Military Investigates Sale of Sensitive Data

smokeslikeapoet wrote to mention an article being run in the New York Times detailing the sale of sensitive data in Afghan markets. From the article: "The military acted after The Los Angeles Times and The Associated Press reported that computer memory drives smuggled out of the base were being sold in shops. Some drives bought by the reporters contained material marked secret as well as information about insurgency activities and names and personal details about American service members and Afghan agents working for the United States military." Fox News is reporting the sold storage units are being repurchased by the military as they can find them.

Comments

mis-information?

[JeanBaptiste]

While our military may sometimes seem incompetent, don't forget they are involved in informational warfare in many different ways you might never think of.

I wouldn't be surprised in the least if some or all of this 'leaked' information has been crafted to make our enemies think we are doing things we are not.

This is nothing new, look up operation mincemeat for a very interesting story of a successful mis-information mission performed in WW2.

Re:mis-information?

[rchatterjee]

According to the original LA Times article the reporters were able to find actual soldier's SSNs which they were able to verify by tracking down the home addresses and personal vehicles of the soldiers.

Granted the rest of the info could be false, but that would mean they're deliberately leaking troops' personal info which could be putting their families at home in some real danger.

Poor IT Security Governance...

[Anonymous Coward]

Storing unencrypeted sensitive data on a PC is bad enough, on a Laptop it's even worse - but who the hell is allowing the US Military to store classified data on REMOVABLE MEDIA? I work in Information Security for a Fortune 5 company, and we have banned the use of all removable media for just this reason, it has a tendency to travel. Is the US Military so obtuse as to believe that their people will never misplace on of these devices, much less walk off with them?

it's not the first time.

[jerky42]

Back a few years ago, I was wandering around a flea market in a 3rd world country. This country had a US base in it that was destroyed by a natural disaster some years before. As I wandered past a stall with some ancient electronics in it, I happened to notice a new-looking KY-58 radio sitting there.
For those that don't know, a KY-58 is a secure voice radio that is still in use today in some USAF aircraft. It cost about $50,000 new.
Amazed by this, I asked the guy if it worked. He said "Sure, I just had it hooked up." I said, "how much?" He said, "100 US$". I said "Show me, and I'll buy it." He tried valiantly to hook it up, but the custom power plug, and the fact that it ran on 28v DC and 400 Hz AC defeated him, so I gave him $50 for it, and flew back home, and turned it in to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. They said "Thanks", and I never got my $50 back.