Speaker to discuss National Security Agency's mission

Purdue faculty, staff and students are invited to attend the first of a new series of National Security Agency briefings that will include discussion on the NSA's Signals Intelligence mission.

David Shore, deputy chief of the NSA's Media Leaks Task Force, will present "NSA 101: Today's NSA and the Way Ahead" from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday (Oct. 22) in the Physics Building, Room 114.

"The National Security Agency embraces the opportunity to cross the bridge from the unauthorized media leaks into a new transparency with the American public," Shore says. "This briefing is not just motherhood and apple pie. It will be a discussion at a level we have never done before with this audience. I hope it clears up any misconceptions about who we are, what we do and why we do it in our service to the nation."

In 2013, the National Security Agency was in the spotlight when Edward Snowden released classified documents to the media. Some of his unlawful disclosures have led to a public debate over government surveillance programs. In a Jan. 17, 2014, speech, President Barack Obama directed NSA to make as much information about these programs public as possible and to be more open with the American public.

New aspects Shore will cover include the Signals Intelligence mission, which involves the lawful collection of foreign communications, and a more in-depth explanation of NSA's authorities and oversight. In addition, the briefing will cover NSA's history, mission, diversity of employees and positions, and plans for the future. His talk will conclude with time for questions and discussion.

"I began my intelligence career shortly after Watergate, and its aftermath really transformed our culture in a very good way," Shore says. "While I am dismayed with the unauthorized media leaks and some of the ways the NSA has been portrayed, I truly welcome having this open dialogue with the American people. We are an agency that protects the nation and supports our allies under the rule of law, and we are accountable to the American people. We welcome feedback from these briefings on our ongoing effort to be more candid and open about our work to protect our nation."

Students and faculty have always been an important group to NSA, and Purdue was a logical place to begin these new briefings, Shore says.

The National Security Agency and Purdue have had a long relationship. The University regularly holds events to recruit students and meet with researchers, said Sunil Prabhakar, professor and head of the Department of Computer Science.

"With our increasing reliance on computing technology and the ever-expanding scope of computing in all aspects of our lives, ensuring the security of computer systems and privacy of data has become an indispensible requirement for the average user, corporations and governments," Prabhakar says. "Purdue's Department of Computer Science has some of the top researchers in the nation working to advance computer security and privacy capabilities, including improving computer systems security, combating software tampering and providing privacy guarantees for data access. It is a natural partnership between NSA and Purdue. Many of our students pursue careers at NSA, and our faculty lends their computing skills to assist the agency in improving information security and, ultimately, national security."

The NSA has designated Purdue a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense. 

The purpose of NSA's designation program, agency officials say, is to promote higher education in information assurance, cyber defense and prepare a growing number of professionals to meet the need to reduce vulnerabilities in the nation's networks. Purdue is among 32 higher education institutions to receive the designation under the Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Research program.