( CNN ) -- You 've never heard of XKeyscore , but it definitely knows you . The National Security Agency 's top-secret program essentially makes available everything you 've ever done on the Internet — browsing history , searches , content of your emails , online chats , even your metadata — all at the tap of the keyboard . The Guardian exposed the program on Wednesday in a follow-up piece to its groundbreaking report on the NSA 's surveillance practices . Shortly after publication , Edward Snowden , a 29-year-old former Booz Allen Hamilton employee who worked for the NSA for four years , came forward as the source . This latest revelation comes from XKeyscore training materials , which Snowden also provided to The Guardian . The NSA sums up the program best : XKeyscore is its `` widest reaching '' system for developing intelligence from the Internet . The program gives analysts the ability to search through the entire database of your information without any prior authorization — no warrant , no court clearance , no signature on a dotted line . An analyst must simply complete a simple onscreen form , and seconds later , your online history is no longer private . The agency claims that XKeyscore covers `` nearly everything a typical user does on the Internet . '' As The Guardian points out , this program crystallizes one of Snowden 's most infamous admissions from his video interview on June 10 : . `` I , sitting at my desk , '' said Snowden , could `` wiretap anyone , from you or your accountant , to a federal judge or even the president , if I had a personal email . '' While United States officials denied this claim , the XKeyscore program , as the public understands it , proves Snowden 's point . The law requires the NSA to obtain FISA warrants on U.S. citizens , but this is pushed aside for Americans with foreign targets — and this program gives the NSA the technology to do so . The training materials claim XKeyscore assisted in capturing 300 terrorists by 2008 . The Guardian article breaks down how the program works with each activity , from email monitoring to chats and browsing history , and includes screenshots from the training materials . The Guardian reached out to the NSA for comment prior to publication . The agency defended the program , stressing that it was only used to legally obtain information about `` legitimate foreign intelligence targets in response to requirements that our leaders need for information necessary to protect our nation and its interests . '' `` XKeyscore is used as a part of NSA 's lawful foreign signals intelligence collection system , '' the agency said in its response . `` Allegations of widespread , unchecked analyst access to NSA collection data are simply not true . Access to XKeyscore , as well as all of NSA 's analytic tools , is limited to only those personnel who require access for their assigned tasks ... . `` In addition , there are multiple technical , manual and supervisory checks and balances within the system to prevent deliberate misuse from occurring . Every search by an NSA analyst is fully auditable , to ensure that they are proper and within the law . These types of programs allow us to collect the information that enables us to perform our missions successfully -- to defend the nation and to protect U.S. and allied troops abroad . '' XKeyscore is the second black mark on the NSA 's record in the past few weeks . The Guardian 's first story uncovered PRISM , a highly controversial surveillance program that reportedly allows the security agency to access the servers of major Internet organizations including Facebook , Google , Apple , Microsoft , Yahoo , YouTube and Skype , among others . Snowden 's information led to a public outcry for transparency , and the U.S. government pushed to declassify more information about PRISM in an effort to paint a clearer picture about the program . Snowden has been charged with espionage . He is currently holed up in the transit area of Moscow 's Sheremetyevo Airport while his request for asylum is under review by Russian immigration authorities , according to Snowden 's lawyer . This article originally appeared on Mashable . © 2013 MASHABLE.com . All rights reserved .
New leak says NSA program essentially makes all you do online trackable . Edward Snowden provided training materials for Xkeyscrore program . Program allegedly lets agents hunt database with no prior authorization . NSA says there are checks and balances in place to prevent abuse of the system, but critics say it's a backdoor way for government snooping into your private life Comment: The NSA is not spying on Americans ; they