PRISM/US-984XN Overview
Or
The SIGAD Used Most is NSA Reporting Overview
April 2013
Introduction
U.S. as World's Telecommunications Backbone
- Much of the world's communications flow through the US.
- A target's phone call, email, or chat will take the cheapest path, not the most physically direct path - you can't always predict the path.
- Your target's communications could easily be flowing into and through the US.
PRISM Collection Details
Curent Providers
- Microsoft (Hotmail, etc.)
- Google
- Yahoo!
- Facebook
- PalTalk
- YouTube
- Skype
- AOL
- Apple
What Will You Receive in Collection
(Surveillance and Stored Comms)?
It varies by provider. In general:
- E-mail
- Chat - video, voice
- Videos
- Photos
- Stored Data
- VoIP
- File Transfers
- Video Conferencing
- Notifications of target activity - logins, etc.
- Online Social Networking details
- Special Requests
Dates When PRISM Collection Began for Each Provider
- Microsoft - 9/11/07
- Yahoo! - 3/12/08
- Google - 1/14/09
- Facebook - 6/3/09
- PalTalk - 12/7/09
- YouTube - 9/24/10
- Skype - 2/6/11
- AOL - 3/31/11
- Apple - (added Oct 2012)
PRISM Program Cost: ~20M per year