The U.S. National Security Agency is reportedly intercepting Internet communications from U.S. residents without getting court-ordered warrants, in an effort to hunt down malicious hackers.

The previously undisclosed NSA program monitors Internet traffic for data about cyberattacks originating outside the U.S., according to a New York Times article published Thursday and based on leaks from former NSA contractor Edward Snowden.

President Barack Obama’s administration launched the NSA cybersecurity program without public notice or debate, according to the report.

Two mid-2012 memos from the U.S. Department of Justice allowed the NSA to target Internet traffic, including traffic inside the U.S., without getting warrants, the Times said. The DOJ allowed the NSA to monitor IP addresses and look for cybersignature patterns, although the NSA sought to target suspected hackers before it could establish links to foreign governments or crime groups.

Read the Full Article: Source – Computer World
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2931724/internet/the-nsa-boosted-internet-monitoring-to-catch-hackers.html

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