NSA CONTROLLING GOVERNMENT INFO WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A., 1989 MAY 23 (NB) -- Information Industry Association Vice President Ken Allen has told Congress the National Security Agency is trying to take control over U.S. information, in violation of the Computer Security Act of 1987. Allen said the NSA has much more money than the National Institute of Standards and Technology, formerly the National Bureau of Standards, and is using ambiguities in the law to seize power. While the act gives the NIST control over security at the government's civilian computers, Allen said, a recent memo issued by the two agencies gave the NSA control over "sensitive but unclassified" data, which could mean give the super-secret NSA control over anything. The Act was passed by Congress in the wake of a secret memo from Admiral John Poindexter, then National Security advisor, which could have put both civilian and military information under the NSA's control, and disrupted the free flow of information vital to science and industry. The NSA, which maintains U.S. classified data, has signed agreements with the NIST, formerly the National Bureau of Standards, including some language from that memo which might keep secret unclassified data. "We expressed grave concerns that it was loosely worded, and it could undercut the intent of Congress," Allen told Newsbytes. "It is quite possible the Poindexter Memorandum could re-emerge in a new context." The IIA will have its annual meeting September 10-14 in New York, at which time it will plot strategy. The IIA was instrumental in getting the 1987 act passed. ------------------------------ Dana Blankenhorn/19890602/Press Contact: Ken Allen, IIA, 202-639-8260 For information on obtaining a Newsbyte subscription for your BBS/online service, call (303)973-6038 (voice) or (303)973-4222 (data). ------------------------------ Source: NewsBytes on Dataline BBS 718 377 1042
