Bulk Collection of Signals Intelligence: Technical Options

Citation
National Research Council, Computer Science and Telecommunications Board, Division on Engineering and Physical Sciences, Committee on Responding to Section 5(d) of Presidential Policy Directive 28: The Feasibility of Software to Provide Alternatives to Bulk Signals Intelligence Collection, Bulk Collection of Signals Intelligence: Technical Options (2015) ([

Overview
This study is a result of an activity called for in Presidential Policy Directive 28: Signals Intelligence Activities (PPD-28), issued by President Obama in January 2014, to evaluate U.S. signals intelligence practices. The directive instructed the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) to produce a report within one year "assessing the feasibility of creating software that would allow the intelligence community more easily to conduct targeted information acquisition rather than bulk collection." ODNI asked the National Research Council (NRC) -- the operating arm of the National Academy of Sciences and National Academy of Engineering &mdash; to conduct a study, which began in June 2014, to assist in preparing a response to the President. Over the ensuing months, a committee of experts appointed by the National Research Council produced the report.