E Y E S P Y I S S U E 3 6 , 2 0 0 5 E Y E S P Y I S S U E 3 6 , 2 0 0 566 67

All telephone calls, faxes and e-mailmessages are vulnerable to ECHELON

�

National Security

Agency spy satellites

intercept transmission

Information is automatically

forwarded to a series of

ground stations

Data is entered into

NSA and GCHQ ‘super

computers’

���

Data can then be ‘run through’

ECHELON’s ‘dictionary’ where words

and codes can be revealed�

Results are examined by

intelligence staff

�

Conclusions, assessments and observations forwarded to senior defence

officials for action. Critical intelligence and advisory material then passed

to leaders of respective governments with access to Echelon

�ECHELON: A relativelysimple system whichrequires severalcomplex technologiesThe three primary methods of

interception are:

Physical Taps

Downlink Interception

(Internet)

Microwave Interception

PHYSICAL TAPS

Used by spies in bygone days,

a physical tap means connec-

tion to a wire, fibreoptic cable

or telephone switch.�The

device can be covertly at-

tached to a line, or the

intercept can be made via a

phone company (exchange).

Clearly the choice of intelli-

gence officials is to enter the

phone system via companies

such as British Telecom. In the

case of the world’s biggest

communications’ base, the

NSA’s Menwith Hill, this is

achieved via the nearby BT

mast Hunters Point or Hunter’s

Stone as it is known to locals.

This is the “low-tech”

method.� It can be either a

covert tap or a tap enabled by

the phone company.�The

switching equipment allows

Menwith Hill access to three

high-volume fibreoptic lines

capable of carrying an aston-

ishing 100,000 conversations

simultaneously. Interestingly,

all calls to France made from

the UK are via Hunters Point!

Until the emergence of

microwave technology, most

interception was achieved

through physical taps.

DOWNLINK INTERCEPTION

A call to your partner in the

next room is as likely to go via

satellite as by a ground-based

cable. Telephone switching

equipment, in most cases, will

endeavour to use an open

route between the source and

destination.�Calls can be sent

via satellite, cable or micro-

wave, though in general terms

if you are calling a number

several hundred miles away, it

will in most cases go via

satellite. Once the signal hits

the satellite, it is then relayed

back to Earth. ECHELON can

also receive the call, as this

huge and powerful network

has ‘eyes on’ most, if not all

communications’ satellites

orbiting the planet.

GROUND MICROWAVE

INTERCEPTION

A great many regional commu-

nications are sent via ground-

based microwave towers.

Journey through the country

and you are certain to see

these masts laden with

antennas.�Microwave towers

are linked to each other via

these antennas. The distance

can vary between each tower

and is dependent on the land,

though in hilly regions, they

can usually be found at the

highest peak. Although the

signal is directional, that does

not mean that 100% of the

signal is caught by the receiv-

ing antenna.�The signal usually

continues its journey into

space and is therefore vulner-

able to interception by

ECHELON satellites.

The satellites used in the

ECHELON operation can

monitor several hundred

microwave towers, thus the

implications are obvious.

MI5 ANDTHE

OPTIONOF

E•C•H•E•L•O•NE•C•H•E•L•O•NThe USAF launch Atlas IIAS rocket.

The payload it carried into space is a satellite designed, built andoperated by the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office)

Microwave repeater tower