveling the Tor networks used by hacktivists, criminal
enterprises, political dissidents, and rival intelligence operatives. To
this end, it reportedly attempted to map out computers that served
as major Tor exit nodes (such as the one Snowden operated in 2012
near an NSA regional base in Hawaii). It also reportedly attached
the equivalent of "electronic ink" to messages, which would allow
it to trace the path of messages that passed through them. Through
this technology, it could tag and follow Tor users as their commu-
nications traveled across the Internet. It could even borrow their
Internet identities. To be sure, the NSA also had such a capability.
The Silk Road founder, Ross Ulbricht, discovered to his distress that
his Tor software did not make his computer server in Iceland invis-
ible. According to a former top official in the Justice Department, the
NSA was able to locate it by cracking the Tor software (Ulbricht is
currently serving a life sentence for his activities). Unlike adversary
services, however, the NSA needs a warrant to investigate U.S. citi-
zens who use Tor.
The NSA is hardly immune from an attack on its own computers.
As the former CIA deputy director Morell wrote in his 2015 book,
The Great War of Our Time, many financial institutions have "better
cyber security than the NSA." The Internet certainly helped make
the activities of U.S. intelligence workers visible to the SVR.
As the former CIA deputy director Morell wrote in his 2015 book,
The Great War of Our Time, many financial institutions have "better
cyber security than the NSA." The Internet certainly helped make
the activities of U.S. intelligence workers visible to the SVR.
But to achieve its goals, the SVR still had to find at least one dis-
gruntled civilian contractor inside the NSA who had access to the
sealed-off computer networks. Did it find its man? If so, was it before
or after Snowden arrived in Hong Kong with the Level 3 NSA files?
gruntled civilian contractor inside the NSA who had access to the
sealed-off computer networks. Did it find its man? If so, was it before
or after Snowden arrived in Hong Kong with the Level 3 NSA files?
Epst_9780451494566_2p_all_r1.indd 233 9/30/16 8:13 AM
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