The National Security Agency says it is implementing new security measures following the leaks by Edward Snowden that revealed its massive spying operations. NSA chief General Keith Alexander said the agency has developed a “two-man rule” requiring two systems administrators to work simultaneously in order to access key information. During remarks at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado, Alexander also discussed the Obama administration’s development of cyberweapons, saying roughly 4,000 people in Pentagon units were assigned to conduct cyber-offense and defense. Alexander also suggested for the first time that President Obama had raised questions early in his tenure about the number of “mistakes” resulting in what Alexander framed as the accidental collection of data about U.S. citizens. When asked about the impact of the leaks that unveiled how the NSA conducts surveillance on communications both at home and abroad, Alexander condemned them in harsh terms.

Gen. Keith Alexander: “I think it’s significant and irreversible damage to our nation. And we’ve got to be clear on that. The purpose of these programs and the reason we use secrecy is not to hide it from the American people, not to hide it from you, but to hide it from those who walk among you who are trying to kill you.”