PROJECT SAFE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP83T00573R000200210009-1
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 9, 2016
• Document Release Date: March 1, 2001
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: March 26, 1980
• Content Type: MF

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MEPIORANDUI~1 FOR: Director of Central Intelligence
VIA: Deputy to the DCI for Resource Management
STATINTL FROM:
Director, Information Resources Office .
SUQJECT: Project SAFE
REFERENCE: A. Your rnemo of 2i March, Subject: Concern
Regarding SAFE (Tab A)
STATINTL
B. Memo from Chairman, STAB
to DCI dtd 18 Mar 1980, Suhject: Yuesticns
Regarding SAFE (Tab B)
1. I appreciate the opportunity to eo~rnent on the i sst;e~
raised by the STAP Panel in connection with the SAFE Project. As
background to our comments, I should point out that las* year,
after discussions between the D/DCI/Rhi, the DDCI, and DDA, it was
determined that the focus of our interest in SAFE was to be "tne
areas of resource allocation and the relationship of SAFE tc rthzr
programs on a Community-wide basis."* Although we have :.ont.~r~ed
to review the development of Project SAFE, cur primary artert?^tn
has been in accordance with the above quoted limitations. crse-
quently, we are not prepared to comment, except in General tr-~s,
on many of the concerns raised in the referenced STAP memorun?um.
2. Of the four principal concerns listed in your mei;o of
March 21st, only one falls -vithin the scope of IP,O's resnans,
bility as set forth in paragraph 1 above, namely: ,
"What actions are underway to ensure that the Irte~"~-
gence Community has access to CIA SAFE and that CIA SAfC
has access to DIA SAFE as well as such systems as COItI~.
an~i SOLIS?"
~F1emo rom DDCI .to D/DCI/RM dated 16 March 1979, Subject: lrc.~;ect
SAFE o
CIA INTERNAL. IISE ?^!~Y~
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3. It is appropriate that your concerns along these= 1?rrr s
be addressed because:
o At the OCI's semiannual review in '~1ay 1979, it ~~~_,s
stated that a direct physical link between the Wit;
and CIA systems would be provided.
o Our review of the current version of the Syste.~r
Requirements Specifications indicates that such 3
communications connecti~~n between CIA and DIA S
systems is not included in the specifications.
o I have discussed this deficiency to the attention ~f
the SAFE Project Manager and he states that such a
requirement will be added by amend~~ent; that,
although this has not yet been accomplished, sucan
amendment will be prepared in the near future.
4. tJe believe that it i s crucial to the ultimate level opnent
of the types of intercommunication vrhich are set out in your
subject memorandum that this requirement be now formalized in the
SAFE documentation since, if proper'y specified, it will provide
the technical capability to enable:
o CIA analysts to access ')IA files.
o CIA analysts to access ether Community files
through the DIA SAFE interface with the COIUS
network which is included in the current
requirements documents.
o DIA analysts to access .;IA SAFE files.
o Analyst to analyst communications bet:ti~een DIA
and CIA analysts.
o The capability to permit other intelligence
Community components to access CIA SAFE facil~tieC
b.y going through the DIA interfaces with the COit:
or AUTODIN networks. .
5. It shout d be noted that tie prov;i s~ on of th_e _pnj~si
1 i nks and the technical capab i 1 i ti-es to a~cbmpl i sh the abovE=
listed functions will not, in and _af itself_, resist in the
implementation of any of these functions. None of the S,1'=E
documentation, either emanating from DIA or CIA, calls for -.hose
functions to be provided. Indeed, the original CIA SAFE do~:u
mentation specifically provides that the CIl?. SAFE system ~~ri :,!: he a
closed system accessible only by CIA personnel. The positi::+;r has
been taken by some that CIA has na valida'te~i requiremEr:t fo"
access to any non-CIA system, inclyding DIA SAFE. The result,,, of
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the IHC-sponsored Analyst Support Study indicate that this ~~
probably not the case.? Plearly half of the CIA analysts
intervievred said the~~ regularly access outside data hase~ sr.ct as
SOLIS, the COINS files, CIRC II, an~~i the NPIC data syste+~~.
~~~ I~~,~..d...-.~~Furthermore, analyst-to-analyst com,nunication across agency lines
s~'~ ~ I~1~s was ranked the second most important source of information by CIA
t analysts and the most important source by OIA analysts. As
automated systems develop and improve and analysts become
increasingly confident in their use of and reliance upon direct
access to automated systems, requirements for and the value ~f
access to external systems should increase sti11 further.
6. The management of the Consolidated SAFE Project Office is
working under a handicap in this aroa. Ti~ere has been, to our
knowledge, no extensive formal review or update of CIA'
functional requirements on the user side Since the decision +~~;
made to combine the two programs. `.Ii thout any formal statement ref
requirements from the CIA analytical community (primarily NFACi
which the system is designed to support, it is difficult for tnose
charged with designing and implementing the system to anticiaare
what Chase needs may be. Therefore, we sr~ggest that ei tr,or ;~~, or
some other appropriate authority should give- to the SAFE ;3ra~~ut
Office some appropriate guidance which addresses these ar,~at ~.
concern.
7. We would call to .your attention the fact that i~rovi~i ^,
any access to the CIA system from O:A and mo~~e especialy fr~n
elements of the Intelligence Commun~ty outside of OIA rai-.e,
serious security issues. The resolution of these issues ,rii!
probably require action on your part to modify the present
interpretation of existing security policies, or in some Cac:~,
amendments thereto. If you should c.ecide that the co~bined ;:, {.
systems should provide the types cf i ntercomniuni cati on ~.nc' or, r > ce
access which are outlined in your areas of concern, then soln,~~~.,t,
(possibly the Computer Security Subcommittee of the DCI S~~curi' :-
Committee) should probably he tasked with the responsibii;t~,~ ,
defining the security issues, suggesting p~ssi ble sol uti or,s, .~::;
performing appropriate risk analyses so that they may he sul7- te;I
to you for resolution. If this is underta~Cen, IRO should prt~t~r bly
be involved in some way since decisions on these issues ari11?
undoubtedly have major long-term effects on the feasibilit~r cif
improving the interagency exchange of infoi?mation and co~~lr,' ,'r~,
have a substantial impact on the resources which will be neef1"! am
review.
5. In conclusion, I wool d take thi s opportunity to i n, r~??~~
you of two initiatives we are taking in conjunction with thQ
which may have an impact on the future development of SAFE..
rlA INTERNAL USA ONLY
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o The development of a user language for SAFE ~~:iil
result in a common user language for DIA R CIA.
~,le are exploring the possibility that this could
become the initial step t or developing user 1 anc~u~,`.1~.
standards for use throng+:out the ommuni ty. This t~ 11
require the cooperation of the SAFE Project Offict-
if it is to succeed.
o We expect the IHC to recommend th_e development
of a distributed system~c~f bibs-io'graphic informa-
ti on storage and retrieval systems . I f this i s
to be done, the facilities of both the DIA & CIA
SAFE systems in this area will have to function
as part of an overall Community system. If this
is to be accomplished, the interconnection of
the two systems could ta~:en on `added importance.
STATINTL
r,1,1 IfJTERNAL OSE OP~LY
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