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From: taylor@hplabsc.UUCP
Newsgroups: mod.comp-soc
Subject: Re: 'sensitive' information
Message-ID: <1474@hplabsc.HP.COM>
Date: Mon, 23-Mar-87 21:56:19 EST
Article-I.D.: hplabsc.1474
Posted: Mon Mar 23 21:56:19 1987
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THE THREAT OF GOVERNMENT CONTROLS ON ELECTRONIC DATABASES

that contain "sensitive but unclassified information" has receded, at 
least temporarily (WN 27 Feb 87).  In a stunning reversal of policy, 
Frank Carlucci, the new National Security Advisor to the President, 
announced in a conciliatory letter to Rep. Jack Brooks (D-TX), Chairman 
of the Government Operations Committee, that NTISSP-2, the notorious 
"Poindexter Memorandum," was being rescinded.  It was this directive 
that defined "sensitive but unclassified information" as information 
affecting "national security or other Federal Government interests," a 
definition that could fit a giraffe.  Carlucci also said that NSDD 145, 
National Policy on Telecommunications and Automated Information Systems 
Security, which in Brook's words created a "shadow government," was being 
reviewed.   The reversal is attributable to the solid opposition of groups 
such as the library associations and scientific societies.

        Although Carlucci declined to testify on grounds of executive 
privilege, he refused to extend that protection to Poindexter. showed up before
the Committee on Tuesday, but confined himself to puffing on his pipe taking 
the Fifth. Secretary of Commerce Baldrige and Deputy Secretary of Defense Taft 
testified that responsibility for computer security should be moved to a 
civilian agency.

        Perhaps the most significant testimony on Tuesday came at the end, 
after most of the press had left to file their stories. Harold Relyea of the 
Library of Congress discussed the whole phenomenon of National Security 
Decision Directives (NSDD's). Out of some 200 NSDD's, all but five are secret, 
and are not generally available even to Congress.  They have apparently been 
used to authorize such things as the disinformation campaign against Libya and 
$50M for Argentina to train Contras.  He said they bring us very close to the 
most dangerous practice of totalitarian government -- rule by secret law.

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