Discussion: The Petraeus Situation

[Paradoxium]

Why isn't the head of the CIA using encrypted email? It's free and easily available to anyone.

PGP + Enigma Mail Plugin and Thunderbird / AGP and K9Mail

Are you telling me, this permeates through much of the CIA? Cause if they are doing this, the FBI won't be the only ones who can read it.

 

[Anita18]

Supposedly he and Broadwell were SHARING the same Gmail account, and leaving drafts of emails for the other to read.

I'm not sure if that's better.

 

[The Squirrel]

So I'm confused as to why this guy having an affair is such a big deal. I guess because affairs never happen, oh wait.

 

[redhawk23]

^ Well if it was taking place while he was the head of the military its a pretty big deal as adultery is a crime in the military. I've heard it carries a charge of up to a year of confinement and dishonorable discharge. Again, not very good if you're the commander of US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

 

[Anita18]

Also, as director of the CIA, a secret affair could easily have led to blackmail. He's just lucky that it was his groupie and not some spy.

But already, Broadwell let on that she knows some things that maybe she shouldn't have, with her level of clearance. She said that the CIA was keeping prisoners and that the attack on the consulate Benghazi was possibly to free those prisoners. Except that the CIA isn't allowed to keep prisoners. Not anymore.

That part's a concern. IIRC the FBI already said that there doesn't seem to have been any breaches of security, but I suppose as we go deeper down the rabbit hole....

 

[Lighthouse]

I think the CIA should consult Disney and George Lucas on how to keep a secret.

 

[DACrowe]

Did anybody read Dowd's column on it today? I didn't know the details on the FBI agent having a political axe to grind with this administration or it was in defense of Jill Kelley's twin sister.

All I know is that before this is over, it will be more convoluted than a season of Homeland. Just wow.

 

[dnno1]

So I'm confused as to why this guy having an affair is such a big deal. I guess because affairs never happen, oh wait.

That's because Article 134 of the Uniform Military Code of Justice prohibits any military servicemen from having affairs. That is a crime that is punishable by at least discharge (and more than likely a dishonorable one) if it can by found that such activity if it neglects the good order and discipline or in some way discredits the armed services.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

This is why you don't marry a woman who looks like Wayne Knight.

 

[The Incredible Hulk]

Why isn't the head of the CIA using encrypted email? It's free and easily available to anyone.

PGP + Enigma Mail Plugin and Thunderbird / AGP and K9Mail

Are you telling me, this permeates through much of the CIA? Cause if they are doing this, the FBI won't be the only ones who can read it.

You really think the CIA is going to have issues with the encryption programs you've listed above?

 

[Pink Ranger]

This is why you don't marry a woman who looks like Wayne Knight.

Unless that's your "thing."

 

[Spider-Who?]

That's because Article 134 of the Uniform Military Code of Justice prohibits any military servicemen from having affairs. That is a crime that is punishable by at least discharge (and more than likely a dishonorable one) if it can by found that such activity if it neglects the good order and discipline or in some way discredits the armed services.

Yup. A friend of mine is a Marine. While in Afghanistan, his wife had an affair that led to a pregnancy with another Marine that we all knew. He was slapped with a dishonorable discharge and a year in jail.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Yup. A friend of mine is a Marine. While in Afghanistan, his wife had an affair that led to a pregnancy with another Marine that we all knew. He was slapped with a dishonorable discharge and a year in jail.

That's the second Marine that was jailed, not the first, right? Otherwise that would totally suck for the first guy.

 

[dnno1]

Why isn't the head of the CIA using encrypted email? It's free and easily available to anyone.

PGP + Enigma Mail Plugin and Thunderbird / AGP and K9Mail

Are you telling me, this permeates through much of the CIA? Cause if they are doing this, the FBI won't be the only ones who can read it.

Most of the CIA's info is off the grid (you can't get any better than that). A lot of the information that the FBI is investigating comes from salacious unclassified emails that took place between Petraeus and Paula Broadwell. The emails were taken from Broadwell's computer (which had no reason to be classified). Note that none of the information being investigated that we are aware of is coming from any property belonging to the CIA, and the investigation was prompted from a complaint by a private citizen who befriended the Petraeus family and subsequently started receiving threatening emails (from Broadwell). None of the information was classified, was intended, nor needed to be.

 

[Spider-Who?]

That's the second Marine that was jailed, not the first, right? Otherwise that would totally suck for the first guy.

Ha, yeah, the second guy. Not my friend/the husband.

What made it worse was that she claimed it was his (she had the baby right before he came home). She lied to him about the timing of everything to try and cover her tracks, but he grew suspicious when he got home and did some digging. Found emails and im logs uncovering it all a few days after he got home and met "his" daughter.

 

[Paradoxium]

I don't care about the affair, I am pointing how ****ing stupid it is to do it un-encrypted. It's not terribly difficult to encrypt. These two ex-members of the "intelligence" community probably don't know how to encrypt. One of which was the director of the CIA.

So with this type of incompetence, it is possible more "high ranking" computer illiterate officials are spewing out confidential info.

 

[Anita18]

Ha, yeah, the second guy. Not my friend/the husband.

What made it worse was that she claimed it was his (she had the baby right before he came home). She lied to him about the timing of everything to try and cover her tracks, but he grew suspicious when he got home and did some digging. Found emails and im logs uncovering it all a few days after he got home and met "his" daughter.

That really sucks for your friend. Did he divorce her?

 

[Paradoxium]

Most of the CIA's info is off the grid (you can't get any better than that). A lot of the information that the FBI is investigating comes from salacious unclassified emails that took place between Petraeus and Paula Broadwell. The emails were taken from Broadwell's computer (which had no reason to be classified). Note that none of the information being investigated that we are aware of is coming from any property belonging to the CIA, and the investigation was prompted from a complaint by a private citizen who befriended the Petraeus family and subsequently started receiving threatening emails (from Broadwell). None of the information was classified, was intended, nor needed to be.

So what does this have anything to do with them not using encryption? A lot of normal people use it, it's free and easy to do.

 

[Marvolo]

I don't care about the affair, I am pointing how ****ing stupid it is to do it un-encrypted. It's not terribly difficult to encrypt. These two ex-members of the "intelligence" community probably don't know how to encrypt. One of which was the director of the CIA.

So with this type of incompetence, it is possible more "high ranking" computer illiterate officials are spewing out confidential info.

Your assuming the CIA cant unencrypt it tho. The CIA keeps tabs on their own and civillians without so much as a warrant. A little encryption wont do ****.

 

[Paradoxium]

I am talking about people in the CIA using encryption, not them decrypting it. And that is usually the NSA's job, and they only do it in very special circumstances. And that is even debatable depending on the algorithm type.

 

[Marvolo]

I am talking about people in the CIA using encryption, not them decrypting it. And that is usually the NSA's job, and they only do it in very special circumstances. And that is even debatable depending on the algorithm type.

I just find it hard to believe that the CIA lacks the people and ability to decrypt an encryption that petraeus would have used. Hell im not even sure petraeus is even sure how computers work. Man prolly thinks they run on magic.

 

[Paradoxium]

You realize how much machine power and time it takes to decrypt?? Could you imagine wasting tons money and time to decrypt: "LOL lets haz sex under the table"

 

[Marvolo]

You realize how much machine power and time it takes to decrypt?? Could you imagine wasting tons money and time to decrypt: "LOL lets haz sex under the table"

The CIA wastes money left and right and does dumb **** all the time. This wouldnt be out of the ordinary. The CIA is the biggest bunch of BS America has crafted. So yeah I can see them doing something like this.

 

[dnno1]

So what does this have anything to do with them not using encryption? A lot of normal people use it, it's free and easy to do.

The FBI would have cracked it anyway. You think that regular commercial encryption is law enforcement proof? Like I said before this whole investigation was initiated by the complaint of a private citizen (Jill Kelly) who was being harassed by Petraeus' mistress via private email. Why would that need to be encrypted? Furthermore, during the investigation, the mistress, Paula Broadwell, willfully gave up her computer for the FBI to look at the files. If there were encrypted files she would have had to decrypt them for the investigation lest he be accused of obstruction of justice. The encryption would not have worked because she harassed a third party.

 

[dnno1]

DYK: David Petraeus makes a cameo appearance in "Call of Duty Black Ops II"?