(Updated amongst an infographic on June 30, 2013)
Since The Guardian commencement published close the PRISM information collection computer program on June 6, at that spot receive got been novel disclosures of altitude hole-and-corner documents almost every day, resulting inwards some trigger-happy protests against plainly illegal wiretapping past times the NSA too GCHQ. However, it remains unclear what PRISM truly is or does, equally The Guardian didn't supply whatever novel details or disclosed to a greater extent than than v of the 41 presentation slides close the program.
This makes it difficult to create upward one's heed whether PRISM truly is the illegal or at to the lowest degree embarrassing computer program which most people right away recall it is. Especially, because it could fifty-fifty endure the hardly hole-and-corner Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management (PRISM), which is a web-based tool to grapple information requests widely used past times the US military. Here nosotros volition accept a closer hold off at this computer program too travail to create upward one's heed whether this could endure the same equally the PRISM revealed past times The Guardian.
> The latest information: What is known close NSA's PRISM program
Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management
The earliest document which mentions the Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management (PRISM) is a paper (pdf) from July 2002, which was prepared past times the MITRE Corporation Center for Integrated Intelligence Systems. The document describes the exercise of spider web browsers for state of war machine operations, the so-called "web-centric warfare", for which intelligence collection administration programs were seen equally the catalyst. These programs fuse battlefield intelligence information amongst the national information that they already possess, inwards lodge to supply a consummate moving painting to their users.
PRISM was developed past times SAIC (formerly Science Applications International Corporation, a fellowship that was also involved inwards the 2002 TRAILBLAZER computer program for analyzing network data). The computer program was originally prototyped too fielded for the US European Command, but is also existence used inwards other state of war machine performance areas such equally Iraq. Involved inwards the institution of PRISM was Ron Baham. His LinkedIn profile says that he currently is senior vice president too operations director at SAIC too that he worked on CMMA PRISM at JDISS from 2000 - 2004, thus PRISM mightiness endure developed somewhere betwixt 2000 too early on 2002.
On an older page of its website, SAIC says that the PRISM application allows theatre users, inwards diverse functional roles too at dissimilar echelons, to synchronize Intelligence, Surveillance too Reconnaissance (ISR) requirements amongst electrical flow state of war machine operations too priorities. The application was commencement developed for exercise on JWICS, the highly secure intelligence community network, but is right away also existence used on SIPRNet, the secure meshing used past times the US military.
Screenshot of the PRISM Input Tool (EEI = Essential Elements of Intelligence)
source: GMTI Utility Analysis for Airborne Assets (pdf)
Other sources clarify that PRISM consists of a web-based interface which connects to PRISM servers, too that it's used past times a multifariousness of users, similar intelligence collection managers at state of war machine headquarters, to asking the intelligence information which is needed for operations. These requests are entered inwards the PRISM interface, which sends them to the PRISM server. From at that spot the asking goes to units which collect the raw data. These are processed into intelligence, which thus becomes available through the PRISM server.
PRISM is able to grapple too prioritize these intelligence collection requirements to ensure critical intelligence is timely available to the commander during crisis operations. The application integrates these requirements and, amongst other tools, generates the thus called daily collection deck. PRISM also provides traceability throughout the so-called intelligence cycle, from planning through exploitation to production.
The PRISM application made past times SAIC is nevertheless widely used. It's mentioned inwards articulation operations manuals from 2012 too inwards quite a issue of undertaking descriptions, similar this one from March 2013 for a systems administator inwards Doha, Qatar, which says that constituent of the undertaking is providing on-site too off-site PRISM grooming too support. Also these US authorities spending data demo that inwards 2011 a maintaince contract (worth $ 1.085.464,-) for PRISM back upward services was awarded to SAIC, amongst options for 2012 too 2013.
Are at that spot 2 dissimilar PRISMs?
So right away it looks similar equally if at that spot are 2 dissimilar programs called PRISM: i is a web-based tool for requesting too managing intelligence information from a server that gets input from diverse intelligence sources. The other is the computer program from which The Guardian says it's a altitude hole-and-corner electronic surveillance computer program that collects raw information from the servers of nine major US meshing companies.
If the Guardian's claims are true, it's unusual that 2 of import intelligence programs plainly receive got the exact same name. For sure, this would non endure really likely, if "PRISM" would endure an acronym or a codeword inwards both cases. But if nosotros assume i PRISM existence an acronym too the other PRISM a codeword, it could endure somewhat to a greater extent than likely.
As nosotros know, the PRISM tool developed past times SAIC is an acronym, only similar the names of many other state of war machine too intelligence software tools are frequently lengthy acronyms. This leaves the PRISM which was unveiled past times The Guardian probable to endure a codeword, or to a greater extent than correctly said, a nickname. NSA information collection methods, officially designated past times an alphanumerical SIGAD similar US-984, tin receive got nicknames which may or may non endure classified.
These are dissimilar from codenames, which are ever classified too frequently assigned to the intelligence products from the diverse information collection methods. This tin motility some confusion, equally "PRISM" perfectly fits inwards the NSA tradition of using 5-letter codewords for products of sensitive Signals Intelligence programs.
If PRISM had been a classified codename, it should also receive got been constituent of the classification line, too the marker should receive got read TOP SECRET // SI-PRISM // [...] instead of the electrical flow TOP SECRET // SI // [...]. This indicates that if at that spot are 2 PRISMs, too i is an acronym, the other PRISM isn't a codeword for intelligence from a specific source, but most probable the unclassified nickname of a collection method.
This nevertheless leaves the enquiry of why inwards 2007 an plainly novel collection computer program got a nickname which is just the same equally the acronym of an already widely used figurer application - which is fifty-fifty going to endure i of its tasking systems.
A less spectacular PRISM?
Allthough The Guardian presented PRISM equally a method of straight collecting raw information from major meshing companies, other sources say that PRISM mightiness good endure a much less spectacular internal figurer program.
Initially, The Washington Post came amongst the same story equally The Guardian, but revised some of its claims past times citing a classified written report from the NSA Inspector General that describes PRISM equally allowing "collection managers [to send] content tasking instructions straight to equipment installed at company-controlled locations." These words really much resemble the way the PRISM Planning Tool is described.
National safety reporter Marc Ambinder describes PRISM equally "a kick-ass GUI (Graphical User Interface) that allows an analyst to hold off at, collate, monitor, too cross-check dissimilar information types provided to the NSA from Internet companies located within the United States" - which also sounds much to a greater extent than similar the SAIC application, than similar a information dragnet amongst gratuitous access to commercial fellowship servers.
This sentiment was also confirmed past times a statement (pdf) of Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper, which says: "PRISM is non an undisclosed collection or information mining program. It is an internal authorities figurer arrangement used to facilitate the government’s [...] collection of unusual intelligence information from electronic communication service providers [...]".
With this statement, Clapper officially confirms the existance of a computer program called PRISM, too allthough his description could also lucifer that of the Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management, he didn't positively identified PRISM equally such.
Finally, an anonymous quondam authorities official told CNet.com that The Guardian's reports are "incorrect too appear to endure based on a misreading of a leaked Powerpoint document", making journalist Declan McCullagh snuff it i mensuration farther past times suggesting that PRISM mightiness endure truly the same equally the spider web application named Planning Tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization, too Management.
PRISM equally an all-source planning tool
Some sources, similar a joint operations manual too a issue of undertaking descriptions, seem to bespeak that the PRISM planning tool is primarily used for geospational intelligence (GEOINT), which is analysed imagery of the globe equally collected past times spy planes too satellites.
However, to a greater extent than extensive inquiry has shown that the Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management (PRISM) is non solely used for geospatial intelligence, but for fusing intelligence from all sources. Besides GEOINT, sources testify that PRISM is also used for SIGINT (Signals Intelligence), IMINT (Imagery Intelligence) too HUMINT (Human Intelligence), in all likelihood through additional modules for each of these sources.
Even the 2006 Geospatial Intelligence Basic Doctrine (pdf) says PRISM is a "web-based application that provides users, at the theatre grade too below, amongst the powerfulness to behave Integrated Collection Management (ICM). Integrates all intelligence dependent assets amongst all theatre requirements."
More specifically, the 2012 Joint too National Intelligence Support to Military Operations manual describes that where applicable, requests for SIGINT back upward should endure entered into approved systems such equally PRISM, for blessing past times a state of war machine commander.
In a job description for a SIGINT Collection Management Analyst (by Snowden-employer Booz Allen Hamilton!) sense amongst PRISM is required too.
Also a module was added to PRISM for accessing information from HUMINT (Human Intelligence) sources. Testing of this module was done during the Empire Challenge 2008 exercise. In the daily reports of this exercise nosotros tin French report close this exercise nosotros acquire that the PRISM HUMINT module was a novel application, only similar the Humint Online Tasking & Reporting (HOT-R) tool, which runs on SIPRNet. This indicates that modules for dissimilar -INTs were added gradually inwards time.
Are both PRISMs i too the same?
If The Guardian's PRISM truly is only a figurer arrangement for sending tasking instructions to equipment that collects the raw data, it is difficult to believe that it's dissimilar from the Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management (PRISM), which for many years is used to lodge too grapple intelligence from all sources.
If this could endure true, too there's solely i PRISM program, what close the slides which were disclosed past times The Guardian? First of all, equally this paper is not willing to issue all PRISM-slides, nosotros cannot endure certain close what this presentation is truly about, but it's possible that it's non close a PRISM which is the nickname of the US-984XN collection method, but close how to assemble textile from that source past times using the PRISM spider web tool. This way around, the SIGAD US-984XN tin nevertheless deliver for most NSA reporting, including the President's Daily Brief.
More specific, nosotros tin recall of a machine-to-machine interface betwixt the PRISM arrangement too dedicated information collection devices at remote locations, similar a secure FTP server or an encrypted dropbox at sites of the meshing companies. At the PRISM desktop interface this tasking may endure done through a carve upward SIGINT module. As i of the slides says: "Complete listing too details on PRISM spider web page: Go PRISMFAA" nosotros tin fifty-fifty imagine a module called "PRISM FAA" for requesting intelligence from intercepts of unusual communications nether the atmospheric condition of the FISA Amendment Act (FAA) from 2008.
Infographic of the PRISM Planning Tool equally constituent of the Intelligence Cycle,
amongst a possible way of how it could endure the same equally the
PRISM meshing information collection program
(click for a bigger picture)
By publishing the PRISM slides, The Guardian for the commencement fourth dimension revealed evidence close the NSA collecting information from major meshing companies. But equally this plainly surprised the full general public, the exercise is hardly new. Spies too afterward intelligence agencies of all countries receive got ever tried to intercept unusual communications too of course of didactics tried to do this amongst every novel way of communication: commencement letters, afterward phonecalls too radio communications, too nowadays meshing based social media. Therefore, it may hardly come upward equally a surprise that NSA found ways to intercept those novel way of communications too.
What looks to a greater extent than of a problem, is the fact that inwards the past, enemies were land states, which could endure targeted past times focussing on diplomatic too state of war machine communications, leaving most people's privacy untouched. Nowadays, amongst terrorism considered equally the principal enemy, almost every (foreign) citizen could endure a potential adversary. This made intelligence agencies travail to search everyone's communications, which are also to a greater extent than internationally intertwined than ever before.
Next fourth dimension nosotros volition hash out to a greater extent than specific details of the Planning tool for Resource Integration, Synchronization too Management (PRISM), equally this gives an interesting hold off at internal intelligence procedures.
Links
- TheWeek.com: Is the NSA PRISM leak much less than it seems?
- CNet.com: What is the NSA's PRISM program? (FAQ)
- CNet.com: No evidence of NSA's 'direct access' to tech companies
- VanityFair.com: PRISM Isn’t Data Mining too Other Falsehoods inwards the N.S.A. “Scandal”
- ExtremeTech.com: Making sense of the NSA Prism leak equally the existent details emerge
- Medium.com: The PRISM Details Matter
- Reflets.info: #PRISM: let’s receive got a hold off at the large picture
- VanityFair.com: PRISM Isn’t Data Mining too Other Falsehoods inwards the N.S.A. “Scandal” - Mashable.com: See How PRISM May Work — inwards This Infographic
- ZDNet.com: How did mainstream media acquire the NSA PRISM storey thus hopelessly wrong?
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