The Reg takes the US government's insider threat training course

The US government has provided an online training course on insider threats. To help understand its efforts to stop the spread of leaks, spills, espionage and sabotage, The Reg signed up for a bit of training from the National Insider Threat Task Force (NITTF). Here we learned a lot about, in no particular order: former …

[CAPS LOCK]

Off topic...

... what the buggerybollox is the new UI? Shock of the new? I should coco...

[JudeKay]

Re: Off topic...

It's our new homepage design - see here - https://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/09/13/register_homepage/. You can scroll to the bottom of the page to opt out, should you wish... or you can give it a little time and see if it grows on you.

[Hans Neeson-Bumpsadese]

Re: Off topic...

you can give it a little time and see if it grows on you.

Sounds like advice you'd give to someone who suspects they have a case of thrush

[JudeKay]

Re: Re: Off topic...

We've been called worse.

I'd say we're from the Saccharomyces clan rather than Candida but I'm probably just trying to rise to the top of the fermentation vessel like a typical yeasty ne'er do well.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: Off topic...

typical yeasty ne'er do well

Hmmm.. yeasty ne'er do well. Time for some scrumpy methinks!

[BillG]

This Title is Blank

According to the course, 300,000,000 pages have been stolen since 2010...

...including 25,233,447 pages that say "This page left intentionally blank".

[Sixtysix]

Re: Off topic...

"scroll to the bottom of the page to opt out, "

Would have been nice to make that snippet MUCH more visible.

Opting out in 3...2...1....

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Off topic...

Indeed...

Being on the Autism spectrum, the new design left me unable to concentrate AT ALL.... which I fed back.

I complained and was suggested to use the "Weekly Summary" view which is MUCH better...

Vote with your feet! https://www.theregister.co.uk/Week/

Also: uBlock

Sorry for AC but I've learned to not share my "difference" lightly.

[Alan J. Wylie]

and 94 per cent went to prison

What's the opposite of survivorship bias?

[machrie]

84% were successful and 94% went to prison. 10% wanted to go to prison?

[Allan George Dyer]

General statistics do prompt some odd thoughts...

"67 per cent of spies have been civilians; 37 per cent had no security clearance;" - So your secrets can be stolen by people who shouldn't have access to them?

"84 per cent of spies were successful;" - Can you be called a spy if you haven't successfully done any spying?

"67 per cent volunteered to commit espionage; 81 per cent received no money for their services;" - Were 48% trying to improve the 'voluntary service' section of their resume?

"94 per cent went to prison" - That's a pretty good prosecution rate, but did you count the ones that weren't caught? Do you have any idea how many weren't caught?

[VikiAi]

"67 per cent of spies have been civilians; 37 per cent had no security clearance;" - So your secrets can be stolen by people who shouldn't have access to them?

Yep, that hot blond (of appropriate gender for you) you met that is sooo interested in your work for a change.

"84 per cent of spies were successful;" - Can you be called a spy if you haven't successfully done any spying?

Presumably the other 16% got the info in their own hands but were caught before they could pass it on. Or they were passed bogus information.

"67 per cent volunteered to commit espionage; 81 per cent received no money for their services;" - Were 48% trying to improve the 'voluntary service' section of their resume?

An evil cancer-like mental state called 'nationalism'.

"94 per cent went to prison" - That's a pretty good prosecution rate, but did you count the ones that weren't caught? Do you have any idea how many weren't caught?

Our spies tell us we got all of them. Oh, wait....

[Anonymous Coward]

"US government's insider threat training course"...

Sounds more like : "US government's propaganda machine"...

[tiggity]

Insider threat detection

.. That would be anyone with a conscience wanting to blow a whistle on how the pub;ic is being lied to then?

They need to improve their hiring processes as obviously a few people with moral scruples still getting through.

[Rich 11]

Re: Insider threat detection

Executive branch insider threat detection

I can very clearly detect one person in the Executive branch who is an extremely dangerous threat. Do I pass the course?

[I ain't Spartacus]

Snowden certainly started out as a whistleblower. And as the vast levels of NSA snooping were deliberate, reporting it internally would be pointless - management already knew.

I think he's revealed a lot of stuff on how NSA operate, and I remember a few leaks of unrelated stuff about SIS and GCHQ - none of which seemed to be anything other than spies spying on foreign governments. Which is entirely legitimate. So I'm not sure what you'd call him now. Do we even have a word for it? Revealing operational details of legitimate national security operations makes you a traitor, but that seems rather harsh, and his revelations didn't start out that way. It's all rather confusing really. I'm sure Smiley would be able to sort it all out.

[Brian Miller]

I think he's revealed a lot of stuff on how NSA operate...

He confirmed what everybody suspected. Yes, we knew NSA is a spook agency. Yes, we knew they are the big crypto spyhouse intercepting everything. Gee, all of this just so confirms it.

The real problem is that Snowden screwed the US security apparatus by deliberately releasing the actual tools being used. This wasn't like that contractor who took work home with him, and then the Kaspersky scanner did what it was supposed to do by default: flag suspicious software and send a copy back for analysis.

Snowden basically did it just to be a jerk, and really nothing more than that. Yes, the spy agencies were/are violating laws. They have always done so, they will always do so. To change the system, change the people in power. Oops, more of the same. Time for torches and pitchforks, then, but wait, the commercial break on the telly is ending...

[Anonymous Coward]

"Snowden basically did it just to be a jerk..."

Damn, this sounds like one of those times that calling somebody a jerk makes you the jerk. The tools he provided dispelled the defense that could be taken by the US Govt. that essentially states... "... but we don't have the tools!"

And yes, I agree 100%, the commercial break is over, cya :-)

P.S. Of course, we need to realize it's not just TV that keeps us inactionable, it's also $this.

[amanfromMars 1]

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Yes, the spy agencies were/are violating laws. They have always done so, they will always do so. To change the system, change the people in power. Oops, more of the same. .... Brian Miller

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** There's a lot gong on out there in the SMARTR IntelAIgent Space. Is one wise to presume and assume there be already a very stealthy GCHQ Type Presence perusing the Virtual Place, or is that still to be Trialed and Trailed?

And those questions to whoever is paid a rightful fortune for vital intelligence with exclusive use for inclusive projects ..... for there is where the answers lie.

[Captain Badmouth]

Trusted individuals

"You might also be a person who tends to underestimate the value of the information being sought or given."

In which case you should be put on the white house, er, white list I mean.

No, black list, black list...hide that piece of paper...

[0laf]

I had a look hoping to pinch some free awareness materials but this is a bit too CSI / militaristic to reuse.

[vir]

Maybe use it as punishment for leaving your computer unlocked or password on a sticky note?

[Mahhn]

how fucked up is that

Identifying personality traits including being polite and helpful as a NEGATIVE. No wonder our government is so corrupt and evil, they keep all the good people out. wtf

[Cavanuk]

Re: how fucked up is that

They didn't identify them as a negative but as traits - people-pleasing - that are most likely to indicate you would cooperate with a hostile actor.

[Tigra 07]

Re: how fucked up is that

Such as being divorced twice?

Well, lawyers certainly have a reputation as evil, bloodsucking parasites...Let's add "hostile actor" to the list!

[I&I]

Re: how fucked up is that

Possible Implications:

1) Don’t employ such vulnerable (but positively productive) people (avoid)

2) Segregate them - NICE security classification (snog)

3) Monitor them continuously - not just at work (marry)

[jcitron]

Re: how fucked up is that

That might explain the "attitude" when we call some government agency for assistance such as the Social Security office, or dealing in general with the DMV and the state tax office.

[Cavanuk]

" believes that each year $300,000,000,000 worth of American intellectual property and business intelligence are stolen yearly by China, Russia, Iran and others."

Yes, if something is done each year then it is quite often yearly... :)

[CrazyOldCatMan]

$300,000,000,000 worth of American intellectual property and business intelligence are stolen yearly

Makes you wonder about the cumulative historical value of all the IP and, in some cases, actual machinery that the US stole from the British back in the 1800's..

Hypocracy? Can you spell it? 'Cos I (probably) can't..

[Tigra 07]

Regarding Hamilton...

"These events should have triggered closer scrutiny"

Why is two divorces relevant? Is the fact that he's been divorced twice more likely to make him go rogue?

[holmegm]

Re: Regarding Hamilton...

"Why is two divorces relevant? Is the fact that he's been divorced twice more likely to make him go rogue?"

Maybe? Who knows what the statistics are.

Thinking it through, it makes it at least more likely that he is either 1. a poor judge of character, or 2. disloyal himself. Both of which seem risk factors ...

[I&I]

Re: Regarding Hamilton...

Expensive (divorces) ?

Instability (perceived) ?

Hard religious objections to divorce?

[Robert Carnegie]

Re: Regarding Hamilton...

Being divorced twice is Presidential. But that's not a recommendation.

(Donald Trump is not an actor, he is a reality person, the difference being he can't act, as his appearances in films reveal.)

A purpose of the U.S. constitution supposedly is to stop the kind of thing that Ed Snowden exposed being done to U.S. citizens, so you can't really call the exposing unfair. Putting all staff of TLAs in jail would be a bit awkward but not really unjust. The fact that TLAs of various countries sometimes did the spying on each other's entire populations instead of their own and then sent each other the backups is not an acceptable loophole.

[Tigra 07]

Re: Regarding Hamilton...

"Donald Trump is not an actor, he is a reality person, the difference being he can't act, as his appearances in films reveal"

Terrible example. His film appearances have all been as Donald Trump. Therefore since he is Donald Trump he has nailed all his film/television roles. Technically he may be the best actor in the world by that logic.

[a_yank_lurker]

Nothing Really New

I remember some security training way back in the late Dark Ages. Much of what they said was the biggest problem was insiders who are disgruntled, financially in trouble, or too eager to please not professional moles. Add a couple of more categories to the old list such as hoarders, etc. Each group has to be approached correctly with the disgruntled the most likely to make the initial contact.

One issue that was true then and is still true today, there is a lot of non-classified information that does not seem important. But if it is collected routinely it can give a picture of organizational changes and new priorities. Back in the Dark Ages this was commonly a phone directory.

[CrazyOldCatMan]

Re: Nothing Really New

some security training way back in the late Dark Ages

"Never trust the East Saxons - after all, they'll turn into Essex"..

Stuff like that?

(Of course, living as I do in the land of the West Saxons, I might be slightly biased.)

[I&I]

Re: Nothing Really New

Nossex folk were reliable but died out for some reason.

[holmegm]

Scary

Man, those are some scary people in the training graphics ...

(I mean the "normal" ones standing and milling around in groups, not the half silhouetted ones who are *supposed* to be scary.)

[Seabear70]

How do I sign up?

It looks like this is only for Government Employees and Contractors. Can anyone else get in on this?

[StuntMisanthrope]

3 packets of crisps.

Or helper, thinker, leader and hub. I kid you not, right there in the classroom, Salt & Vinegar, Cheese & Onion and Ready Salted. #ad

[FrankAlphaXII]

The hell?!?

Since precisely when is El Reg "The Reg"? If part of the new design involves changing how El Reg refers to itself, I take back precisely everything nice I've said about it. What's next, are we going to lose our measurement system?

I don't like it.

[I ain't Spartacus]

Re: The hell?!?

Soon they might start calling us customers instead of commentards! Bleurgh!

Down with this sort of thing!

[amanfromMars 1]

Re: The hell?!?

Soon they might start calling us customers instead of commentards! Bleurgh! ... I ain't Spartacus

As long as El Reg doesn't get all uppity and start considering all clients here as parasitic suckers, will all be well in the worlds trading from here?

[Mystic Megabyte]

Swiss spy

This brigadier did it because he was passed over for promotion, maybe that's why they now promote the folk with fragile egos to the top. Who does that remind you of?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jean-Louis_Jeanmaire

[fm+theregister]

Gov agencies, analysts, funding, military

Gov agencies got low on their stockpile of cyber, due to recent leaks.

There are a handful of companies and men out there who know how to develop them.

They should talk to their local military ally branch and sign a contract, funding them, in short term.

[fm+theregister]

Re: Gov agencies, analysts, funding, military

>81 per cent received no money for their services

Why would someone work for free? Even working for your own country, you need to get paid - I believe that's called capitalism. If doing something others cannot easily do, you need to be well-paid.

>and 94 per cent went to prison

I strongly doubt this numbers.

[Sixtysix]

94% went to prison...

...so all the stats are rubbish then!

If you can assert that 94% went to prison, then that's of KNOWN bad actors.

Since it is impossible to quantify what you do not know, ALL these stats are snakeoil.

As seems to be usual course in the land of the free - we don't want you to realise what's really going on so we'll Blind You With Stats that will get quoted out of context and make things seem safe...

Pretty Much Every USA Election Campaign?