U.S. State Department limits access to files after massive leak

[Turborama]

Source: Xinhua

2010-12-01 06:08:19

WASHINGTON, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. State Department on Tuesday said it has limited access to the database of its diplomatic cables following a massive leak of its secret files by WikiLeaks. "We have temporarily severed the connection between this database and one classified network. Steps are being made to correct weaknesses in the system that have become evident because of this leak," said department spokesman Philip Crowley.

WikiLeaks, a whistle-blower website, released on Sunday some 250,000 U.S. diplomatic cables. The files, including thousands of secret and confidential ones, revealed candid accounts by U.S. diplomats that sometimes are even mocking foreign leaders. The leak could prove to be one of the most embarrassing event of U.S. diplomacy.

"At the point where we believe the appropriate steps have been taken, then we'll re-evaluate whether to reconnect this one network to the State Department database," said Crowley, adding the cut was made in the past week.

It is reported that the database of the State Department's diplomatic cables was formerly connected to U.S. military's Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, known as SIPRNet. The secret internal computer network run by Pentagon connects various U.S. government agencies, allowing them to be able to share classified information.

Read more: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-12/01/c_13629307.htm

[northernlights]

1. Score one for Assange nt

[tomm2thumbs]

2. barndoor. horse. late.

[Heywood J]

3. A day late, a dollar short.

Given that leakers are almost always those with authorized access to the data, there isn't much that can really be done.

[earcandle]

4. That is right. Give our techies jobs away? Lose techie support. Techie finds new more satisfying

work... good techies!  

[Jefferson23]

5. Ha ha, good luck with that attempt. n/t

[DeSwiss]

6. K&R

Wikileaks does not leak something like the “Collateral Murder” video as a way of putting an end to that particular military tactic; that would be to target a specific leg of the hydra even as it grows two more. Instead, the idea is that increasing the porousness of the conspiracy’s information system will impede its functioning, that the conspiracy will turn against itself in self-defense, clamping down on its own information flows in ways that will then impede its own cognitive function. You destroy the conspiracy, in other words, by making it so paranoid of itself that it can no longer conspire:

The more secretive or unjust an organization is, the more leaks induce fear and paranoia in its leadership and planning coterie. This must result in minimization of efficient internal communications mechanisms (an increase in cognitive “secrecy tax”) and consequent system-wide cognitive decline resulting in decreased ability to hold onto power as the environment demands adaption. Hence in a world where leaking is easy, secretive or unjust systems are nonlinearly hit relative to open, just systems. Since unjust systems, by their nature induce opponents, and in many places barely have the upper hand, mass leaking leaves them exquisitely vulnerable to those who seek to replace them with more open forms of governance.

http://zunguzungu.wordpress.com/2010/11/29/julian-assange-and-the-computer-conspiracy-%E2%80%9Cto-destroy-this-invisible-government%E2%80%9D/">link

[bemildred]

7. Crowley has no idea whatsoever what he is talking about.

You have hundreds of thousands of people with access to that stuff, and you cannot just change the password. The typing alone to "fix" this is going to take some time.

[Hissyspit]

8. State Dept. Severs Database of Cables From One Classified Govt. Network

Source: Reuters

Declines to identify network. (SIPRNET?)

Still no update from Reuters.

No link yet.

[meegbear]

9. A database of cables?????

[dave29]

11. a database is a series of cables

connected to a series of slightly larger tubes that make up the internets

:|

[meegbear]

15. Ahhhh, now it makes sense!

Thanks! :hi:

[Uben]

10. There goes the intertubes!

No mo sneekin round them gubmint files.

[Renew Deal]

12. This can be interpreted many ways, but they don't all make sense.

I'm guessing this means that they have removed access to certain documents on some government agencies.

[bemildred]

13. Yah.

Trust has been eroded.

[SlimJimmy]

16. They have removed access to State Department Cables (messages)

for certain users.

[Renew Deal]

22. The access levels don't make sense to me anyway.

Why does an intelligence analyst in the army have access to state department documents? He should have to request access on a need only basis. Of course, that slows down the system which can hamper national security. :banghead:

[happygoluckytoyou]

14. ground control to major tom.... can you hear me major tom... can you...

[bluedigger]

17. The horse is out.

Time to close the barn door.

[Divine Discontent]

19. ha

[Frisbee]

18. Well now, that'll solve all of our problems.

:sarcasm:

[formercia]

20. Immune response

Soon it will turn to Lupus.

[struggle4progress]

21. WRAPUP 1-One U.S. military network cut off from cables

Tue Nov 30, 2010 3:46pm EST ...

* Embarrassing but consequences "fairly modest" - Gates

* Investigation focused on ex-army intelligence analyst

By Arshad Mohammed and Ross Colvin

WASHINGTON, Nov 30 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has cut off a U.S. military computer network from its database of diplomatic cables after WikiLeaks obtained more than 250,000 such cables, a senior U.S. official said on Tuesday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the system was the U.S. military's Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, known as SIPRNet, believed to have been the ultimate source for the cables obtained by the whistleblower website.

The disclosure of the cables on Sunday by five media groups has been a severe embarrassment to the U.S. government because they describe the inner workings of U.S. diplomacy and contain candid, critical assessments of foreign leaders ...

http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN3015128820101130

[Overseas]

23. Hundreds of thousands of people had access to the Top Secret files.

Millions had access to the confidential but not top secret files. Here's a snippet from der Spiegel's Wikileaks FAQ

Close to 2.5 million people have access to the SIPRNet data, including staff at many government departments and agencies. Experience has shown, however, that the largest share of users are at the Department of Defense. The classified data is available on special computers that are set up at centers where US forces operate. The log-in procedures and passwords are changed approximately once every 150 days. But even documents that are classified at the highest level of "top secret" are still accessible to around 850,000 Americans. The leak of the diplomatic cables is an accident that was bound to happen sooner or later.

http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,731441,00.html