Another Lab Security Failure: Los Alamos

Accuracy In Media ^ | Dec 31, 2003 | Notra Trulock

[RaceBannon]

Another Lab Security Failure By Notra Trulock December 31, 2003

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Los Alamos lab officials have announced that ten computer disks containing classified information have been lost. This is just the latest security failure at the troubled New Mexico nuclear lab. In 1999, lab scientist Wen Ho Lee was discovered to have transferred hundreds of megabytes of classified warhead-design data onto an unprotected computer network and computer tapes. The tapes were said to contain the "crown jewels" of American nuclear weapon design. Lee struck a plea bargain with the government, but the tapes were never recovered.

Over the next two years, the lab suffered repeated computer security incidents. Both disks and whole computers that had processed classified information turned up missing in lab inventories. A government watchdog group learned that, by late 2002, Los Alamos had yet to fix the security vulnerability that had allowed Lee’s illegal transfers. A 2003 Energy Department report concluded that Los Alamos could not be trusted to protect secrets stored on its computers.

Understandably, Energy Department officials are frustrated. One told the Associated Press "after all of the revelations and reviews about security and document control over the past few years, lab employees still have not learned to manage their classified information properly." Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham pronounced the situation "unacceptable."

[RaceBannon]

We tried to hang Clinton for this.

Where is the outrage this time?

In fact, where is the media coverage of this immense scandal?

[vger]

Blame it on the security guard.

[jimtorr]

"....lab employees still have not learned to manage their classified information properly.

Because they are not ******ing made to!!!!

In the name of saving money, this nation has made succesful espionage childs play.

DOD, CIA, DIA, NSA, et al cares only about being able to tell when secrets have already been stolen. Little attention is payed to preventing people from walking out the door with classified.

[F16Fighter]

A 2003 Energy Department report concluded that Los Alamos could not be trusted to protect secrets stored on its computers....Spencer Abraham pronounced the situation "unacceptable."

Energy Secretary Abraham apparently is much too busy playing the ponies, sunning himself by the pool, and watching Nick At Nite to concern himself too deeply in the supervision of merely guarding America's nuclear research secrets.

Just WHO is responsible for assigning this twit to this project?? A Clinton leftover by chance?

[NetValue]

This is not an accidental loss. America's nuclear labs have a tradition of insecurity and espionage going all the way back to Rosenberg, Greenglass, and Hall. As long as the labs are populated by and directed by liberal intellectuals, this will continue.

[newguy357]

Interesting point. Why are nuclear labs so insecure? In the defense industry, many people are required to undergo polygraph examinations at random times. This seems to be mostly successful in preventing espionage in that sector. So why is this not the case with nuclear labs? Do people not have to go through such precautions?

[Old Professer]

They probably all have head colds like the guy who wrote this headline.

[observer5]

"Lee struck a plea bargain with the government,"

What was the deal? 3 weeks house arrest?

[elli1]

Abraham also said that the latest security failure "reinforced the government’s decision to consider new lab contractors." Earlier this year, the department announced its intention to open the Los Alamos contract to bidders. The University of California has held the contract, said to be worth two billion dollars, since the lab’s founding in 1942.

While Bill Richardson may have been tuned into Nick at Nite, Abraham has been doing something about problem. He made the announcement that the contract would be opened for competing bids last April. UC's contract runs thru September 2005.

[jimtorr]

The Energy Department does not require polygraphs at all, apparently. They tried to make the bozo's at Los Alamos take them after the Wen Ho Lee fiasco, but it failed. The staff held classes in how to beat a poly, which is incredible in itself.

[irv]

Statements out of the lab indicate that the employees think this latest flap has been overblown.

This is the crux of the problem right here. No amount of hand-wringing or retraining is going to change the built-in attitude that "Our security is fine, stop making such a fuss!" until some heads go bouncing across the carpeting.

[henderson field]

Might I suggest attaching elastic bands to the disks, as one would attach elastic to the mittens of children. Then they won't get "lost."

[henderson field]

Well, you've hit upon the real problem. Federal employees cannot be fired for any reason.

[henderson field]

That's the other thing. Why should they care what happens to the information? They're not loyal to America to begin with.

[Libloather]

...ten computer disks containing classified information have been lost.

Shop-Rite loses a case of Coke - but knows where it is.

This sucks...

[NRA2BFree]

LOL! That's just got to be the reason.

[F16Fighter]

"Abraham has been doing something about problem. He made the announcement that the contract would be opened for competing bids last April. UC's contract runs thru September 2005."

Too little too late.

While Abraham has fiddled and played CYA back in April, security in the meantime was obviously lax.

Why hadn't the "concerned" Abraham launched any personnel investigations, or battened down the hatches prior to the latest fiasco? Or was he simply waiting until the year 2005 when the safe would completely be cleaned out?

[F16Fighter]

"No amount of hand-wringing or retraining is going to change the built-in attitude that 'Our security is fine, stop making such a fuss!' until some heads go bouncing across the carpeting."

It's GOT to start at the very top.

[CyberAnt]

What I want to know .. where is Homeland Security on this issue. This is an outrage.