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NSA – ANT
Access Network Technology · ANT - this page is a stub

Advanced Network Technologies (ANT) is a department of the US National Security Agency (NSA), that provides tools for the NSA's Tailored Access Operations (TAO) 1 unit and other internal and external clients. With the tools it is possible to eavesdrop on conversations (room bugging), personal computers, networks, video displays, and a lot more, using covertly installed hard- and software implants (covert ware). Most of it is built from commercial off-the-shelf parts (COTS), so that an implant can never be attributed to the NSA when it accidentally discovered by the target.

Some products are listed in the ANT Product Catalogue — an internal NSA document that was intended for the US intelligence and law-enforcement community. It was disclosed to the press on 29 December 2013 by an unknown source, and was first publicly shown by hacker and activist Jacob Appelbaum at a presentation in Berlin [5], and later also in an article in the German magazine Der Spiegel [2]. It is believed that this source of this information is not NSA whistle­blower Edward Swowden, which means there is at least one other source of information [3][5].

➤ Browse the catalogue

  1. Today known as Computer Network Operations (CNO) [4].

NSA bugs on this website
LOUDAUTO audio-based RF retro reflective covert listening device (bug)
FIREWALK gigabit ethernet implant
Cryptonyms
All products in the ANT catalogue are identified by a codeword or cryptonym, which is sometimes abbreviated. At present, the following ANT cryptonyms are known:

  • ANGRYNEIGHBOR
  • CANDYGRAM
  • CROSSBEAM
  • CTX4000
  • CYCLONE Hx9
  • DEITYBOUNCE
  • DROPOUTJEEP
  • EBSR
  • ENTOURAGE
  • FEEDTROUGH
  • GENESIS
  • GINSU
  • GODSURGE
  • GOPHERSET
  • COTTONMOUTH-I
  • COTTONMOUTH-II
  • COTTONMOUTH-III
  • FIREWALK
  • GOURMETTROUGH
  • HALLUXWATER
  • HEADWATER
  • HOWLERMONKEY
  • IRATEMONK
  • IRONCHEF
  • JETPLOW
  • JUNIORMINT
  • LOUDAUTO
  • MAESTRO-II
  • MONKEYCALENDAR
  • NEBULA
  • NIGHTSTAND
  • NIGHTWATCH
  • PHOTOANGLO
  • PICASSO
  • RAGEMASTER
  • SCHOOLMONTANA
  • SIERRAMONTANA
  • SOMBERKNAVE
  • SOUFFLETROUGH
  • SPARROW II
  • STUCCOMONTANA
  • SURLYSPAWN
  • SWAP
  • TOTECHASER
  • TOTEGHOSTLY
  • TAWDRYYARD
  • TRINITY
  • TYPHON HX
  • WATERWITCH
  • WISTFULTOLL
Room surveillance
  • NIGHTWATCH
  • PHOTOANGLO
  • TAWDRYYARD
Documentation
  1. NSA, ANT Product catalog
    8 January 2007. Obtained from [2].
References
  1. IC off the Record, The NSA Toolbox: ANT Product Catalog
    29-30 December 2013.

  2. Jacob Appelbaum, Judith Horchert, Christian Stöcker, Catalogue Advertises NSA Toolbox
    Spiegel Online. 29 December 2013.

  3. Wikipedia, NSA ANT catalog
    Retrieved November 2020.

  4. Wikipedia, Tailored Access Operations
    Retrieved November 2020.

  5. James Bamford, Commentary: Evidence points to another Snowden at the NSA
    Reuters, 22 August 2016.
    ➤ James Bamford
Further information
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© Crypto Museum. Created: Thursday 07 November 2019. Last changed: Saturday, 02 September 2023 - 09:15 CET.
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