NII, NSA and Computer Security Act of 1987

[koontzd@lrcs.loral.com (David Koontz )]

Newsgroups: alt.poltics.org.nsa,alt.politics.datahighway,comp.org.eff.talk
In SIGNAL July 1994, on page 88 there is an ad for the Ninth Mid-Altantic
Intelligence Symposium, 20-21 September at the Applied Physics Laboratory,
Johns Jopkins University, Laurel, Maryland.

The title is 'Security Issues of the National Information Infrastructure (NII)
Initiative'.

In fine print "Co-sponsored by AFCEA Central Maryland Chapter and The National
Security Agency".

"The program will begin by outlining in detail the vision of the NII."

[Who's vision?]

"..followed by a series of presentations addressing the security infrastructure
and its relationship to privacy law and policy, requirements for security,
and available technology in the marketplace."

[CAPSTONE, and why requiring it isn't forbidden by the Constitution.]

"The finale will offer a detailed and informative examination of emerging
federal programs and how industry is participating."

"U.S.Citizens Only.  Classified SECRET"
-----

Who the hell co-opted NII for National Security?  Every discussion to date
(at least on the internet) has shown no link to National Security, which
should be the only way NSA is involved.

(ref the Computer Security Act of 1987 assigning NIST responsibility for
development and promulgation of cost-effective computer security standards
and guidelines for the federal unclassified systems community, and their
letter of agreement with NSA.)

Is our friendly TLA breaking CSA 1987 or has Congress been sold a bill of
goods?  (This is analagous to making the phone system a matter of National
Security, something more in tune with an Evil Empire.)

One wonders if this implies Escrow Encryption Standard compliant cryptographic
hardware before one is allowed to participate in what is being billed as a
public accessible service?