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In reply to the discussion: Snowden says that he had "the authorities" to wiretap anyone -- even the President. [View all]usGovOwesUs3Trillion
(2,022 posts)108. I don't, sysadmins typically have 'root' access.
And he did NOT say everyone has access to everything, he said anyone who had the right authority had the capability to read a target's communications, even an American's communications, since ALL communications by default are recorded and stored.
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Snowden says that he had "the authorities" to wiretap anyone -- even the President. [View all]
pnwmom
Jun 2013
OP
He was supposed to be in networking and the "repair" side if you will. I got the impression that he
okaawhatever
Jun 2013
#89
As Manning's case has demonstrated, if you have the access, the capability is there
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#6
I believe as a system administrator with 'root' access he has access to much more info than anyone
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#17
is that seemingly low level worker bees can have access to a lot of data
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#26
no it isn't, root is root, and traditionally, sysadmins have root
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#105
Do you believe that Snowden himself "had the authorities" to wiretap the President? n/t
pnwmom
Jun 2013
#13
Nothing material has changed with the extra words...and I still think he's FOS
uponit7771
Jun 2013
#23
If that is what this post is about, then you should edit the OP and substitute the correct quote.
Luminous Animal
Jun 2013
#31
I consider Mr. Marshall to be very objective even when it concerns his chosen profession.
randome
Jun 2013
#96
Actually he said there is the capability, since it is ALL being recorded, all he needed was an email
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#35
Yep, as a system administrator, he had the authority (e.g. capability, access) to read anyones email
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#41
If he had the authorities to gain access to anyone else's personal email
Luminous Animal
Jun 2013
#42
Basically, all he needs is to email for permission from his boss, and he just does it.
backscatter712
Jun 2013
#43
I'm presuming the President's real communications are on secret, encrypted systems...
backscatter712
Jun 2013
#59
actually, he didn't need to email anyone, he just needed the email address of the target
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#58
And he couldn't just, you know, TELL someone about that? Talk to his supervisor, maybe?
randome
Jun 2013
#39
He did. Nothing was changed. You Should watch the video interview with him...
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#44
I keep trying to but, honestly, it's a 12 minute love fest between Glenn and Snowden.
randome
Jun 2013
#61
Mischaracterization of the interview, check the 1:00 mark of the video
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#101
Right, he says that he repeatedly brought these issues up, and he was repeatedly dismissed
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#112
You honestly don't think that the supervisors don't understand the capabilities?
Luminous Animal
Jun 2013
#72
Why would he talk to his supervisor about capabilities that are features not bugs?
Luminous Animal
Jun 2013
#91
well he and manning did have access to classified data, otherwise we would not be talking about them
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#53
We have no idea what access Snowden had, other than a powerpoint describing the system
Recursion
Jun 2013
#55
So where is everybody else's access to this alleged instant tracking of the President's emails?
Recursion
Jun 2013
#70
It's the NSA. They throw 20 billion dollar sums around casually building new supercomputer centers.
backscatter712
Jun 2013
#68
It's getting the data to the NSA, and searching it, that's the problem, not storage
Recursion
Jun 2013
#71
I presume you heard about the NSA's wiretap equipment installed at phone company switching centers.
backscatter712
Jun 2013
#77
So they've got buried cables from Ft. Meade to every major datacenter in the country?
Recursion
Jun 2013
#85
Not straightforward at all. OK, so you're leeching my router and have copied a packet.
Recursion
Jun 2013
#86
Five years ago, but these buildings replicate what is done in Maryland
AnalystInParadise
Jun 2013
#81
that's right, the system administrator has root access to the servers under his domain, otherwise
usGovOwesUs3Trillion
Jun 2013
#119
Then surely you know about SELinux, right? The very system the NSA created...
Recursion
Jun 2013
#127
He might have had sudo root...and his access could have been limited with that..
HipChick
Jun 2013
#138
Worked for carlyle group subsidarary and tapped by winger to leak info that was already known
uponit7771
Jun 2013
#133