Slashdot Mirror
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.
Or couldn't they get an export license?
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.
Fuck that repurchasing shit. TAKE IT. You're the goddamned United States military.
I was going to say the same. How is it possible that Fox News reporters could even open the data files ? .DOC or .PDF files on USB keys ? I wonder how this is even possible.
One could expect that everything is encrypted, every single file being a part of a globla security policy, etc.
This is the army ! Big companies protect their sensible data by ensuring each sensible file is properly encrypted, defining trust circles, and strict key management policies. How were the files stored ?
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?
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.
The strong do what they can, while the weak suffer what they must.