{ "content": "

The National Security Agency<\/a> (NSA)<\/h1>

The National Security Agency<\/a> is a national-level intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense<\/a>, under the authority of the Director of National Intelligence<\/a>. Established in 1952 by Harry S. Truman<\/a>, the NSA<\/a> is responsible for global monitoring, collection, and processing of information and data for foreign and domestic intelligence and counterintelligence purposes, a discipline known as Signals Intelligence<\/a> (SIGINT). Detailed historical records of its formation are available through Britannica<\/a>.<\/p>

Headquartered at Fort Meade<\/a>, Maryland<\/a>, the agency also leads the United States<\/a> in Cybersecurity<\/a> efforts. Its mission involves both the exploitation of foreign communications and the protection of Department of Defense<\/a> information networks. The agency's official mission and values are further detailed on the official NSA website<\/a>.<\/p>

The NSA<\/a> gained worldwide notoriety in 2013 after Edward Snowden<\/a> leaked classified documents detailing mass surveillance programs such as PRISM<\/a> and Upstream<\/a>. These events prompted a global conversation on Digital Privacy<\/a> and led to the passage of the USA Freedom Act<\/a>. Extensive archives regarding these disclosures can be found at The Guardian<\/a>.<\/p>