Nuke-Lock Breach Could Be 'Devastating' ( Los Alamos )

CBS News ^ | Nov. 3, 2006 | (CBS)

[george76]

Data Found In Drug Raid Contains Weapons-Design Secrets.

The recent security breach at Los Alamos National Laboratory was very serious, with sensitive materials being taken out of the facility — possibly including information on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons, officials tell CBS News.

Officials say there is no evidence the information taken from Los Alamos was sold or transferred to anybody else, but there is no way to be sure right now.

As CBS News correspondent Sharyl Attkisson was the first to report, secret documents apparently taken from the lab were found during a drug raid at a Los Alamos-area home last month. The FBI was called in to investigate.

Multiple sources now tell CBS News that the material includes sensitive weapons-design data.

A federal official who has been briefed on the issue said at least three USB thumb-drives were involved. Those small storage drives contained 408 separate classified documents ranging in importance from Secret National Security Information (pertaining to intelligence) to Secret Restricted Data (pertaining to nuclear weapons).

The woman believed to have taken the information — Jessica Quintana, 22, who owned the trailer — worked in three classified vault rooms across Los Alamos:

Safeguards and Security (relating to strategic nuclear material control and accountability)

X-Division (top secret)

Physics P-Division.

The woman had top secret "Q-clearance" with access to all the U.S. underground nuclear test data. Additionally, she had "Sigma 15" clearance, which allows her access to info on how to deactivate locks on nuclear weapons. Quintana has not been arrested or charged.

For example, if a terrorist steals an American nuclear weapon, he could not detonate it due to the special access controls. This woman is authorized to read the reports that tell how to get around those safety controls.

[muleskinner]

Everyone who works at Livermore and Los Alamos gets one if they pass the FBI background check. It's the history of your life starting with your first job and living with Mom and Dad. It's come to Jesus time with the FBI. Usually, getting a "Q-Clearance" is no problem, unless you try to hide something and the FBI finds out a few weeks after the interview.
The "Q" is the basic Top-Secret clearance for Dept of Energy facilities. IIR, it's not anywhere near the highest clearance levels. With those, you're allowed into the Area 51 storage buildings..........:)

[WorkingClassFilth]

I could guard the nation's secrets better by putting them in an empty fruit canning jar and burying them in the backyard. Those responsible for this crap (starting with X42) ought to tried and shot.

[SauronOfMordor]

Before I retired I made a big push to disable USB ports on secure computers.

I would think that a big purchaser like the feds could get a batch of PCs minus USB ports, floppy drives, etc, plus special ethernet ports that would not accept standard cables

Hell, 5 minutes with some epoxy glue would ensure that USB ports became secure

[Myrddin]

When I go into secure spaces, I have to leave cell phones, USB drives, PDA and anything else that could be use to collect or transmit data outside the space. CDROMs that come in the door go straight to the security officer for a virus scan and get labeled as classified. It's always a one way trip. Paper leaves via the shredder and burn bag. Disk drives get disassembled and the platters dissolved in acid.

[george76]

"The problem is when you actually have those materials that are supposed to be protected inside the lab and you find them outside the lab in the hands of criminals — that should worry everybody."


Danielle Brian, executive director,
Project on Government Oversight

[darkwing104]

Hell, 5 minutes with some epoxy glue would ensure that USB ports became secure

Not if they were removed.

[Myrddin]

Behind the secure doors we use USB hard disks on the computers. When finished, they are unplugged, put back into the secure bag, locked and returned to the safe. Easier than having a PC with an internal IDE disk kept at system high.

[tiki]

I wanna know why a 22 yr old has that much clearance?

[Argus]

I'm sorry, but a 22 year old woman who lives in a trailer had a top secret security clearance? Huh?

[patton]

Stand down from the drill: The report is pure BS.

[george76]

Is this CBS helping the DUmmies for next Tuesday ?

[SUSSA]

Not charged? What is she a dem?

###

More likely an illegal alien.

[Gator113]

This came from cBS.... and just a few days from an extremely important election.

Nope, I am not buying it as accurate.

[kinoxi]

According to wikipedia the Q clearance requires a background check for the previous ten years. I guess they had to go interview her middle and high school teachers.
? link

[darkwing104]

Too bad the folks at the DOE don't use this practice.

[maggief]

Jessica Quintana, 22, AKA LUCY RAMIREZ?

;oD

[DelphiUser]

>>I never even heard of top secret "Q-clearance"

Tht's because it's top secret, cut it out or you could winf up in Irak /Humor

[SauronOfMordor]

What I meant was that it seems it would contribute more to security to disable/eliminate the USB ports, than to try to stop people from trying to bring in USB drives

[patton]

Must be - the twenty-something cleaning lady has launch codes for the nukes?

AYFKM?

This article is incredible (as in the old sense of the word: not credible, only a drooling idiot would give it credence.)

(apologies to the freeper I stole that last bit from.)

[darkwing104]

In the military you can get a Top Secret cleance at 18...