NSA to cut system administrators by 90 percent to limit data access

Via Boing Boing:

The National Security Agency, hit by disclosures of classified data by former contractor Edward Snowden, said Thursday it intends to eliminate about 90 percent of its system administrators to reduce the number of people with access to secret information.

NSA to cut system administrators by 90 percent to limit data access | Reuters

Points:

  • “…what we've done is we've put people in the loop of transferring data, securing networks and doing things that machines are probably better at doing.”
  • “These efforts pre-date Snowden's leaks, the agency has said, but have since been accelerated.”
  • “’At the end of the day it's about people and trust,’ Alexander said. He again defended his agency's conduct, much of which he said had been ‘grossly mischaracterized. by the press.”

Ponder: Impact of significantly reduced operational staff?