ThinThread vs. Trailblazer: How the NSA Killed the Tool That Could've Prevented 9/11
April 9, 2025
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47:46Now PlayingThinThread vs. Trailblazer: How the NSA Killed the Tool That Could've Prevented 9/11
YouTube Description
as posted by the channelOn today’s episode, Andy sits down with Thomas Drake—a former senior executive at the NSA, Air Force veteran, software expert, whistleblower.
While at the NSA, Drake exposed serious issues including multi-billion-dollar fraud, intelligence failures, and a secret post-9/11 mass surveillance program. He supported the use of ThinThread, a cost-effective and privacy-protecting tool, but it was rejected in favor of Trailblazer—a more expensive program lacking privacy safeguards.
In 2005, Drake anonymously shared unclassified information about NSA misconduct with a journalist. In 2010, he was charged with 10 felony counts under the Espionage Act but the case collapsed, and he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor. That same year, he received the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling.
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