NSA Hack Attacks: Good Value For Money?

Leaked operations manual reveals NSA attack techniques that are not significantly better than common cybercrime capabilities, despite their high cost to government

Dark Reading Staff, Dark Reading

October 11, 2013

1 Min Read
Dark Reading logo in a gray background | Dark Reading

Do the National Security Agency's online espionage capabilities provide good value for money?

Recent reports have disclosed that the NSA uses a fleet of high-latency -- codenamed "Quantum" -- servers to redirect targeted systems to another fleet of servers, codenamed "FoxAcid," that launch tailored drive-by attacks. The agency's malware reportedly targets a range of vulnerabilities, from publicly known flaws to zero-day bugs that only the NSA possesses.

That information comes via former NSA contractor Edward Snowden's leak of top secret documents that detail many of the agency's operating practices. What's struck some information security experts is just how similar the NSA's techniques are to those of cybercrime gangs and advanced persistent attack (APT) groups sponsored or run by other nations.

Read the full article here.

Have a comment on this story? Please click "Discuss" below. If you'd like to contact Dark Reading's editors directly, send us a message.

Read more about:

2013

About the Author

Dark Reading Staff

Dark Reading

Dark Reading is a leading cybersecurity media site.

Keep up with the latest cybersecurity threats, newly discovered vulnerabilities, data breach information, and emerging trends. Delivered daily or weekly right to your email inbox.

You May Also Like


More Insights