DYNAMIC PAGE -- HIGHEST POSSIBLE CLASSIFICATION IS
TOP SECRET // SI / TK // REL TO USA AUS CAN GBR NZL
(S) SIGINT via Tablet PC?
FROM:
Tools and Techniques (S122)
Run Date: 09/15/2004
(U//FOUO) S122 is working hard to transform the way NSA disseminates information to its
customers. For instance, we are looking into ways to improve the delivery of product reports to
customers at external locations. Currently, GAMMA and other categories of SIGINT reports
require manual handling -- on-site NSA representatives select, print and hand-deliver the
products of interest to their customers. This process is labor-intensive and, since it is paperbased, precludes the use of computer-based tools to sort or analyze the information.
(U//FOUO) How can we do better? We are researching hardware, a Tablet PC, to allow nonNSAnet customers to securely and electronically view classified NSA product reports -- except
special series -- from their external locations. The Tablet PC is a portable computer, similar in
size and shape to a laptop screen, which allows a user to navigate files using a stylus on the
Tablet's touch screen.
(U//FOUO) Through the NCRDEF* office, S122 delivered Tablet PC's to several significant NSA
customers at the Pentagon to explore the feasibility of this type of electronic dissemination. In
the prototype, the NCRDEF account representatives bulk-copied the daily reports to a USB* flash
drive. The USB drive was then delivered to the customers who inserted the media device into
their Tablet PC; their requested reports opened automatically for viewing in priority order.
Electronic delivery of product reports allows customers to quickly and accurately search their
voluminous data for keywords relating to the current hot topic and also promises to provide
multimedia capabilities, timeliness, security and metrics to detail which reports have been most
valuable to our customers.
(U//FOUO) Much security and policy work remains to be done. S122 is working with IAD's SME
(Secure Mobile Environment) IPT* to address the challenging technical issues involved with
securing a computing device so that it will remain unclassified after having been exposed to
classified data. In the future, it may be possible to disseminate SIGINT reporting wirelessly to
these "SIGINT viewing devices," as well. We'll keep you posted as we reach major milestones in
this project!
(U//FOUO) If you have questions about this topic, contact
or phone
.
at
@nsa,
*(U) Notes:
NCRDEF = NSA/CSS Representative Defense
USB = Universal Serial Bus
IPT = Integrated Process Team
"(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