From: tcmay@netcom.com (Timothy C. May)
Date: Wed, 29 Sep 93 10:36:46 PDT
To: cypherpunks@toad.com
Subject: Re: Orange book, the NSA, and the NCSC
In-Reply-To: <9309291641.AA27012@matt.ksu.ksu.edu>
Message-ID: <9309291733.AA06497@netcom3.netcom.com>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


Dan Odom clarifies some information about NSA, NCSC, Orange Book
series, etc.:


> > I'm willing to accept that the Orange book doesn't specifically address
> > cryptography, and I appreciate the clarifications on something that is
> > one of the deepest, complex, and most obscure military handbooks, which
> 
> Uh, any American citizen is entitled to one (1) free copy of the
> Orange Book (and every other book in the Rainbow series); all you have
> to do is ask.  The address on the inside of my copy says:
> 
> NCSC
> 9800 Savage Road
> Fort George G. Meade, MD 29755-6000

I got on this list of automatic books several years ago and now have
about a dozen or more different publications, in different colors,
from blue to green to the famous orange. All from the National
Computer Security Center.

Nothing juicy, and not much fun (for me) to read. Unix gurus trying to
get better security classifications for their machines and systems
have to read this stuff, though.


> Since every NSA address I've ever seen is 9800 Savage Road, I assume
> that it's some sort of secretarial thing.  But if you ask them for a
> copy of the Rainbow Series, they'll send it to you and also put you on
> the list to receive updates.  It is _not_ deep, complex, or obscure;

Savage Road is the actual address of the Agency; Fort Meade per se is
huge. NCSC as created in 1984 as part of NSDD-145 (National Security
Decision Directive-145, a very important one). Prior to that date it
had been called the DoD Computer Security Center, located smack dab in
the center of SIGINT City.

(I visited in May of 1991, strictly to satisfy my own curiousity. The
closest I got was the front gate, with the newly installed "National
Security Agency" signs. Signs said "Das Photographen ist Strictly
Verboten," but I took a bunch anyway out my car window.)


> And before anybody starts forming consipiracy theories, I am not
> related to Lieutenant General William Odom; we just share a name :-).

I'd long been meaning to ask Dan about this. General Odom once was
introduced at a speech he was giving to Jim Bamford. Odom recoiled and
said "Sir, I consider you to be an unindicted felon." 

-Tim

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