5 August 2010

This supplements the Online Spying series: http://cryptome.org/isp-spy/online-spying.htm

US Government File Spying Series

The vast US Government files (a/k/a records, data, profiles, dossiers) on its citizens and employees are governed by privacy law. Every government department and agency is required to establish, maintain and publish privacy polices. As with other privacy policies by businesses and individuals, government privacy policies describe the files and who has access to the files under privacy law for diverse governmental and non-governmental purposes.

The Office of the Federal Register provides US Government privacy issuances, the latest for 2009:

http://www.ofr.gov/Privacy/2009/

The issuances reveal the extent of file spying capabilities, first by the parties gathering the information, then by governments or government agents (contractors, other governments, privacy regulators, researchers) which can access the files either by open lawful measures or by secret arrangements. Secret arrangements may be with the data holders (legal and illegal) or it may be by means and methods not revealed to the holder, including illegal and black operations techniques.

This collection, by far the largest in the world, reveals a huge number of file systems with descriptions of their purpose, scope, handling, confidentiality, security measures and availability to other parties. Initial selections among dozens available, Zipped PDF:

The 15 files below: http://cryptome.net/usg-spy.zip (41.1MB)

Treasury Department (Includes IRS, 1,009 pages, 3.8MB)

Department of Defense (Excludes OSD, 1,333 pages, 5.0MB)

Department of the Air Force (1,146 pages, 4.1MB)

Department of the Army (946 pages, 3.4MB)

Department of the Navy (Excludes Marine Corps, 777 pages, 2.9MB)

Justice Department (Includes FBI, 1,490 pages, 5.9MB)

Department of Health and Human Services (1,763 pages, 6.8MB)

Department of Homeland Security (1,058 pages, 4.3MB)

Department of Energy (392 pages, 1.5MB)

State Department (296 pages, 1.2MB)

Central Intelligence Agency (158 pages, 666KB)

Agency for International Development (106 pages, 477KB)

Office of the Director of National Intelligence (86 pages, 457KB)

Executive Office of the President (29 pages, 240KB)

National Security Council (24 pages, 180KB)

Example file disclosures by the Department of Defense:

BLANKET ROUTINE USES

Certain 'blanket routine uses' of the records have been established that are applicable to every record system maintained within the Department of Defense unless specifically stated otherwise within a particular record system. These additional blanket routine uses of the records are published below only once in the interest of simplicity, economy and to avoid redundancy.

LAW ENFORCEMENT ROUTINE USE

In the event that a system of records maintained by this component to carry out its functions indicates a violation or potential violation of law, whether civil, criminal or regulatory in nature, and whether arising by general statute or by regulation, rule or order issued pursuant thereto, the relevant records in the system of records may be referred, as a routine use, to the appropriate agency, whether Federal, state, local, or foreign, charged with the responsibility of investigating or prosecuting such violation or charged with enforcing or implementing the statute, rule, regulation or order issued pursuant thereto.

DISCLOSURE WHEN REQUESTING INFORMATION ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use to a Federal, state, or local agency maintaining civil, criminal, or other relevant enforcement information or other pertinent information, such as current licenses, if necessary to obtain information relevant to a component decision concerning the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit.

DISCLOSURE OF REQUESTED INFORMATION ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed to a Federal agency, in response to its request, in connection with the hiring or retention of an employee, the issuance of a security clearance, the reporting of an investigation of an employee, the letting of a contract, or the issuance of a license, grant or other benefit by the requesting agency, to the extent that the information is relevant and necessary to the requesting agency's decision on the matter.

CONGRESSIONAL INQUIRIES ROUTINE USE

Disclosure from a system of records maintained by this component may be made to a Congressional office from the record of an individual in response to an inquiry from the Congressional office made at the request of that individual.

PRIVATE RELIEF LEGISLATION ROUTINE USE

Relevant information contained in all systems of records of the Department of Defense published on or before August 22, 1975, may be disclosed to the Office of Management and Budget in connection with the review of private relief legislation as set forth in OMB Circular A–19 at any stage of the legislative coordination and clearance process as set forth in that Circular.

DISCLOSURES REQUIRED BY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed to foreign law enforcement, security, investigatory, or administrative authorities in order to comply with requirements imposed by, or to claim rights conferred in, international agreements and arrangements including those regulating the stationing and status in foreign countries of Department of Defense military and civilian personnel.

DISCLOSURE TO STATE AND LOCAL TAXING AUTHORITIES ROUTINE USE

Any information normally contained in IRS Form W–2 which is maintained in a record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed to state and local taxing authorities with which the Secretary of the Treasury has entered into agreements pursuant to Title 5, U.S. Code, Sections 5516, 5517, 5520, and only to those state and local taxing authorities for which an employee or military member is or was subject to tax regardless of whether tax is or was withheld. This routine use is in accordance with Treasury Fiscal Requirements Manual Bulletin Number 76–07.

DISCLOSURE TO THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records subject to the Privacy Act and maintained by this component may be disclosed to the Office of Personnel Management concerning information on pay and leave, benefits, retirement deductions, and any other information necessary for the Office of Personnel Management to carry out its legally authorized Government-wide personnel management functions and studies.

DISCLOSURE TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE FOR LITIGATION ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use to any component of the Department of Justice for the purpose of representing the Department of Defense, or any officer, employee or member of the Department in pending or potential litigation to which the record is pertinent.

DISCLOSURE TO MILITARY BANKING FACILITIES OVERSEAS ROUTINE USE

Information as to current military addresses and assignments may be provided to military banking facilities who provide banking services overseas and who are reimbursed by the Government for certain checking and loan losses. For personnel separated, discharged, or retired from the Armed Forces, information as to last known residential or home of record address may be provided to the military banking facility upon certification by a banking facility officer that the facility has a returned or dishonored check negotiated by the individual or the individual has defaulted on a loan and that if restitution is not made by the individual, the U.S. Government will be liable for the losses the facility may incur.

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE GENERAL SERVICES ADMINISTRATION ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use to the General Services Administration for the purpose of records management inspections conducted under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.

DISCLOSURE OF INFORMATION TO THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES AND RECORDS ADMINISTRATION ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use to the National Archives and Records Administration for the purpose of records management inspections conducted under authority of 44 U.S.C. 2904 and 2906.

DISCLOSURE TO THE MERIT SYSTEMS PROTECTION BOARD ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use to the Merit Systems Protection Board, including the Office of the Special Counsel for the purpose of litigation, including administrative proceedings, appeals, special studies of the civil service and other merit systems, review of OPM or component rules and regulations, investigation of alleged or possible prohibited personnel practices; including administrative proceedings involving any individual subject of a DOD investigation, and such other functions, promulgated in 5 U.S.C 1205 and 1206, or as may be authorized by law.

COUNTERINTELLIGENCE PURPOSES ROUTINE USE

A record from a system of records maintained by this component may be disclosed as a routine use outside the DOD or the U.S. Government for the purpose of counterintelligence activities authorized by U.S. Law or Executive Order or for the purpose of enforcing laws which protect the national security of the United States.