Watch Live: Congressional Hearing on IRS Scandal

Live BlazeCast at 2pm ET: All the fireworks from the IRS Hearing!

Technology

CIA Tech Boss on Your Data: ‘We Fundamentally Try To Collect Everything and Hang Onto It Forever’

Mar. 20, 2013 6:54pm Jason Howerton

Discussing the goldmine of data that today’s technology has created, the Central Intelligence Agency’s Chief Technology Officer Ira “Gus” Hunt on Wednesday said the spy agency tries to “collect everything we can and hang onto it forever.”

Hunt was speaking at GigaOM’s Structure:Data conference in New York City when he openly admitted the CIA is compiling everyone’s tweets, messages, videos and more. And yes, it’s on purpose.

“The value of any piece of information is only known when you can connect it with something else that arrives at a future point in time,” Hunt said. “Since you can’t connect dots you don’t have, it drives us into a mode of, we fundamentally try to collect everything and hang onto it forever.”

The Huffington Post has more:

Hunt’s comments come two days after Federal Computer Week reported that the CIA has committed to a massive, $600 million, 10-year deal with Amazon for cloud computing services. The agency has not commented on that report, but Hunt’s speech, which included multiple references to cloud computing, indicates that it does indeed have interest in storage and analysis capabilities on a massive scale.

The CIA is keenly interested in capabilities for so-called “big data” — the increasingly massive data sets created by digital technology. The agency even has a page on its website pitching big data jobs to prospective employees.

Hunt acknowleded that at some scale, data storage becomes impractical, adding that he meant “forever being in quotes” when he said the agency wants to keep data “forever.” But he also indicated that he was interested in computing capabilities like 1 petabyte of RAM, a massive capacity for on-the-fly calculations that has heretofore been seen only in computers that simulate nuclear explosions.

He referenced the failure to “connect the dots” in the case of Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, the “underwear bomber” who was able to board a plan with an explosive device despite repeated warnings of his intentions. In that case, a White House review found that the CIA had all of the data it needed to identify the would-be bomber, but still failed to stop him. Nevertheless, the agency does not seem to have curbed its ambitions for an endless amount of data.

HuffPost also provides a slide from Hunt’s presentation:

Hunt said it is “really very nearly within our grasp to be able to compute on all human generated information.” This, he explained, would allow the CIA to analyze digital breadcrumbs people don’t even realize they are leaving behind.

“You are aware of the fact that somebody can know where you are at all times, because you carry a mobile device, even if that mobile device is turned off…You know this, I hope? Yes? Well, you should,” he added.

What about Americans’ privacy rights? Hunt said technology is moving faster than the world can keep up.

“You should be asking the question of what are your rights and who owns your data.”

In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.

Back to The Blaze »

Comments (76)

Metalstr8jckt
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 5:27pm
The Alamo, The movie from a few years ago..If it comes down to it….Just like Davey. Defiant to the end.

Melodramatic, I know but as a Texas schoolboy forty some odd years ago, I was inspired by their defiance as read by my second grade teacher. They chose to stay.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
moreteaplease
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 1:51pm
The guy is pretty free with all of this, as if to say…”Yeah, we know everything about you-what are going to do about it?” It’s like the genie is out of the bottle now.

I can remember in the late 70′s and 80′s, people saying that computers and the fast pace of technological innovation in general would one day be the downfall of this country because the government would use it to track EVERYTHING about you. At the time I really couldn’t see that happening.

How my perceptions have changed with the passage of time.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
anothercomment
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 7:02am
I am SO not surprised that this occurs; I’m just surprised they have admitted it. And, personally I believe it exists on a level far beyond what they are admitting.
The big question is why?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
SorellaTorta
Posted on March 22, 2013 at 12:08am
Well, WikiLeaks does practically the same thing too, CIA. Big Whoop! The major end-game would be to have the public put all their information on one global, tracked & controlled system like Google+ or Facebook Enterprises. You NEED Bill Gates… not just for gun control, but because smart mainframes cost money. Best way to herd the cattle is to encourage businesses (public & private) & schools demand ppl be on social sites or use “critical” software. You don’t need the fringe older generations too much.. because the younger generations will automatically post everything they know (“look what I found out…. oohhh!”). Hello, 1984.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Old Right Eric
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:16pm
Anybody who supports E-Verify or anything like it should love this.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
smokey888x2
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 2:13pm
If you people don’t complain and complain and complain …. then you lose!!

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
sinner-saint
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 10:46am
I guess the CIA tech bossd doesn’t realize we have they same capability they do and we’ve had it for quite some time now. they can track us and gather data……so can we on them if we want to. Two can chew.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
melife123
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:53am
must watch this man was a real vamp drink blood and the hole nine yards
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=6vZWxSqY2aY#t=207s

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
Listen_then_think
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 9:00am
So with the KGB running our government now, it is whenever THEY choose to create dots on us to connect. The government has been doing that since shortly after its inception. If they want to kill you, they will kill you. The government is more corrupt than any so called organized crime group and more organized and more criminal. We seriously need to reduce the size of government NOW.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
melife123
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 8:58am
this is to glen beck and every other red-blooded American still out there look were at the worst time in the history of this country lets take a step back in time for a moment who were the first people to come here and why well I will tell you a very chosen group of people who wanted nothing more then freedom from the catholic church and so with the blessing of god look what became from it all just look at our history before we as the people stared to step away from god who built this nation so I ask you glen beck and who read this watch this link this is what this nation is now but pleas ask you all if nothing at all just pick up your bible and read ….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1YoDX79tfw

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
ImChiquita
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 8:45am
The CIA “owns” us and they plan on keeping our information FOREVER.

What do you plan on doing with it after we’re dead? Exhume our bodies and parade our corpses/skeletons around as heretics?

Besides, you government shills – there’s a thing called “Armageddon.” Look it up. The world doesn’t survive, because a new heaven and a new earth will be established to replace the ones that were utterly annihilated due to, well, Armageddon.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
snilloconator
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 8:12am
Track this CIA http://dangerous-freedom.com/

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
melife123
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 5:24am
this is to glen beck and the CIA also every other red-blooded American still out there look were at the worst time in the history of this country lets take a step back in time for a moment who were the first people to come here and why well I will tell you a very chosen group of people who wanted nothing more then freedom from the catholic church and so with the blessing of god look what became from it all just look at our history before we as the people stared to step away from god who built this nation so I ask you glen beck and who read this watch this link this is what this nation is now but pleas ask you all if nothing at all just pick up your bible and read …. ….
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j1YoDX79tfw

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
media-bias-steals-elections
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 5:02am
Technology is not moving faster than the law, politicians are acting before the legal system catches up or stops them from doing illegal things? The problem with this way of thinking is, well, why are people innocent until proven guilty? Wouldn’t you catch more people if they had to prove they are innocent, instead of you proving them guilty?

Simple, who is going to commit a crime? The person who walks around all day thinking they are the model citizen, who never commits a crime? Or the person who knows he is guilty of something, it’s just a matter of time before he gets caught?

From a law enforcement perspective, the power of the public conscience is far more powerful then your ability to enforce the law, it is the bedrock and foundation of civilization? Violation of this concept of thought, for example, the political system of Islam, creates a never ending series of crimes, that appear to be “part of the culture”?

That’s why is it is critical, that the media is never biased, and if it is, it explains why? There are two other problems with this strategy, your enemies will generate terabytes of convincing data that is useless, or, they may make it appear that third parties are acting as primaries when they are not involved? If taxes are sent to the IRS, who allows President Obama to send it to an Islamic country basically establishing a religion against the Bill of Rights, are we terrorists?

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
dajones
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:24am
Amercian Inteligence has a long history of collecting sensitive data for later “use”.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
54smom
Posted on March 21, 2013 at 1:21am
Remember when Bush’s Dep. of Justice guy, Gonzalez was asked where his emails were, He said he never has nor would he ever send emails. They NEVER go away. Think about what you say before you send it….

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- media-bias-steals-elections
  Posted on March 21, 2013 at 5:05am
  They loose stuff all the time, they just want you to think that. You can replicate corrupt backups very easily.
  
  Report this comment
Kiba
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:45pm
Well I cant say Im surprised because I have known this for decades, or at least thought I have and it looks like I was right but it doesn’t take a genius to figure it out either. I love the one when they say when you buy a gun and the dealer makes the call to the NICS they hold on to that info and destroy/delete it within 48 hrs.. Yea I always believed that one too, lol, Other than what Im saying on this website I keep to myself as much as possible at least. I don’t tweet, don’t do the “my face” or ‘my page’ kiddie sh1t and for those that do I just hope they don’t say or photo anything to stupid because if they do they are asking for it.

Report this comment
Log in to Reply Reply
WAKEUPUSA2012
Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:40pm
1776 Worldwide! The CIA has no right. The N/S/A has no right. Forget what Beck says. Warn everyone you can. We must stop them with the pen.

Report this comment
Log in to ReplyReply
- Kiba
  Posted on March 20, 2013 at 10:48pm
  That sounds great but who are you gonna complain to when the ones we are supposed to go to for help are the crooks theirselves? Kind of a oxymoron isn’t it? And while your there sue Obama for not making a budget too m-kay. Geesh….
  
  Report this comment

It appears that you have Javascript Disabled. Please enable Javascript in your browser preferences for a better user experience on TheBlaze. You can not comment without Javascript enabled.