CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB

24 comments on “CERT: the partial privatisation of the GCSB ”

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1. Anne 1

   13 December 2015 at 8:52 am

   Oh yeah… and we all know who the real targets will be – anyone who has dared criticise this government. So, how are they going to “attack” us I wonder? Adopting Muldoon’s list of so-called subversives and releasing their names? That one didn’t turn out well with defamation cases brought by innocent victims. Or are we all to receive visits from the police warning us of prosecution and incarceration if we don’t desist from criticising beloved leader and his band of suspect compatriots? And will CERT be issuing an 0800 number for people to dob in their disliked rellies, neighbours and work-place colleagues with made-up stories of “disloyalty and subversion?

   I exaggerate, but this is somewhere near what will eventually happen if we go down this path. I gave A.A some credit for commonsense once but no… she’s just another brainwashed JK lackey.
   • Manuka AOR 1.1

     13 December 2015 at 9:30 am

     “anyone who has dared criticise this government.”

     The NZ gov is small fry compared with what’s ahead. I think this is preparation for the TPP(A), – isn’t the first signing due to take place here in NZ next month?

     “I exaggerate” Not at all, – not when you’re thinking DuPont and Monsanto et al rather than our own wee gov of the present.
     • savenz 1.1.1

       13 December 2015 at 9:57 am

       +1 Manuka AOR
     • Anne 1.1.2

       13 December 2015 at 10:09 am

       Yes Manuka AOR, I comprehend the broad outline anyway of the off-shore implications but wanted to bring it back to the level of the ordinary NZ citizen and what it will mean for us in this accelerating climate of fear, paranoia and prejudice – because this is the inevitable result of such a [so-called] private/public security strategy.
2. One Anonymous Bloke 2

   13 December 2015 at 9:09 am

   I wanted to write a witty comment about the fact that the resources at “connectsmart” can be downloaded as pdfs and zip files, and it’s just too fucking headdesk for humour.
3. Tautuhi 3

   13 December 2015 at 9:54 am

   Maxwell Smart alot of likenesses with JK
   • Anne 3.1

     13 December 2015 at 10:11 am

     I dunno… Smart was quite smart in his own eccentric way and he meant well. 😀
     • Hami Shearlie 3.1.1

       13 December 2015 at 11:52 am

       And Max had a 99 who would always save the day!
   • Smilin 3.2

     13 December 2015 at 4:24 pm

     If Key wasnt as powerful as he is it would be as funny as Get Smart
4. travellerev 4

   13 December 2015 at 11:19 am

   I’m sure it’s all just a bit of greed and no conspiracy anywhere. After all the TPPA is just a happy trade agreement and the NATO is only there as a defensive force to protect Europe from Russia.

   After all we are a real democracy and that means our government represents us and doesn’t need to spy on us.

   Nope thinking that powerful people conspire is just for tinfoil hatters and everything that happens in the world at the moment is purely accidental and not planned at all!

   Monsanto buying up one of the biggest private armies is just smart investing and privatizing spy agencies has nothing to do with the fact that the 1% is getting mighty worried about people waking up to the scam that is their private money making cartel!

   Nope nobody conspiring here!
   • Penny Bright 4.1

     13 December 2015 at 3:13 pm

     Well put Ev!

     Penny Bright

     (Listed as one of Muldoon’s ‘subversives’ in 1981).
   • greywarshark 4.2

     13 December 2015 at 9:09 pm

     Du Pont and Dow have just got married. They are I think well suited.
5. Sans Cle 5

   13 December 2015 at 11:20 am

   Launched on the 10th December…… Pathetic; but then Stephen Joyce would tell us to lighten up and get drunk on Christmas cheer.
6. Steve Withers 6

   13 December 2015 at 1:54 pm

   I suspect this is the NZ version of the “contractors” the US used in Iraq for jobs the US military wasn’t allowed to do.

   If anyone tightens up surveillance laws, the illegal jobs just get outsourced.

   They also want to set up structures to deal with companies who make encryption products and services they can’t crack.

   I’d say MEGA is a target and Simple would be too.
7. Smilin 7

   13 December 2015 at 4:18 pm

   Yeah dead Cert it will be the increase in Nacro$ofts new Win10 enhanced NSA etc requirements so without further ado the Threat of Terrorism show must go on
   Really who on their own of all the countries with the major international corporations working in their govts are that vulnerable that the terrorists of ISIS and whoever else is involved are that powerful to be more of a threat unknown, more like closer to home with the size of those data storage facilities keeping the govts from tracking all the data, but we are all confused now
   And if the co operation of the top powers is a shaky as they news would have us believe then things are well on there way to a full scale WW3
   Everyone should be worried one false move and the defense dept gets it wrong it could be be me or you drone striked in NZ just like Syria or any other hot spot
   Na we neednt worry we are in the club
   Watch out at Waihopai in Jan if your goin
8. Joe 8

   13 December 2015 at 5:45 pm

   Not mentioning names, but a political subversive in this climate is not someone who works with a PI to disrupt Occupy sit ins in Auckland, and informs on participants to the Police.
9. Anne 9

   13 December 2015 at 7:43 pm

   Now I’ve had time to properly read the post links, I’m wondering how long this CERT has been in the pipe-line? It all sounds odd to me and I suspect the aim is to take authority away from the GCSB and place it in the hands of a private IT company that is sympathetic to and directly answerable to this NAct govt.

   We on this site have been extremely critical of the GCSB in recent years, but at least they are bound by State Service regulations built up over many decades, and they cannot step too far outside of them. This is as it should be especially in the area of security and intelligence. To introduce outsiders is risky and likely to lead to a lowering of standards and ultimately pose a threat to our democratic system of governance.

   We have had an Acting GCSB director for quite a long time now and I’ve been wondering why a permanent head has not been appointed. Perhaps this is the reason why because this government plans to install a private IT consortium into the top most level of the GCSB!

   http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11403510

   Curious and curiouser.
   • Anne 9.1

     13 December 2015 at 9:08 pm

     … why is a lightweight like Amy launching this, when it’s the portfolio purview of Finlayson and the Prime Minister? This is completely incoherent.

     No Ad, I don’t think it’s incoherent.

     This news item is meant to fly under the radar and that’s why light-weight Amy Adams was commandeered to release it in the throes of the pre-Xmas silly season.

     THEY DON’T WANT ANYONE TO NOTICE.

     The plot thickens. Where’s my tin foil hat. 🙁
     • Ad 9.1.1

       14 December 2015 at 6:55 am

       I just couldn’t let it pass me by.
   • Ad 9.2

     14 December 2015 at 6:59 am

     Totally agree
10. ropata 10

    14 December 2015 at 12:52 am

    Adams’ press release is a hodgepodge because

    a) she’s inept and has no clue about technology
    b) she’s inept and unable to think or write clearly
    c) she’s inept and lying about the real purpose of CERT
    • Ad 10.1

      14 December 2015 at 6:57 am

      I think they chose her to bury it as a story.
11. One Anonymous Bloke 11

    14 December 2015 at 7:17 am

    Don’t tell me – the international benchmarking was all to Five Eyes members, and only they saw the contractors’ shortlist.

    For example:

    The Department of Homeland Security’s United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team (US-CERT) leads efforts to improve the Nation’s cybersecurity posture, coordinate cyber information sharing, and proactively manage cyber risks to the Nation while protecting the constitutional rights of Americans. US-CERT strives to be a trusted global leader in cybersecurity—collaborative, agile, and responsive in a dynamic and complex environment.

    It’s dynamic, I tell you.

    Don’t forget: Partnerships are essential.
12. Webb Rowan 12

    21 December 2015 at 5:36 pm

    I guess we are only going to really know the implications of this whole new “effort” to keep us safe online in the following year. I agree that it’s quite silly for them to privatise something that is meant to be a blanket protection for everyone but we can’t just take things at face value. Just as long as our taxes and finances remain intact I’ll just keep my mouth shut!

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