Depending on what newspaper you read on July 3, the Obama administration is either ready to roll out the third version of Einstein, a system designed to protect the computer networks of nonDefense Department agencies or delayed it because of privacy concerns related to the role of the National Security Agency.
The Washington Post reported with certainty, "The Obama administration will proceed with a Bush-era plan to use National Security Agency assistance in screening government computer traffic on private-sector networks, with AT&T as the likely test site, according to three current and former government officials."
The Wall Street Journal, however, reported, "The flagship system designed to protect the U.S. government's computer networks from cyber spies is being stymied by technical limitations and privacy concerns, according to current and former national-security officials."
But aside from the lede, both of these articles have an amazing amount of coincidence.
The Post, for example, played the NSA in its third paragraph and then noted, "AT&T, the world's largest telecommunications firm, was the Bush administration's choice to participate in the test, which has been delayed for months as the Obama administration determines what elements to preserve, former government officials said. The pilot program was to have begun in February."
The Journal, despite its negative lede, said despite concerns, the Homeland Security Department is proceeding on Einstein with "deliberate speed," even though it will take a while to get all nonDefense agencies on board.
Since coincidences such as this do not happen by accident inside the Beltway, the only puzzle here is who decided to leak the same story to two major dailies on the same day. Could it be AT&T looking to get legal cover, DHS trying to push its cyber role or NSA trying to take over everything cyber.
I don't expect ever to get the answer, but as leaks go, this sure had poor timing. How many folks take the time to read the Post or the Journal over a three-day holiday weekend?
COMMENTS
And why should we take any time at all to read the WP or the WSJ or even the NYT or the Globe or Chronical (insert your favorite city here) or even USA Today for that matter when we all have you Bob? I'd rather follow your articles than pick up those dino's any day of the week, not just on weekends ...
Information aside (and it's all subjective and pretty much pre-spun before it gets to the printer anyway) you're insight provokes thought and that's what I miss more and more when I pick up a paper. With the big papers in any part of the country we get a bland message and little or no info that I couldn't readily find with "Google" if I wanted to go look for it or for that matter if I had time to go look for it .
Thanks for what you do Bob ... Keep it up !!
JF 07/07/09 07:30 am ET