Chinese Hack has Compromised US Security Clearance Database 2


Ellen Nakashima reports in the Washington Post that the recently discovered hack (see previous post here) by the Chinese of the

Joel Brenner, a former US counter­ intelligence official said about the news,

“This is potentially devastating from a counter­ intelligence point of view,”  “These forums contain decades of personal information about people with clearances . . . which makes them easier to recruit for foreign espionage on behalf of a foreign country.”

Sir Tim Berners-Lee has previously highlighted the dangers of blackmail if foreign spy agencies get hold of data on persons with access to national security information, although in the context of the retention of web surfing and phone records – see here.


2 thoughts on “Chinese Hack has Compromised US Security Clearance Database

  • Tom Welsh

    As far as I am aware there is NO evidence whatsoever to implicate the Chinese. All that we can be sure of is that those in charge of the relevant computer systems are guilty of criminal negligence. It is, of course, understandable that they should try to distract attention from themselves by inventing a spurious foreign threat. Actually, any IT security expert will tell you that there are more computer criminals in the USA than anywhere else. Also that by far the most IT break-ins are carried out by insiders.

  • Tom Welsh

    As far as I am aware there is NO evidence whatsoever to implicate the Chinese. All that we can be sure of is that those in charge of the relevant computer systems are guilty of criminal negligence. It is, of course, understandable that they should try to distract attention from themselves by inventing a spurious foreign threat. Actually, any IT security expert will tell you that there are more computer criminals in the USA than anywhere else. Also that by far the most IT break-ins are carried out by insiders.

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