And while FISA doesn't affect spy activities overseas, the attention it generates will refocus scrutiny on the National Security Agency and its growing and astonishing capabilities.

After weathering criticism and high-profile legal challenges in 2005 for its warrantless wiretapping program, we have a decent idea of the sophisticated and controversial methods the NSA employs to penetrate global telecommunications networks.

Still in the shadows, however, is a secretive joint program with the Central Intelligence Agency codenamed F6, but better known as the Special Collection Service.

The Special Collection Service is America's master of covert eavesdropping, placing super-high-tech bugs in unbelievably hard-to-reach places, and using cutting-edge technology to crack supposedly impenetrable encryption.