NSA From Frying Pan Into the Fire

NSA Euro Data Collection Flows Back to Local Deals, But Wait There’s More

• Le Monde somewhat backtracked [in French] yesterday on its accusations that the NSA had conducted mass data collection in France. On Monday an article in the German press claimed there was a deal in place between US and French authorities. This was not only asserted by NSA director Gal Keith Alexander during a House Intelligence Committee hearing on Tuesday, but Le Monde then got confirmation from an unnamed high-ranking French intelligence officer that the DGSE (roughly, France’s CIA) had indeed established a data-sharing protocol with NSA at the end of 2011. However another official denied that DGSE could/would transfer as high a volume of data as was reportedly collected by their American counterparts.

Treat, or Trick? The US Military Orders “Multi-Function” Printer/Fax Machines

Ricoh MFC

Treat, or trick? Both, it seems. The key question is whether the machines are color – and whether they contain a widespread anti-feature that few people know about.

At the end of October 2013, Army Contracting Command in Fort Huachuca, AZ issued a $498 million firm-fixed-price, multiple award task order contract to provide the Army with commercial-off-the-shelf “multi-functional devices” (all-in-one printer, fax. etc.), associated refills, and related services. “Equipment under this program will be available for lease or purchase, and shall be compliant with current Army security standards.”

On the topic of printer security…