Snowden Downloaded NSA Secrets While Working For Dell, Sources Say

[Purveyor]

Thu Aug 15, 2013 5:50pm EDT

* Snowden worked for Dell from 2009 until earlier this year
* Assigned as contractor to NSA facilities in U.S., Japan
* Dell declines comment on any aspect of his employment

By Mark Hosenball

WASHINGTON, Aug 15 (Reuters) - Former intelligence contractor Edward Snowden began downloading documents describing the U.S. government's electronic spying programs while he was working for Dell Inc in April 2012, almost a year earlier than previously reported, according to U.S. officials and other sources familiar with the matter.

Snowden, who was granted a year's asylum by Russia on Aug. 1, worked for Dell from 2009 until earlier this year, assigned as a contractor to U.S. National Security Agency facilities in the United States and Japan.

Snowden downloaded information while employed by Dell about eavesdropping programs run by the NSA and Britain's Government Communications Headquarters, and left an electronic footprint indicating when he accessed the documents, said the sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

David Frink, a spokesman for Round Rock, Texas-based Dell, declined to comment on any aspect of Snowden's employment with the company, saying Dell's "customer" - presumably the NSA - had asked Dell not to talk publicly about him.

MORE...

http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/08/15/usa-security-snowden-dell-idUSL2N0GF11220130815

[leveymg]

1. What the hell was Dell doing that involved access to PRISM/215/702 programs? There's more NSA

private sector contracting and collection than we've been told so far, if this is true.

For that matter, it still hasn't been explained what Microsoft was providing to NSA.

An educated guess says Intel is a prime contactor for another still secret program.

[MADem]

4. I think they were working the fiber-optic cable piece.

Some of the material Snowden downloaded in April 2012 while a Dell employee related to NSA collection from fiber-optic cables, including transoceanic cables, of large quantities of internet traffic and other communications, the sources said.

[leveymg]

6. Dell is not in the fiber optic business nor anything remotely related.

Dell makes computer hardware and firmware.

[phleshdef]

13. They've expanded way beyond that.

The rise of mobile devices and tablets has forced them to.

Federal agencies have the same IT needs and opportunities as their private sector counterparts, but they demand a different approach. Dell can help. As a trusted partner of government agencies, we understand your budgets, your complex security and compliance requirements, and your drive toward successful collaboration among agencies.

We strive to help you reach better government efficiency through technology. Our case-by-case approach helps you determine the right technology and services for your agency, including cloud computing, data center modernization, employee mobility initiatives and cybersecurity.

http://www.dell.com/learn/us/en/rc1009777/fed?s=fed

[leveymg]

14. They make handhelds, laptops, and desktops along with some of the circuitry inside

along with heading the supply chain for networking equipment and software specific to their devices. That's it, as far as I could see in a quick look around. They may a supplier of hardware to NSA's computing centers and probably supplies most of their laptops.

But, that wouldn't involve the company directly in collection and analysis in the PRISM/215/702 programs. They would have no need to know about that, unless the whole thing were already pretty much an open secret among the several million people who hold security clearances in America.

[phleshdef]

16. They work on cybersecurity solutions for the government.

Which could mean a lot of things, but if you look around their site, they are not just working as a hardware supplier.

[leveymg]

21. Please find a reference to that role.

They make equipment for secure systems, but I didn't know that Dell is a significant supplier of IT consulting services beyond support for their equipment sales.

[phleshdef]

23. Follow the link I posted, its right there

We strive to help you reach better government efficiency through technology. Our case-by-case approach helps you determine the right technology and services for your agency, including cloud computing, data center modernization, employee mobility initiatives and cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity is the top priority for federal agencies. We understand information-security threats and how to fight them proactively and reactively. Dell helps you protect data against cyber attacks and disaster, without undermining collaboration among users.

[Paulie]

26. They own Perot Systems and Secure Works

Perot alone does lots of contracting for many government agencies.

[leveymg]

32. Okay, I found a link for that. Dell acquired Perot Systems in 2009.

There's only one page on the Dell website announcing the agreement. http://en.community.dell.com/dell-blogs/dell-shares/b/dell-shares/archive/2009/09/21/dell-perot-systems.aspx Perot now operates as part of Dell Gov't Services.

http://www.insideview.com/directory/perot-systems-government-services-inc

[Paulie]

34. Let me google that for you

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perot_Systems

[MADem]

19. Perhaps they made the hardware and firmware that was used on the

submarines that went and got the material?

They obviously were linked to the NSA servers in some fashion, because now we know that Curious Edward got that stuff while he was working for them, and through their auspices.

[leveymg]

24. There's no reason that a manufacturer of computer equipment needs to know about how PRISM's

collection system operates, unless, as I said, this whole program has been widely-known within the contracting community.

From the programs and applications skills listed in help wanted ads that run for private sector consultants, that is exactly what PRISM is. Not a closely-guarded secret, after all. Snowden hasn't really given anything very secret away, if this is all he has.

I think, however, he may have some valuable knowledge of the joint CIA-NSA bugging operations abroad from his stint in Switzerland. That they definitely would not want him trading to the Russians for protection. A difficult dilemma, really.

[MADem]

35. Well, if they're making a piece of equipment that has to be

waterproof, able to withstand extreme depths underwater, and is classified TOP SECRET/ECI, they probably have an idea what it's going to be used for...?

[randome]

22. Where do you get the idea that he had access to PRISM?

[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[leveymg]

27. From the slides (and his statements). Or, haven't you looked at them?

[randome]

30. The slides are not 'PRISM data'. they're briefing documents.

Snowden never had access to anyone's personal data, apparently.
[hr][font color="blue"][center]Stop looking for heroes. BE one.[/center][/font][hr]

[MADem]

53. Those slides kinda looked like a "Welcome Aboard" briefing to me.

Everyone in military service (to include civilians and contractors) has gone through those--every department on the installation or vessel sends someone along with a power point presentation, and they tell the newbies, in simplistic language, what they do for a living to support the command mission.

[Baitball Blogger]

31. Public-private partnerships are a dangerous trend that threatens our Constitutional Rights.

[MADem]

2. He's fucked. He'd better get his Russkie Rosetta Stone and start practicing; that's his new home.

He can't leave.

[bunnies]

3. Dell works for the NSA?!

Ive never been so happy that I dont own a Dell computer.

[KittyWampus]

5. That helps explain the timeline… it's looking increasingly as if S. hooked up w/hackers

earlier than Greenwald claims.

[Benton D Struckcheon]

8. There's a ton of circumstantial evidence around that he was groomed by Wikileaks.

The more I find out about them, the more I think that org has a strictly anti-American mission. I will retract that when I see a doc dump on Russia. I doubt I'll live long enough to see it.

[KittyWampus]

10. Yes, I've been following the people who follow hackers. I agree w/calling them anarchists

but remain skeptical they are in willing collusion with Russia.

Remember, so far this all benefits the NeoConservatives by helping a new version of Nader arise.

[leveymg]

11. So far, it's the American people who have benefited most from knowing that their gov't spies on all

phone and Internet users inside the US. Now, it's becoming clear that the NSA is also inside of our computers.

Who benefits? Certainly not those who profit most from universal surveillance and profiling. Time will sort out the biggest losers, which will probably be the big NSA contractors.

[DevonRex]

17. Yeah. Typical Putin op, IMO. Uses the free press against us

and the UK and the rest of our allies. And the operation is really, really cheap. Hell, liberals are even donating to Greenwald/The Guardian and paying for some of it. Putin's laughing his ass off.

He always goes for what he considers weaknesses. Free press? He thinks it's a great weakness to exploit. Better believe he's tightened up on that in Russia. Liberals have fled in droves. Whistleblowers there are imprisoned, beaten and allowed to die without medical care.

LGBTs? To Putin they're weak and they're a great way to rally the rest of Russia around hate and fear and bring back tyranny with the approval, and participation, of the people. Led by Neo-Nazis, of course. Guess who else they hate?

So, all those people who were downplaying the severity of what's going on with LGBTs in Russia, well, maybe they can drum up a little concern about who those Nazis are going to go after next. I guarantee them, though, LGBT Jews and Roma (and a dozen other ethnic groups in Russia) are way ahead of them in that thought process and are already concerned about their straight family members.

[leveymg]

28. Yup. It's all just a commie plot because "they hate our freedoms." Liberals are part of it.

[DevonRex]

33. He loves our freedom of the press. To exploit.

He also thinks only stupid governments would allow it. Putin can't imagine people being allowed to say what they think, like, "Being gay is normal." That's against the law.

The Russian newscaster who came out on the news? Fired. Now in Lisbon because he said that ON THE AIR!!! OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!! So you'd better rethink your little comment.

[dkf]

36. The NSA paid for his hacker schooling.

[KittyWampus]

42. Who groomed him?

[leveymg]

43. It appears his first real job was with the CIA.

Start at the beginning.

[KittyWampus]

44. The CIA groomed him to release NSA information? Maybe...

[leveymg]

45. Not bound to this explanation, but makes as much sense as anything else we've heard.

Got any ideas?

[KittyWampus]

52. Wikileaks people… anarchist hackers… doing it on a 4chan dare for lolz?

[Luminous Animal]

7. I certainly expected that he did. I don't know why anyone would think

that he only downloaded while working for Booz Allen.

[struggle4progress]

9. Sounds like he poked around at Dell, then moved to BAH to see if he could snag more

[leveymg]

12. That makes sense, as far as it goes.

None of us can see inside the guy's head to divine what motivates him.

[Skraxx]

15. Yup

[kwassa]

18. I knew Michael Dell was the anti-Christ

or was that Google?

[dkf]

20. Wasn't this obvious? Geez.

[ProSense]

25. It obviously doesn't help Snowden's case. n/t

[leveymg]

29. How does it change it?

Really, what's your take on this at this point?

[Fearless]

37. Exactly.

[ProSense]

38. I'll let you figure it out.

Or you can ignore the obvious, and see this as inconsequential.

[DevonRex]

40. Greenwald let something slip about him stealing from CIA

too. And that he went to BAH because he realized he needed a couple more pieces to complete the picture. So, that would put the timeline much further back.

It also made me wonder if someone told Snowden exactly what was needed to "complete the picture."

[leveymg]

46. Snowden said he considered doing this as early as 2008, while at CIA, before Dell.

It's right there near the top of his Wiki page:

Snowden has said that in the 2008 presidential election he voted for a third-party candidate. He has claimed he had been planning to make disclosures about NSA surveillance programs at the time, but he decided to wait because he "believed in Obama's promises". He was later disappointed that Obama "continued with the policies of his predecessor".[40]

[ProSense]

47. You think this is good?

That's from Snowden's weird chat session:

Q: When did you decide to leak the documents?

A: "You see things that may be disturbing. When you see everything you realise that some of these things are abusive. The awareness of wrong-doing builds up. There was not one morning when I woke up (and decided this is it). It was a natural process.

"A lot of people in 2008 voted for Obama. I did not vote for him. I voted for a third party. But I believed in Obama's promises. I was going to disclose it (but waited because of his election). He continued with the policies of his predecessor."

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/09/nsa-whistleblower-edward-snowden-why

He appears to have hacked the system and seems confused.

I mean, wasn't he deciding between that and this:

Ed Snowden: Leakers “should be shot in the balls,” and "cut this Social Security bullshit"
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023102239

[leveymg]

49. I think Snowden is just as smart, idealistic (and just as naive) as Chris Boyce. Look him up.

[ProSense]

50. Is that your way of acknowledging that his claim was absurd? n/t

[leveymg]

51. No, just that he's following a familiar path of idealism and disillusionment.

What's absurd about his claim? Which claim? Why are you obsessed with debunking things about this episode that are so copiously documented?

[ProSense]

39. Snowden issues new statement:

Exclusive: Edward Snowden Says Media Being Misled 'About My Situation'
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023468939

[Thinkingabout]

48. If some of the post writers only knew how totally out of reality they appear to be, They hear two

Buzzwords and suddenly they try to make it sound like they are first hand experts.

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

41. LOL. The "security" the National Security provides is as full of holes as its CYA statements.