Hacker News Reader

Comment by gnosis | Hacker News Reader

I don't know what gave you this impression.

The NSA are interested in any and all sources of information, and probably collect just as much or more of it from foreign sources than domestic ones.

Yes, the recent media hoopla has been over the NSA collecting information on Americans in America. But that does not mean that the NSA is limited to collecting information in America. Quite the contrary. Historically, they have been more about collecting foreign intelligence abroad (ie. spying on the rest of the world).

This reminds me of a quote: "You have a choice: you can live under US domestic policy or US foreign policy". If you think you're safe or exempt under either of them, you might have some surprises in store for you.

View on HN

But they can only get massive pipes of data via legally compelling a company, which means they need to either have a footprint in the USA or US employees willing to betray their company for their government.

I'd imagine using zero days to crack into foreign companies would only be for the most specific of information, making them theoretically safer from general abuse.

"they can only get massive pipes of data via legally compelling a company"

No. They could simply ask for the data, without any compulsion. Most companies are only too happy to help, and will bend right over -- especially after whoever the boogieman of the day is has appeared on the news lately. They wouldn't want to be seen as not doing thier utmost to help fight the good fight.

Compulsion is the second easiest and second most legal way. This way is also politically, legally and psychologically desirable for them, because they would like to push the envelope of what is considered legitimate surveillance.

Apart from asking and compelling companies, they could just tap the fiber, or use other direct and indirect methods of surveillance. This is really what they do best, and what their original and primary mission has always been: mostly to spy on foreign governments and their agents. After all, the NSA isn't going to get very far asking or trying to compel China to give them a tap in to their data centers. So they'll have to find some other way to do it. And if you think they're going to have a hard time doing it in their own back yard as compared to a hostile country, you might want to reconsider.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com