TEMPORA - (GCHQ)

TEMPORA - (GCHQ) Covert computer system used to buffer Internet communications extracted from fibre-optic cable tapping on cables entering/exiting locations including the United Kingdom and Cyprus. Tests began in 2008 and the system went operational in 2011. Large volumes of data are mined without any actual targeting. Existence leaked by Edward Snowden in 2013. Snowden alleges data collected by TEMPORA is shared with the NSA, a claim re-inforced by allegations this co-operation runs through WINDSTOP to be analysed using Xkeyscore and the GENESIS programming language. The system taps into some two-hundred cables in total, storing data in a buffer for retrospective analysis. Content is stored for three days, metadata for thirty days. TEMPORA also utilises bulk data from INCENSER.

The GCHQ cable-tapping operation has been built up over five years by attaching intercept probes to transatlantic fibre-optic cables where they land on British shores carrying data between Western Europe, Asia and North America. This was done under secret agreements with commercial companies, described in one document as “intercept partners” - http://www.dcssproject.net/tempora/#GUA01

These 'partners' are sometimes paid for their co-operation, but can be compelled to participate if they refuse. Intercept partners include;

• BT (codenamed REMEDY)
• Vodafone Cable (GERONTIC)
• Verizon Business (DACRON)
• Global Crossing (PINNAGE)
• Level 3 (LITTLE)
• Viatel (VITREOUS)
• Interoute (STREETCAR)  

2013 Map showing undersea Fibre-Optic cables such as those exploited by TEMPORA.

One indication of the scale of TEMPORA - and GCHQ's collection operations in general is a statement from GCHQ lawyers to the effect that it would be impossible to list the total number of people targeted because "This would be an infinite list which we couldn't manage". The name TEMPORA may come from a 16th Century Latin adage from Germany; Tempora mutantur, nos et mutamur in illis, meaning "Times change, and we change with them".