# Main Core

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Alleged American government database

National Security Agency surveillance Map of global NSA data collection as of 2007[update], with countries subject to the most data collection shown in red Programs Pre-1978 ECHELON MINARET SHAMROCK PROMIS Since 1978 Upstream collection BLARNEY FAIRVIEW Main Core ThinThread Genoa Since 1990 RAMPART-A Since 1998 Tailored Access Operations Since 2001 OAKSTAR STORMBREW Trailblazer Turbulence Genoa II Total Information Awareness President's Surveillance Program Terrorist Surveillance Program Since 2007 PRISM Dropmire Stateroom Bullrun MYSTIC Databases, tools etc. PINWALE MARINA Main Core MAINWAY TRAFFICTHIEF DISHFIRE XKeyscore ICREACH BOUNDLESSINFORMANT GCHQ collaboration MUSCULAR Tempora Legislation Safe Streets Act Privacy Act of 1974 FISA ECPA Patriot Act Homeland Security Act Protect America Act of 2007 FISA Amendments Act of 2008 Institutions FISC Senate Intelligence Committee National Security Council Lawsuits ACLU v. NSA Hepting v. AT&T Jewel v. NSA Clapper v. Amnesty Klayman v. Obama ACLU v. Clapper Wikimedia v. NSA US v. Moalin Whistleblowers William Binney Thomas Drake Mark Klein Thomas Tamm Russ Tice Edward Snowden Publication 2005 warrantless surveillance scandal Global surveillance disclosures (2013–present) Related Cablegate Surveillance of reporters Mail tracking UN diplomatic spying Insider Threat Program Mass surveillance in the United States Mass surveillance in the United Kingdom Concepts SIGINT Metadata Collaboration United States CSS CYBERCOM DOJ FBI CIA DHS IAO Five Eyes CSEC GCHQ ASD GCSB Other DGSE BND v t e

**Main Core** is an American government [database](/source/Database) containing information on those believed to be threats to [national security](/source/National_security).[1]

## History

The existence of the database was first asserted in May 2008 by Christopher Ketcham[2] and again in July 2008 by [Tim Shorrock](/source/Tim_Shorrock).[3]

## Description

The Main Core data comes from the [NSA](/source/National_Security_Agency), [FBI](/source/Federal_Bureau_of_Investigation), [CIA](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency), and other agencies,[1] and is collected and stored without warrants or [court orders](/source/Court_order).[1] The database's name derives from the fact that it contains copies of the essence of each item (*i.e.* it contains the *main core* of each item) of intelligence information on Americans having been produced by the FBI and other agencies of the U.S. intelligence community.[1]

As of 2008[\[update\]](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Main_Core&action=edit), there are eight million Americans listed in the database as possible threats, often for trivial reasons, whom the government may choose to track, question, or detain in a time of crisis.[4][5]

## See also

- [Disposition Matrix](/source/Disposition_Matrix)

- [Rex 84](/source/Rex_84)

- [FBI Index](/source/FBI_Index)

- [Investigative Data Warehouse](/source/Investigative_Data_Warehouse)

- [National Security and Homeland Security Presidential Directive](/source/National_Security_and_Homeland_Security_Presidential_Directive)

- [NSA warrantless surveillance controversy](/source/NSA_warrantless_surveillance_controversy)

- [PRISM (surveillance program)](/source/PRISM_(surveillance_program))

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Salon_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Salon_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Salon_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Salon_1-3) Shorrock, Tim (July 23, 2008). ["Exposing Bush's historic abuse of power"](http://www.salon.com/2008/07/23/new_churchcomm/#). *Salon.com*. Retrieved 2010-12-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Satyam Khanna, ["Govt. May Have Massive Surveillance Program for Use in 'National Emergency,' 8 Million 'Potential Suspects'"](http://thinkprogress.org/security/2008/05/20/23492/main-core/?mobile=nc) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20160410151328/http://thinkprogress.org/security/2008/05/20/23492/main-core/?mobile=nc) 2016-04-10 at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine), [Think Progress](/source/Think_Progress) blog, May 20, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-Now_3-0)** Goodman, Amy (July 25, 2008). ["Main Core: New Evidence Reveals Top Secret"](http://www.democracynow.org/2008/7/25/main_core_new_evidence_reveals_top). Democracy Now. Retrieved 2010-12-19.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Christopher Ketcham, ["The Last Roundup"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080831101327/http://www.radaronline.com/from-the-magazine/2008/05/government_surveillance_homeland_security_main_core_01.php). Archived from the original on August 31, 2008. Retrieved 2008-07-29.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown)), RADAR Online, 15 May 2008

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Govt. May Have Massive Surveillance Program For Use In 'National Emergency,' 8 Million 'Potential Suspects'"](https://archive.thinkprogress.org/govt-may-have-massive-surveillance-program-for-use-in-national-emergency-8-million-potential-da42a2721f76/). 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2023-10-13.

## External links

- [Radar article](https://web.archive.org/web/20111103130409/http://www.christopherketcham.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/The%20Last%20Roundup,%20Radar%20Magazine.pdf) by Christopher Ketcham, May/June 2008

- [NSA's Domestic Spying Grows As Agency Sweeps Up Data](https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB120511973377523845) by Siobhan Gorman, Updated March 10, 2008 12:01 a.m. ET

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Main Core](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Core) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Core?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.