FROM THE DESK OF CLEARANCEJOBS.COM
Political hacks. “Those who enjoy the trust and confidence of the US Government via a security clearance understand foreign intelligence services have an interest in the plans and intentions of the United States Government. However, those who aren’t exposed to counterintelligence or operational security briefings, may lack an understanding of how the international geopolitical milieu is played out . . . . Does it mean foreign intelligence agencies would love to influence the electorate and the elected? Absolutely.”
Defense Information System for Security (DISS), in brief. “DISS appears to be more robust, flexible and user friendly for the DoD for case tracking and adjudication recording and verification purposes. It’s also easier for Intelligence Community agencies, Department of Homeland Security components, and law enforcement to tap into the system to find out information regarding counterintelligence or insider threat concerns, alien admission data or citizenship information, and civil, criminal, or other relevant enforcement records.”
TECH, PRIVACY, & SECRECY
The CIA and the intel tech arms race. “Andrew Hallman – who runs the recently created Directorate of Digital Innovation – has the job of making sure that the new digital world works to the CIA’s advantage rather than disadvantage. . . . More broadly, the directorate aims to change the culture as well as the structure of the CIA – bringing in technology and integrating it into every part of the agency’s work.” (BBC)
Interview with an NSA hacker. “When most of us think of hackers, we probably don’t think of government hackers. It might even seem odd that hackers would want to work for the NSA — and that the NSA would want to employ them. But the NSA employs legions of hackers, as do other agencies, including the FBI, CIA, DEA, DHS, and Department of Defense. Additionally, there are large numbers of hackers in the corporate world, working for military contractors like Booz Allen, SAIC, and Palantir. The reason is elegantly simple: You cannot hack the world without hackers.” (The Intercept)
The hard science of facial recognition. “Give the right computer a massive database of faces, and it can process what it sees—then recognize a face it’s told to find—with remarkable speed and precision. This skill is what underpins the enormous promise of facial-recognition software in the 21st century. It’s also what makes contemporary surveillance systems so creepy. The thing is, machines still have limitations when it comes to facial recognition. And scientists are only just beginning to understand what those constraints are.” (The Atlantic)
Politics of intelligence. “The next president’s success in dealing with external threats will depend critically on deft management of our sprawling yet little-understood intelligence community. Effective political leadership of U.S. intelligence requires clear policies, well-ordered priorities, adequate resources, and effective tools. Here are four ‘intelligence planks’ for a sound national security platform . . . .” (Lawfare)
CONTRACT WATCH
The whole story: the Navy’s Fat Leonard. “GDMA [Glenn Defense Marine Asia] and its chief executive Leonard Glenn Francis — widely known as ‘Fat Leonard’ — are at the center of what is likely the longest-running scandal ever to hit the US Navy. The company, banned in September 2013 from doing any further business with the US, routinely overcharged the Navy by a total of more than $20 million, according to US Justice Department estimates. Francis is in a US jail after admitting guilt in a plea bargaining agreement, 14 individuals have been charged with federal crimes, and nine, including Misiewicz, have been sentenced to prison terms.” (Defense News)
Navy’s hydrogen-fueled LDUUVs. “The US Navy is using General Motor’s (GM) hydrogen fuel cell technology to power its latest underwater vessel. Hydrogen fuel cells convert high-energy hydrogen efficiently into electricity, resulting in vehicles with greater range and endurance than those powered with batteries. . . . Besides the GM fuel cell, the Navy has evaluated alternative power generation solutions from General Atomics, Lynntech and NexTech Materials.” (Defense Update)
THE FORCE AND THE FIGHT
ISIS strikes Istanbul Atatürk airport. “The attack on Europe’s third-busiest airport was the deadliest in a series of suicide bombings this year in Turkey, part of the U.S.-led coalition against Islamic State and struggling to contain spillover from neighboring Syria’s war. . . . The attack bore similarities to a suicide bombing by Islamic State militants at Brussels airport in March that killed 16 people. A coordinated attack also targeted a rush-hour metro train, killing a further 16 people in the Belgian capital.” (Reuters) See also, “Islamic State prime suspect after suicide bombers kill 41 at Istanbul airport,” “Triple Suicide Attack at Istanbul Airport Kills 41” and “Turkey’s vengeance will be like ‘rain from hell.’”
NATO relevance in a cyber-war world. “In the coming months and years, NATO must continue to modernize and adapt in response to rising threats. This is especially the case with cyber defense, which will play an increasingly pivotal role in the alliance’s postures and plans. It is time to start moving toward NATO deterrence for the cyber domain.” (Center for European Policy Analysis) Read Moving Toward NATO Deterrence for the Cyber Domain.
Benghazi: the final word (?). “After two years and $7 million, Republicans on the House Benghazi Committee have released their long-awaited report on the September 11, 2012 terrorist attacks in Libya — a report that concludes then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was not directly at fault for the events that led to the deaths of four American citizens. The report did slam the Obama administration for its handling of the aftermath of the attacks, citing a combination of bureaucratic inefficiency, personal error, and willful ignorance of intelligence for the bungled response.” (Vice News) See also, “The 7 must-read passages in the Benghazi report.”
Close Air Support in a COIN environment. “CAS is doctrinally defined as ‘air action by fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft against hostile targets that are in close proximity to friendly forces and requires detailed integration of each air mission with the fire and movement of those forces’ . . . . Today, it’s not about the airplane, the closeness of CAS, or even the mythical contested CAS that is the underlying issue. The forgotten element is detailed integration.” (War on the Rocks)
