[LINK] ASIO cyberspy unit

[John Hilvert]

I'd give ASIO a little more slack before judging the wisdom of this move.

In any event, ASIO is focused on domestic threats. So carping about 9/11,
WMDs in Iraq etc seems beside the point.

To give it credit, ASIO has gone wider than their usual Catholic private
school contacts in search of its recruits.

For example it uses Seek.com.au <http://seek.com.au/> for its specialist
positions. See for example its recent add for a Data Centre team leader,
http://www.seek.com.au/Job/data-centre-management-team-leader/in/act/19046022

Also its recent vacancy for software development engineers at
http://www.seek.com.au/Job/software-development-engineers/in/act/18965096 is
interesting.

With a package over $100K ASIO is looking for specialists to develop
"innovative, leading-edge intelligence collection systems, involving
Internet and IP-based technologies and protocols, along with networking
systems and database development in our Telecommunications Interception
area."

I think that's got a lot of promise, myself. ASIO recently got extended
powers under the Telecommunications Interception and Intelligent Services
Act see
http://www.zdnet.com.au/asio-handed-powers-to-share-spy-data-339310563.htm

Chances are they may even be LINK members in the future, if not in the past.

FWIW I'm not applying for either of the positions. Just noting...

John Hilvert
Journalist at Large
The shallower you are the more ground you cover.

On Thu, Mar 10, 2011 at 11:13 AM, Frank O'Connor <
francisoconnor3 at bigpond.com> wrote:

> Well,
>
> If they're even half as effective as they were in
> foretelling 9/11, preventing the Bali attacks,
> finding all those WMD's in Iraq, tracking down
> those naughty boys from Al Quaeda and a host of
> other intelligence triumphs that they have been a
> part of in the last 20 years ... I look forward
> to big things from this unit.
>
> I don't know about you ... but I'm really excited
> about supporting these geniuses with more funds
> and resources after their past triumphs.
>
> (I still remember a time with the DSD when I
> tried to get an PGP based secure e-mail
> infrastructure going in my old work place ... and
> DSD put the kybosh on it with the brilliant
> objection that if they couldn't crack it, it
> didn't meet specifications. One has to bow to
> military and security reasoning like that ...
> it's 'level of awesomeness' makes the old heart
> flutter.)
>
>                                        Regards,
>
> At 8:12 AM +1100 10/3/11, Jan Whitaker wrote:
> >"New cyber espionage unit revealed
> >Dylan Welch
> >March 10, 2011
> >
> >ASIO has created a unit to combat cyber spying,
> >in the latest move by government to protect Australia's online networks.
> >
> >Known as the cyber espionage branch, it was
> >formed in the past nine months and is believed to
> >be under the control of ASIO's counter-espionage and interference
> division.
> >
> >The unit's existence is expected to be announced
> >by Attorney-General Robert McClelland in a speech
> >tonight at Canberra's National Security College.
> >Advertisement: Story continues below
> >
> >''ASIO is … working to guard against foreign
> >interference and espionage,'' Mr McClelland will
> >say, according to a copy of the speech provided to this website.
> >
> >''This co-operation is crucial, especially to
> >countering the threat posed by those using the
> >internet as a modern espionage tool.""
> >
> >
> http://www.theage.com.au/technology/security/new-cyber-espionage-unit-revealed-20110309-1bo0y.html
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
> >jwhit at janwhitaker.com
> >blog: http://janwhitaker.com/jansblog/
> >business: http://www.janwhitaker.com
> >
> >Our truest response to the irrationality of the
> >world is to paint or sing or write, for only in
> >such response do we find truth.
> >~Madeline L'Engle, writer
> >
> >_ __________________ _
> >_______________________________________________
> >Link mailing list
> >Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> >http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Link mailing list
> Link at mailman.anu.edu.au
> http://mailman.anu.edu.au/mailman/listinfo/link
>



-- 
John Hilvert