Mail Isolation Control and Tracking

Email Isolation Control and Tracking, short MICT, loosely translated as isolation, control and tracking of mail, is a formerly secret program to mass surveillance, which is carried out by the United States Postal Service ( USPS). Here are all the envelopes, which are processed by USPS, photographed - these were in 2012 about 160 billion. Upon request, the law enforcement agencies can be as postal correspondence be followed subsequently. MICT was introduced after the anthrax attacks of 2001, the five people - including two employees of USPS - killed.

On 7 June 2013, the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) revealed the existence of the MICT program. This was part of a discussion of the FBI's investigation of the case regarding mixed with ricin letters that were sent to the U.S. President Barack Obama and the mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg. The FBI described in his complaint that the program was used to narrow the investigation the FBI on Shannon Richardson.

The expert on computer security and privacy Bruce Schneier compared MICT with the programs of the National Security Agency ( NSA), which had been published by Edward Snowden in June 2013 ( → surveillance and espionage, 2013), and said: " Essentially, they do the same thing as the other programs, they collect the information on the outside of their mail, the metadata, if you will, the names, addresses, sender addresses and places of affixation, which is a pretty good map of the contacts of the government, even if it contents the not read. "

James J. Wedick, a former FBI agent who commented on MICT: "It is a treasure chest full of information. By watching only the outer shell of letters and other mail, I can see who is their bank, who they communicate with -. All kinds of useful information that gives prosecutors clues that they can pursue with a subpoena on " He added, that the program " can easily be abused, because it is so easy to use and because you do not have to go through a judge to get information. You have to fill out a form only. "

The German post office photographed the addresses of all mailings. This done - so the company to the world on Sunday - for internal purposes, such as ensuring proper delivery. In addition, there were longer-term pilot projects in which the U.S. authorities would be provided appropriate data from business customers. The goal is a future simplification of customs clearance.

Swell

• Surveillance and espionage in 2013
• Post Office ( United States)
• FBI