NSA's super hackers bugs computers before they are delivered - Aftonbladet

U.S. intelligence stops computer supplies to stop the bugging equipment.

revealed the NSA’s group of “super hackers” – Tao – behind the toughest surveillance missions.

German Der Spiegel now comes with a new revelation about the NSA’s secret surveillance operations comes from documents leaked by Edward Snowden.

Under the motto “bring it that you can not get hold of” operates intelligence agency elite group Tao, specialize in collecting information about the “toughest targets,” writes the AP.

Tao stands for “Tailored Access Operations,” roughly “tailor-infringing uses.”

Among other things, the task force based in San Antonio, Texas, diverted shipments of computers and other technical equipment that is headed for a person they have been exposed to the target, a company or organization.

Taos secret shops have the equipment then “upgraded” – with spyware or even hardware that provides the NSA a backdoor to networks and computers, writes Der Spiegel.

Since computers are shipped as modern trojans.

Tao will also have the advantage of Microsoft’s proprietary system that allows users to report bugs in the software giant’s operating system to spy.

Employees’ mission is to “break into, manipulate and exploit computer networks,” wrote Der Spiegel.

NSA says in a comment to the newspaper that the Tao is a “unique national asset in the front line that gives the NSA the ability to defend the nation and its allies.”

But the U.S. intelligence organization would not comment on individual operations performed by the high-tech information warriors in Tao.