They’re all here:
Via a Freedom of Information Act request (which involved paying $700 and waiting almost 4 years), The Memory Hole has obtained blank copies of most forms used by the National Security Agency.
Most are not very interesting, but I agree with Russ Kick:
They range from the exotic to the pedestrian, but even the most prosaic form shines some light into the workings of No Such Agency.
Gimpo • August 6, 2008 8:41 AM
And it’s… gone….
Moi • August 6, 2008 8:45 AM
Yup, it’s been Schneierdotted.
I’d rather think NSA sent some spook shut the site down and have a little talk with Russ!
Redfox • August 6, 2008 9:16 AM
Great, Bruce, your DDoS-Attack against TheMemoryHole.org is a full success! 😉
For everyone who lags patience, here is a .zip with the 3 .pdf files:
Andrew • August 6, 2008 10:02 AM
Can we trust this much power in the hands of a single individual?
Does NSA stand for No Strings Attached…. as in….
anonymous • August 6, 2008 10:06 AM
Bruced 🙁
Hmmm -still gone!
Anonymous • August 6, 2008 11:02 AM
You should try getting hold of a TSA complaint form some day…
Angel one • August 6, 2008 11:10 AM
To call these forms “boring” or a “waste of time” is perhaps the biggest understatement of the day.
dragonfrog • August 6, 2008 11:11 AM
Angel one – you mean, in that they are neither boring nor a wast of time?
Anonymous • August 6, 2008 11:32 AM
Thanks, Redfox!
Anonymous • August 6, 2008 11:40 AM
@Angel One
Seconded, for sure. These are about as revealing/interesting as reading my 1040 tax forms. What a waste of $700.00…
Look carefully • August 6, 2008 12:48 PM
@Angel One
I, for one, found some of them interesting. There are some tidbits to be had. If nothing else, various terms and acronyms used, and the redactions are interesting.
Angel one • August 6, 2008 1:00 PM
If you found them interesting then don’t let me stop you from enjoying yourself. I’ll be outside watching the grass grow.
Redfox • August 6, 2008 1:16 PM
Someone has to send Russ Kick an T-Shirt with the inscription:
“I spend 700 Bucks and waited 4 years to get some confidential files from the NSA via the Freedom of Information Act… and all i got was a bunch of boring froms”
P.S.: Site is up again.
Ross Snider • August 6, 2008 2:07 PM
Well, more important than the PDFs they obtained and the information that can be garnered from it, The Freedom of Information Act is being excersized (I can’t spell it because I don’t do it that often ;-)).
It’s one thing to have legislation, its another to have legislation be in effect.
Nobody found the checkbox stuff interesting? How much information they want to collect about the mental health and stability of your children (for example)?
Andrew • August 6, 2008 2:38 PM
I found the physical security forms fascinating and informative. Grist for future classes, certainly.
ADHD • August 6, 2008 4:22 PM
“Have you ever been treated by a mental health professional?”
Yes -> Goodbye.
No -> Liar.
Dave Aronson • August 7, 2008 8:33 AM
Whàt thệ hếck wás thảt? (Spắm, I’đ bệt!)
ZaD MoFo • August 7, 2008 12:06 PM
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Sidebar photo of Bruce Schneier by Joe MacInnis.
D0R • August 6, 2008 8:21 AM
I like the purpose of TheMemoryHole.org:
“The Memory Hole exists to preserve and spread material that is in danger of being lost, is hard to find, or is not widely known. […] The emphasis is on material that exposes things that we’re not supposed to know (or that we’re supposed to forget).”
(from the About page)