BlueLeaks Bulletins (Maine Information and Analysis Center)
| Multi Request | BlueLeaks Bulletins |
| Submitted | Aug. 8, 2020 |
MuckRock users can file, duplicate, track, and share public records requests like this one. Learn more.
Communications
From: Emma North-Best
To Whom It May Concern:
Pursuant to the Maine Freedom of Access Act, I hereby request the following records:
A copy of (U//FOUO) IIB - Criminal Hackers Target US Law Enforcement Data, created on or about June 26, 2020, as well as bulletins and alerts generated, sent or received mentioning or describing "BlueLeaks" (sometimes spelled "Blue Leaks"), "Distributed Denial of Secrets" or "DDoSecrets". You may limit this request to records created between June 18, 2020 and the date of the processing of this request.
I am a member of the news media and request classification as such. I have previously written about the government and its activities, with some reaching over 100,000 readers in outlets such as Gizmodo, MuckRock, Motherboard, Property of the People, Unicorn Riot, and The Outline, among others. As such, as I have a reasonable expectation of publication and my editorial and writing skills are well established. In addition, I discuss and comment on the files online and make them available through non-profits such as the library Internet Archive and the journalist non-profit MuckRock, disseminating them to a large audience. While my research is not limited to this, a great deal of it, including this, focuses on the activities and attitudes of the government itself. As such, it is not necessary for me to demonstrate the relevance of this particular subject in advance.
I also request that, if appropriate, fees be waived as we believe this request is in the public interest, as suggested but not stipulated by 1 M.R.S.A. § 408(6). The requested documents will be made available to the general public free of charge as part of the public information service at MuckRock.com, processed by a representative of the news media/press and is made in the process of news gathering and not for commercial usage.
In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.
Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.
Sincerely,
Emma Best
From: Maine Information and Analysis Center
Dear Ms. Best:
Good morning -
This email is sent to acknowledge receipt of your FOAA request that appears below.
Please note that at this time we are denying access to what, if any, responsive records we have that are confidential under 16 M.R.S.A. c. 9 ("Intelligence and Investigative Records Information Act") and that, if disclosed, would - at a minimum - interfere with a pending law enforcement investigation. See 16 M.R.S.A. § 804(1).
Our agency will respond further soon.
Respectfully, C
Chris
CHRISTOPHER PARR
STAFF ATTORNEY | MAINE STATE POLICE
This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, may contain or constitute information that is confidential by law, that is work product, and/or that is protected by one or more recognized privileges. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL IN ERROR, PLEASE CONTACT me WITH A REPLY E-MAIL at the earliest convenience. Thank you.
....
From: Maine Information and Analysis Center
Dear Ms. Best:
Good morning -
This email further responds to your FOAA request for the following:
"A copy of (U//FOUO) IIB - Criminal Hackers Target US Law Enforcement Data, created on or about June 26, 2020, as well as bulletins and alerts generated, sent or received mentioning or describing "BlueLeaks" (sometimes spelled "Blue Leaks"), "Distributed Denial of Secrets" or "DDoSecrets". You may limit this request to records created between June 18, 2020 and the date of the processing of this request."
This email also responds to your earlier FOAA request for the following:
1. Documents mentioning, describing or generated in response to the BlueLeaks release, the preceding hack or subsequent fallout, including but not limited to:
* Damage assessments
* Emails
* Interagency communications (local, state, or federal)
* Communications with the press about BlueLeaks
* Communications with Twitter or other social media or sharing platforms
2. Documents mentioning or describing Distributed Denial of Secrets (DDoSecrets)
With respect to the 26 June 2020 bulletin you cited:
You will need to contact the originating agency to request a copy of that document.
With respect to "[d]ocuments mentioning, describing or generated in response to the BlueLeaks release, the preceding hack or subsequent fallout":
We are denying access to records responsive to this request, as there is at least one pending criminal investigation relating to the Netsential database breach to which the request relates. See 16 M.R.S.A. § 804(1). We also are denying access to responsive records relating to our response to that database breach, including, but not limited to, "[r]ecords or information describing the architecture, design, access authentication, encryption or security of information technology infrastructure, systems and software." See 1 M.R.S.A. § 402(3)(M).
The following links are to records responsive to your request for "communications with the press about BlueLeaks": website<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.maine.gov%2Fdps%2Fmsp%2Fmedia-center%2Fpublic-releases%2Fmaine-state-police-statement-third-party-data-breach-involving-maine&data=02%7C01%7CChristopher.Parr%40maine.gov%7Cc5de7b809c2e4d94aae808d845f9220a%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637336283613510434&sdata=oPQGVqEcyX4HXUuxHdixUcsGmO6ow7W%2BkTaJYox4WHM%3D&reserved=0>; social media<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMaineSP%2Fphotos%2Fa.208573672491505%2F3858363750845794%2F%3Ftype%3D3%26__tn__%3D-R&data=02%7C01%7CChristopher.Parr%40maine.gov%7Cc5de7b809c2e4d94aae808d845f9220a%7C413fa8ab207d4b629bcdea1a8f2f864e%7C0%7C0%7C637336283613510434&sdata=3lCXOEqWD8DrhwLwO9fi0dDXk57YhdGcNiAtkihKV18%3D&reserved=0>.
With respect to the bulletins and alerts mentioning or describing "BlueLeaks" (or "Blue Leaks"), "Distributed Denial of Secrets," or "DDoSecrets":
We are denying access to records responsive to this request, as there is at least one pending criminal investigation relating to the Netsential database breach to which the request relates. See 16 M.R.S.A. § 804(1).
Respectfully, C
Chris
CHRISTOPHER PARR
STAFF ATTORNEY | MAINE STATE POLICE
This e-mail, and any attachments thereto, may contain or constitute information that is confidential by law, that is work product, and/or that is protected by one or more recognized privileges. IF YOU THINK YOU HAVE RECEIVED THIS E-MAIL IN ERROR, PLEASE CONTACT me WITH A REPLY E-MAIL at the earliest convenience. Thank you.
Files
There are no files associated with this request.