DHS Forced to Release List of Keywords Used to Monitor Social Networking Sites

[Celtic Rogue]

http://www.forbes.com/sites/reuvencohen/2012/05/26/department-of-homeland-security-forced-to-release-list-of-keywords-used-to-monitor-social-networking-sites/2/

Dept. of Homeland Security Forced to Release List of Keywords Used to Monitor Social Networking Sites


http://blogs-images.forbes.com/reuvencohen/files/2013/01/300px-US_Department_of_Homeland_Security_Seal.svg_5.png (http://commons.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:US_Department_of_Homeland_Security_Seal.svg)


If you are thinking about tweeting about clouds, pork, exercise or even Mexico (http://www.forbes.com/places/mexico/), think again. Doing so may result in a closer look by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (http://www.forbes.com/security/).

In a story appearing earlier today on the U.K’s Daily Mail website (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2150281/REVEALED-Hundreds-words-avoid-using-online-dont-want-government-spying-you.html#ixzz1w1SkH6gY), it was reported that the DHS has been forced to release a list of keywords and phrases it uses to monitor various social networking sites. The list provides a glimpse into what DHS describes as “signs of terrorist or other threats against the U.S.”


The list was posted by the Electronic Privacy Information Center (http://epic.org/) who filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act, before suing to obtain the release of the documents. The documents were part of the department’s 2011 ’Analyst’s Desktop Binder (http://www.scribd.com/doc/82701103/Analyst-Desktop-Binder-REDACTED)‘ used by workers at their National Operations Center which instructs workers to identify ‘media reports that reflect adversely on DHS and response activities’. The information sheds new light on how government analysts are instructed to patrol the internet searching for domestic and external threats. The Daily Mail’s article noted the Electronic Privacy Information Center wrote a letter to the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counter-terrorism and Intelligence, describing it’s choice of words as ‘broad, vague and ambiguous’.


What wasn’t disclosed is how the agency actually gains access to the various search engines and social networks to monitor the specified keywords. My guess is the DHS has a “special arrangement” with companies like Google (http://www.forbes.com/companies/google/), Facebook (http://www.forbes.com/companies/facebook/), Microsoft (http://www.forbes.com/companies/microsoft/), Yahoo and Twitter to gain secure direct API access. This type of access would allow it to use distributed cloud technologies to monitor the daily flow of social media and search activity in something close to real time.


I would love to learn more about the technologies used to accomplish this type of social / web monitoring. The applications for monitoring trends and social statics are fascinating when applied to other industry sectors. Given the extent of the monitoring, I’m sure this post itself is now coming up on the DHS radar, so please feel free to leave a comment with any insights.


(Update 1: Reading through the Desktop Binder (http://www.scribd.com/doc/82701103/Analyst-Desktop-Binder-REDACTED), I discovered the DHS Twitter account is @dhsnocmmc1 (https://twitter.com/#%21/dhsnocmmc1) and DHS appears to be using tweetdeck to monitor the various keywords. See Page 38 (http://www.scribd.com/doc/82701103/Analyst-Desktop-Binder-REDACTED) – Also interesting to note they seem to be using a Mac Mini as a server, and no password vaults. All Passwords appear to be shared in a plain text word document.)



(Update 2: On page 37, DHS instructs analysts to accept invalid SSL certificates forever without verification. Although invalid SSL warnings often appear in benign situations, they can also signal a man-in-the-middle attack. Not a good practice for the security conscience. Thanks to @obra (http://twitter.com/obra) on twitter for the tip.)



http://blogs-images.forbes.com/reuvencohen/files/2013/01/article-2150281-134E3C22000005DC-49_634x88216.jpg
http://blogs-images.forbes.com/reuvencohen/files/2013/01/article-2150281-134E3C3C000005DC-604_634x78816.jpg http://blogs-images.forbes.com/reuvencohen/files/2013/01/article-2150281-134E3CF5000005DC-422_634x78816.jpg

[vacuum]

;)


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[Serpo]

what else is left to talk about.

[Mouse]

Let's recycle the news.

[Cebu_4_2]

So I should copy/paste that in facebook right?

[gunny highway]

Well hell.... if i wasn't on a list before, i sure am now. I'm so glad i'm being kept safe from people with opinions, like me.

[Ponce]

Hey gunny? I was thinking the same thing.....they forgot to add "Ponce".

Giving you guys a break today, going to the VA, will be back late afternoon.

First post of the day........good morning to one and all.

V

[Hatha Sunahara]

How is it possible to take this seriously? We must be a nation of retards if DHS monitors our conversations for words on this list. First, doesn't it strike anyone that this is a near impossible task--to monitor the whole world to catch them talking about stuff on this list, and to filter the content so only the use of these words in a context that implies terrorism, or some harmful intent. It is absurd to believe that DHS can do this, unless they have already targeted a particular list of people--which limits the monitored group from everyone to those who they are interested in. In which case, the list of words is meaningless unless you have a list of people they are paying close attention to. So, talking about this seriously indicates, to me at least, that whoever is talking about it has limited critical thinking ability.

Moreover, for any government agency to attempt to do anything like this is patently absurd. The level of paranoia evident in such an ambition should, in the miind of any rational person, cause them to dismiss this as total fantasy. The effect is more psychological than real. You are SUPPOSED TO BE AFRAID. This list is there to enhance that intention. So why don't you just carry on and be yourself, and if they have a problem with that, let them make a coherent case against you. They do not have the resources to throw everyone in jail--but they do have the resources to turn everyone's mind into a high security prison. And that is exactly what they are doing.


Hatha

[gunny highway]

good point Hatha.

[gunDriller]

when organizations like Google take over organizations like Bilderberg, it makes me wonder if this is a pre-emptive sort of action.

the US gov. knows that they are less fiscally sound than Jewgle. /massive understatement.

so, to assure continuity, they do sh.t like this - make Jewgle the 'container' for Bilderberg.


on the outside, it's like "WTF ?!?", but from the sake of continuity, it makes perfect sense.


and as far as DHS & Social networking sites, Jewgle & Facebook are merely extensions of the same thing that the US government is an extension of - Jewish Fascism, AKA Judeo-Fascism.

[Serpo]

This an interesting list as it is a guide to the most interesting subjects........thanks ,DHS (dept homeland screwups)


now wonder why they have cloud on the list.................

[gunDriller]

Overpaid Buffoons.

[govcheetos]

Played right into their hands on this one.

[Neuro]

The list seems Kosher. They don't monitor Jews, Zionist, Bagel, Gefillte Fisch, Chutzpah, Netanyahu, Israel. Hahaha if someone would believe that!