Documents
EO 12333 Transit Communications from SIDtoday
June 26, 2018
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(U//FOUO) Attention, SIGINT Analysts: E.O. 12333 Transit
Communications -- What Are They?
FROM:
Deputy Chief, SID Oversight & Compliance (SV)
Run Date: 11/07/2012
(U//FOUO) Introduction: This article clarifies the difference between NSA's longstanding authority
to collect "transit communications" and FISA Amendment Act (FAA) Section 702 authorizations.
(TS//SI//REL) In 1988, NSA received an "extra" measure of authority to collect communications
contained in specific Executive Order 12333 wire communications obtained from service-provider
accesses located in the United States. This extra measure of E.O. 12333 authority allows NSA to
collect communications that transit the United States from a source located outside of the United
States to a destination location also outside of the United States. Based on predetermined
selection criteria, service providers identify and forward foreign communications transiting their
networks for subsequent processing and selection. This supports transit content collection as well
as transit-authorized bulk metadata.
(TS//SI//REL) This E.O. 12333 transit communications authority is different from the FISA
Amendments Act Section 702 authorizations, which authorize NSA to acquire communications
based on specific selectors about intelligence targets associated with a foreign power, foreign
territory, foreign government, foreign-based political organization, individual(s) or group(s)
engaged in international terrorism, or individuals or groups engaged in proliferating weapons of
mass destruction.
(TS//SI//REL) The Office of Special Source Operations (SSO - S353) within SID accesses and
exploits the E.O. 12333 transit communications, which include DNR and DNI (limited) traffic.
There are three transit programs currently collecting E.O. 12333 transit communications:
US-990, US-983, and US-3273. Data collected under SIGAD US-3251 prior to and including 17
May 2012 also falls under transit authority guidelines.
(TS//SI//REL) Analysts working with E.O. 12333 transit communications data: please review an
informative slide deck, recently updated by SID and OGC, by clicking HERE or by accessing the
S2 Analysis and Production website and selecting the "Transit Training Information" hyperlink.
(Note: You must have an NSA TOP SECRET PKI certificate in order to access these slides.)
(U//FOUO) POC for this article:
(
), Communications Lead, SV.
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(U//FOUO) Attention, SIGINT Analysts: E.O. 12333 Transit
Communications -- What Are They?
FROM:
Deputy Chief, SID Oversight & Compliance (SV)
Run Date: 11/07/2012
(U//FOUO) Introduction: This article clarifies the difference between NSA's longstanding authority
to collect "transit communications" and FISA Amendment Act (FAA) Section 702 authorizations.
(TS//SI//REL) In 1988, NSA received an "extra" measure of authority to collect communications
contained in specific Executive Order 12333 wire communications obtained from service-provider
accesses located in the United States. This extra measure of E.O. 12333 authority allows NSA to
collect communications that transit the United States from a source located outside of the United
States to a destination location also outside of the United States. Based on predetermined
selection criteria, service providers identify and forward foreign communications transiting their
networks for subsequent processing and selection. This supports transit content collection as well
as transit-authorized bulk metadata.
(TS//SI//REL) This E.O. 12333 transit communications authority is different from the FISA
Amendments Act Section 702 authorizations, which authorize NSA to acquire communications
based on specific selectors about intelligence targets associated with a foreign power, foreign
territory, foreign government, foreign-based political organization, individual(s) or group(s)
engaged in international terrorism, or individuals or groups engaged in proliferating weapons of
mass destruction.
(TS//SI//REL) The Office of Special Source Operations (SSO - S353) within SID accesses and
exploits the E.O. 12333 transit communications, which include DNR and DNI (limited) traffic.
There are three transit programs currently collecting E.O. 12333 transit communications:
US-990, US-983, and US-3273. Data collected under SIGAD US-3251 prior to and including 17
May 2012 also falls under transit authority guidelines.
(TS//SI//REL) Analysts working with E.O. 12333 transit communications data: please review an
informative slide deck, recently updated by SID and OGC, by clicking HERE or by accessing the
S2 Analysis and Production website and selecting the "Transit Training Information" hyperlink.
(Note: You must have an NSA TOP SECRET PKI certificate in order to access these slides.)
(U//FOUO) POC for this article:
(
), Communications Lead, SV.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108