3 things you should know about 'XKeyscore,' the NSA's powerful snooping tool

The Guardian just published another information dump detailing a secret, previously unknown National Security Agency program that supposedly collects "everything a user does on the

internet." It's called XKeyscore. The ominous-sounding tool allows NSA analysts to search through gigantic databases for an individual's personal information — such as emails, online chats,

and browsing histories — "with no prior authorization," writes the Guardian's Glenn Greenwald.

While many of the details are vague — the report doesn't mention PRISM, so it's unclear if XKeyscore is part of PRISM or a separate entity altogether — here are three important things you

should know about the program:

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XKeyscore provides the technological capability, if not the legal authority, to target even U.S. persons for extensive electronic surveillance without a warrant provided that some

identifying information, such as their email or IP address, is known to the analyst. [Guardian]

You know those drop-down menus you use whenever you fill out a form online? The Guardian alleges that NSA analysts justify their surveillance of individuals by picking from a similar

pull-down. "Once options on the pull-down menus are selected, their target is marked for electronic surveillance and the analyst is able to review the content of their communications,"

reports Greenwald.

Here's what that slide supposedly looks like:

If you look close enough, the parameters are pretty loose, particularly "phone number is registered in a country other than the U.S." and "a network or machine indicates they are outside the

U.S."

Read the rest of the report, slides and all, at the Guardian.