bandy@lll-crg.ARpA (Andrew Scott Beals) (11/19/85)
In article <2253@umcp-cs.UUCP> tlr@umcp-cs.UUCP (Terry L. Ridder) writes: > I can almost guarantee that the National Security Agency is > not on USENET or ARPANET. I can further almost guarantee that > very few employees of NSA are even aware that USENET exist. > Signed > Terry L. Ridder >UUCP: seismo!(mimsy.umd.edu|neurad)!bilbo!wiretap!(root|tlr) ^^^^^^^ >PHONE: 301-490-2248 (home) 301-859-6642 (work) Right. There used to be a host called "TYCHO" (nickname "NSA") at host zero on imp fifty-seven. (26.0.0.57) (information taken from the old NIC (Network Information Center for Internet) host tables) Now there is a machine called "DOCKMASTER" on that same imp port (TYCHO was an old PDP-11 running version 6 unix (which rumors had flown for quite some time that someone actually proved was secure)). Here is what the NIC has to say about DOCKMASTER: The National Computer Security Center (DOCKMASTER) 820 Elkridge Landing Road Room A1127, Building FANX-II Linthicum, MD 21090 NetAddress: 26.0.0.57 Nicknames: NCSC-MULTICS Host Administrator and Liaison: Aliff, Stephen W. (SWA1) Aliff.DODCSC@MIT-MULTICS (301) 850-5888 Multics, if I remember correctly, was just given some level of certification by the government that it was secure. Interesting, no? Unfortunately, I'm not nearly as much of a Packrat as some might like to think so I don't have a Maryland phone book (I do have my silly putty though), so I can't tell you where this exchange is located (nor where Terry's work number is located). However, looking up Linthicum MD (I was born and raised just north of DC) shows that it's just north of BWI (airport). There is a NASA center right near there and next to that is an un-marked (of course) NSA center. All of this points that imp 57 is still NSA's imp. NIC has this to say about host 1 on imp 57: National Security Agency (COINS-GATEWAY) COINS Network Control Center Fort George G. Meade, MD 20755 NetAddress: 26.1.0.57 Nicknames: COINS Host Administrator and Liaison: Smith, Ronald L. (RLS6) COINS@USC-ISI (301) 688-6375 The NIC generally likes to give a machine the name "-GATEWAY" when that machine is a gateway into another part of the internet. (the machine type of COINS is a Plurbus, which is a multiprocessor gateway machine manufactured by BBN (the folks who do the ARPANET and MILNET hardware). In any case, it seems that Mr Ridder is un-(or mis-?)informed. Side note: at the last (Portland) USENIX, I happened across a gentlemen (very cleancut) whose badge listed him as working for the "Department of Defense, Fort Meade Maryland". I said "Oh, you're one of those NSA guys!" To which he replied "How did you know?!"... "Everyone else in DOD says /which/ part of DOD they work for..." andrew scott beals lawrence livermore national laboratory/university of california Pooh-bah for LLL-CRG.ARPA (415) 423-1948 (work) (533-1948 (FTS)) ps. In case anyone is wondering and before you go giving my name to people that I don't want to talk to (like the Kind Folks at the NSA (but I'm sure they've heard of me or will before I finish up with my current round of paperwork with the DOE/OPM/FBI)), I obtained all of this information through public channels. -- There once was a thing called a V-2, To pilot which you did not need to-- You just pushed a button, And it would leave nuttin' But stiffs and big holes and debris, too. andy beals - bandy@lll-crg.arpa - {seismo,ihnp4!sun,dual}!lll-crg!bandy