On October 10 the European Parliament will consider awarding the Sakharov Prize to Edward Snowden.

On October 10, the European Parliament will consider awarding the Sakharov Prize to Edward Snowden.

SUPPORT Freedom Of Thought.

“The Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought, named after Soviet scientist and dissident Andrei Sakharov, was established in December 1988 by the European Parliament as a means to honour individuals or organisations who have dedicated their lives to the defence of human rights and freedom of thought.”

PE-7/CPG/OJ/2013-17

CONFERENCE of PRESIDENTS

Thursday, 10 October 2013

10.00 to 12.00 hours

Louise WEISS Building, Room R 1.1

STRASBOURG

DRAFT AGENDA

  1. Adoption of draft agenda
  2. Approval of the draft minutes of the meeting of 3 October 2013
  3. Adoption of the preliminary draft agenda for the October II part-session (21 to 24 October 2013 in Strasbourg) – Scheduling of key debates in plenary
  4. Communications by the President

A. DECISIONS / EXCHANGES OF VIEWS

  1. Award of the 2013 Sakharov Prize – Nominations shortlisted by the Committees on Foreign Affairs and Development – Decision on final laureate

The Greatest Human Rights Challenge Of Our Time
By Edward Snowden
Sept. 30, 2013 hearing of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs. GAP National Security & Human Rights Director Jesselyn Radack reading NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden’s statement to the Committee.Transcript

I thank the European Parliament and the LIBE Committee for taking up the challenge of mass surveillance. The surveillance of whole populations, rather than individuals, threatens to be the greatest human rights challenge of our time.

The success of economies in developed nations relies increasingly on their creative output, and if that success is to continue, we must remember that creativity is the product of curiosity, which in turn is the product of privacy.A culture of secrecy has denied our societies the opportunity to determine the appropriate balance between the human right of privacy and the governmental interest in investigation.

These are not decisions that should be made for a people, but only by the people after full, informed, and fearless debate. Yet public debate is not possible without public knowledge, and in my country, the cost for one in my position of returning public knowledge to public hands has been persecution and exile.

If we are to enjoy such debates in the future, we cannot rely upon individual sacrifice. We must create better channels for people of conscience to inform not only trusted agents of government, but independent representatives of the public outside of government.

When I began my work, it was with the sole intention of making possible the debate we see occurring here in this body and in many other bodies around the world.

Today we see legislative bodies forming new committees, calling for investigations, and proposing new solutions for modern problems. We see emboldened courts that are no longer afraid to consider critical questions of national security.

We see brave executives remembering that if a public is prevented from knowing how they are being governed, the necessary result is that they are no longer self-governing. And we see the public reclaiming an equal seat at the table of government.

The work of a generation is beginning here, with your hearings, and you have the full measure of my gratitude and support.

JOB: NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer

Every US citizen should apply.
A mass-application from every US citizen will yield one of two positive outcomes.
Either you get to ask interesting questions at an interview, or you get to prove the appointments system a whose your daddy affair.
https://www.nsa.gov/psp/applyonline/EMPLOYEE/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM.HRS_CE.GBL?Page=HRS_CE_HM_PRE&Action=A&SiteId=1
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title: NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer
 Please ensure your spam filters are configured to accept emails from no*****@*sa.gov
Salary is commensurate with experience and education. 
Salary Range: Up to $173,000
Job ID:  1039797
Location: Fort George G. Meade, MD
Occupational Group: 0905 General Attorney
Full-Time –  Pay Plan: GG
Responsibilities  
This position will be located at the National Security Agency (NSA) at Fort Meade, Maryland.   The NSA is a Component of the DoD Intelligence Community with combat support responsibilities. The work force is composed of both military assignees and civilian employees located worldwide, to include military members of the Central Security Service (CSS). The NSA’s core missions are to protect U.S. national security systems and to produce signals intelligence information.  The Information Assurance mission confronts the formidable challenges inherent in preventing foreign adversaries from gaining access to sensitive or classified national security information and in protecting national security information systems from unauthorized intrusion.  The Signals Intelligence mission is to collect, process, and disseminate signals intelligence in response to intelligence and counterintelligence information requirements and to support military operations.  NSA also supports U.S. Cyber Command.   The NSA Civil Liberties & Privacy Officer (CLPO) is conceived as a completely new role, combining the separate responsibilities of NSA’s existing Civil Liberties and Privacy (CL/P) protection programs under a single official. The CLPO will serve as the primary advisor to the Director of NSA for ensuring that privacy is protected and civil liberties are maintained by all of NSA’s missions, programs, policies and technologies. This new position is focused on the future, designed to directly enhance decision making and to ensure that CL/P protections continue to be baked into NSA’s future operations, technologies, tradecraft, and policies.  The NSA CLPO will consult regularly with the Office of the Director of National Intelligence CLPO, privacy and civil liberties officials from the Department of Defense and the Department of Justice, as well as other U.S. government, private sector, public advocacy groups and foreign partners.    Specific Duties:   a. Provide advice and guidance to the Director and the NSA senior leadership team to ensure that all agency activities appropriately protect privacy and civil liberties consistent with operational, legal, and other requirements.  b. As the senior architect for CL/P, ensure that protections are addressed as part of all internal strategic decision processes related to the agency’s operations, key relationships, tradecraft, technologies, resources or policies. c. Represent the Agency on CL/P matters and serve as a liaison to other department/agencies/boards and, as appropriate, the Congress. d. Responsible for broadly and, to the greatest extent possible, proactively explaining how NSA protects CL/P to the internal workforce, within the IC, to USG partners and to the public. e. Manage CL/P policy, and advise on related assessment and compliance programs.  f. Ensure adequate procedures are in place to receive, investigate, respond to, and redress complaints from individuals who raise CL/P concerns. g. Ensure that appropriate CL/P offices within ODNI, DoD, and DoJ remain apprised of all significant CL/P issues arising from NSA activities.  h. Provide CL/P reviews and assessments as required of the NSA support to the U.S. Cyber Command.  i. Provide testimony at Congressional hearings and special briefings to Members of Congress and their staffs concerning any CL/P questions relating to NSA, as appropriate. j. Ensure that NSA leadership is informed of significant developments or changes in CL/P related statutes, policies, best practices, or technologies affecting the NSA enterprise, its people or its resources.  k. Build partnerships with the public and private sectors and within the national security community to advance mission objectives.  l. Perform such other duties as the Director may prescribe.
Qualifications
Applicants must have significant, senior executive level CL/P protection policy setting and program management experience and an authoritative knowledge of related best practices, norms, policies, statutes, and regulations.  The successful candidate will be well known and highly regarded by U.S. privacy and civil liberties protection professionals. Must have demonstrated the ability to perform complex analysis, develop innovative solutions, give effective oral and written presentations, and forge working relationships with senior level officials.  Must also possess the administrative skills to effectively oversee an office and manage other professionals.  Substantive knowledge of CL/P issues as they relate to telecommunications and internet privacy is required.  Experience with and knowledge of the CL/P issues related to surveillance in national security and law enforcement environments is a plus.  Legal education or experience is preferred.
Evaluation Criteria:  The applicant selected must meet all the Executive Core Qualifications (ECQ) listed below.  Applicants should provide a brief narrative (no more than one-half page) to support each ECQ.  In addition, each applicant must submit a resume.  Fully qualified applicants will be reviewed by a Panel.
ECQ 1: LEADING CHANGE   This core qualification involves the ability to bring about strategic change, both within and outside the organization to meet organizational goals.  Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to establish an organizational vision and to implement it in a continuously changing environment.
Competencies:
– Creativity & Innovation – Develops new insights into situations; questions conventional approaches; encourages new ideas and innovations; designs and implements new or cutting edge programs/processes.
– External Awareness – Understands and keeps up-to-date on local, national, and international policies and trends that affect the organization and shape stakeholders’ views; is aware of the organization’s impact on the external environment.
– Flexibility – Is open to change and new information; rapidly adapts to new information, changing conditions, or unexpected obstacles.
– Resilience – Deals effectively with pressure; remains optimistic and persistent, even under adversity. Recovers quickly from setbacks.
– Strategic Thinking – Formulates objectives and priorities, and implements plans consistent with long-term interests of the organization in a global environment. Capitalizes on opportunities and manages risks.
– Vision – Takes a long-term view and builds a shared vision with others; acts as a catalyst for organizational change. Influences others to translate vision into action.
ECQ 2:Leading People
This core qualification involves the ability to lead people toward meeting the organization’s vision, mission, and goals.  Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to provide an inclusive workplace that fosters the development of others, facilitates cooperation and teamwork, and supports constructive resolution of conflicts.
Competencies:
– Conflict Management – Encourages creative tension and differences of opinions. Anticipates and takes steps to prevent counter-productive confrontations. Manages and resolves conflicts and disagreements in a constructive manner.
– Leveraging Diversity – Fosters an inclusive workplace where diversity and individual differences are valued and leveraged to achieve the vision and mission of the organization.
– Developing Others – Develops the ability of others to perform and contribute to the organization by providing ongoing feedback and providing opportunities to learn through formal and informal methods.
– Team Building – Inspires and fosters team commitment, spirit, pride, and trust.  Facilitates cooperation and motivates team members to accomplish group goals.
ECQ 3: RESULTS DRIVEN
This core qualification involves the ability to meet organizational goals and customer expectations. Inherent to this ECQ is the ability to make decisions that produce high-quality results by applying technical knowledge, analyzing problems, and calculating risks.
Competencies:
– Accountability – Holds self and others accountable for measurable high-quality, timely, and cost effective results.  Determines objectives, sets priorities, and delegates work.  Accepts responsibility for mistakes. Complies with established control systems and rules.
– Customer Service – Anticipates and meets the needs of both internal and external customers. Delivers high-quality products and services; is committed to continuous improvement.
– Decisiveness – Makes well-informed, effective, and timely decisions, even when data is limited or solutions produce unpleasant consequences; perceives the impact and implications of decisions.
– Entrepreneurship – Positions the organization for future success by identifying new opportunities; builds the organization by developing or improving product or services. Takes calculated risks to accomplish organizational objectives.
– Problem Solving – Identifies and analyzes problems; weighs relevance and accuracy of information; generates and evaluates alternative solutions; makes recommendations.
– Technical Credibility – Understands and appropriately applies principles, procedures, requirements, regulations, and policies related to specialized expertise.
ECQ 4: BUSINESS ACUMEN
This core qualification involves the ability to manage human, financial, material and information resources strategically.
Competencies:
– Financial Management – Understands the organization’s financial process. Prepares, justifies, and administers the program budget.  Oversees procurement and contracting to achieve desired results. Monitors expenditures and uses cost-benefit thinking to set priorities.
– Human Capital Management – Builds and manages the workforce based on organizational goals, budget considerations, and staffing needs.  Ensures that employees are appropriately recruited, selected, appraised and rewarded; takes action to address performance problems.  Manages a multi-sector workforce and a variety of work situations.
– Technology Management – Keeps up-to-date on technological developments. Makes effective use of technology to achieve results. Ensures access to and security of technology systems.
ECQ 5: BUILDING COALITIONS
This core qualification involves the ability to build coalitions internally and with other federal agencies, state and local governments, nonprofit and private sector organizations foreign governments, or international organizations to achieve common goals.
Competencies:
– Partnering – Develops networks and builds alliances, collaborates across boundaries to build strategic relationships and achieve common goals.
– Political Savvy – Identifies the internal and external politics that impact the work of the organization.  Perceives organizational and political reality and acts accordingly.
– Influencing/Negotiating – Persuades others; builds consensus through give and take: gains cooperation from others to obtain information and accomplish goals.
ECQ 6: LEADING THE INTELLIGENCE ENTERPRISE
This core qualification is comprised of the Intelligence Community (IC)-specific “joint” competencies of Collaboration and Integration, Enterprise Focus, and Value-Centered Leadership.
Competencies:
– Collaboration and Integration – Share information and knowledge to achieve results by creating an environment that promotes employee engagement, collaboration, integration, information and knowledge sharing, and the candid, open exchange of diverse points of view.
– Enterprise Focus – Demonstrate a deep understanding of how the mission, structures, leaders, and cultures of the various DoD and IC components interact and connect.
– Values-Centered Leadership – Advance and reinforce DoD and IC core values: A Commitment to selfless service and excellence in support of the IC’s mission, as well as to preserving, protecting, and defending the Nation’s laws and liberties; the integrity and Courage (moral, intellectual, and physical) to seek and speak the truth, to innovate, and to change things for the better, regardless of personal or professional risk; and Collaboration as members of a single IC-wide team, respecting and leveraging the diversity of all members of the IC, their background, their sources and methods, and their points of view.

Experts to Discuss U.S. Government Internet Surveillance Programs and Online Privacy at INET San Francisco

The event will also feature a panel discussion with the following participants:
·         Susan Freiwald, Professor, University of San Francisco School of Law
·         Matthew Sundquist, Former Facebook Privacy Team Member and Co-founder of Plot.ly
·         Declan McCullagh (moderator), Chief Political Correspondent, CNET
·         Paul Brigner, North America Regional Bureau Director, Internet Society
INET San Francisco will be held on October 2 from 6:00 pm until 8:30 pm PDT at CNET’s offices located at 235 2nd Street in San Francisco, CA. The event will also be streamed live for those unable to attend in person, http://new.livestream.com/internetsociety. For further information, including how to register, please visit http://www.internetsociety.org/inet-san-francisco/.
 Internet Society
Chapter Portal (AMS): https://portal.isoc.org

Torvalds On Being Asked to Insert a U.S. Government Back Door Into Linux Kernel

Torvalds On Being Asked to Insert a U.S. Government Back Door Into Linux Kernel
Sep 19 2013
<http://www.cryptogon.com/?p=37041>
NSA Backdoor
Torvalds was also asked if he had ever been approached by the U.S. government to insert a backdoor into Linux.
Torvalds responded “no” while shaking his head “yes,” as the audience broke into spontaneous laughter.
So given Torvalds response to the backdoor question, take a look at this item from 2003:
Thwarted Linux backdoor hints at smarter hacks
By Kevin Poulsen, SecurityFocus
2003-11-06
<http://www.securityfocus.com/news/7388>
Software developers on Wednesday detected and thwarted a hacker’s scheme to submerge a slick backdoor in the next version of the Linux kernel, but security experts say the abortive caper proves that extremely subtle source code tampering is more than just the stuff of paranoid speculation.
The backdoor was a two-line addition to a development copy of the Linux kernel’s source code, carefully crafted to look like a harmless error-checking feature added to the wait4() system call — a function that’s available to any program running on the computer, and which, roughly, tells the operating system to pause execution of that program until another program has finished its work.
Under casual inspection, the code appears to check if a program calling wait4() is using a particular invalid combination of two flags, and if the user invoking it is the computer’s all-powerful root account. If both conditions are true, it aborts the call.
But up close, the code doesn’t actually check if the user is root at all. If it sees the flags, it grants the process root privileges, turning wait4() into an instant doorway to complete control of any machine, if the hacker knows the right combinations of flags.
That difference between what the code looks like and what it actually is — that is, between assignment and comparison — is a matter of a single equal sign in the C programming language, making it easy to overlook. If the addition had been detected in a normal code review, the backdoor could even have been mistaken for a programming error — no different from the buffer overflows that wind up in Microsoft products on a routine basis. “It’s indistinguishable from an accidental bug,” says security consultant Ryan Russell. “So unless you have a reason to be suspicious, and go back and find out if it was legitimately checked in, that’s going to be a long trail to follow.”
Investigation Underway
In all, the unknown hacker used exactly the sort of misdirection and semantic trickery that security professionals talk about over beer after a conference, while opining on how clumsy the few discovered source code backdoors have been, and how a real cyber warrior would write one.
[snip]