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Inspectors Disclose Security Breach at Nuclear Lab
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ShareJanuary 14, 2008 9:34 AM
Federal inspectors have detailed yet another security breach at one of the nation's oldest nuclear weapons plants.
There may have been dozens of security violations involving the use of unauthorized laptop computers being brought into secure areas of the Y-12 plant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, according to a report released by the Department of Energy's inspector general.
The investigation began after a contractor brought an unclassified laptop with wireless capability into a limited area of the plant in October 2006. The computer was not properly secured, and the user left the area with the computer, which was not retrieved until an hour later.
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"Because the laptop could have been tampered with during that time, it could not be collected as best evidence," according to the report.
Although the department requires a written report within 32 hours of a security breach, it took staffers at the plant six days to submit the report.
In addition, inspectors discovered that as many as 37 additional laptops may have been brought into the plant's limited area without following proper security protocols.
Nine of those laptops were later taken out of the country, including two of which were taken to countries on DOE's sensitive countries list.
According to the report, the contractors involved in the incident were immediately removed from the facility and their unclassified e-mail accounts were suspended.
The laboratory has suffered at least two other security breaches in the last year.
In December, ORNL was one of several plants targeted by a coordinated phishing attack which may have exposed the Social Security numbers of all visitors to the lab over a 14-year span. FBI and Department of Homeland Security officials told ABC News at the time that they believe the attacks originated in China with Chinese entities probing U.S. systems.
The attacks were manipulated to look like legitimate e-mails, including one that purportedly advertised a scientific conference.
Last July, janitor Roy Lynn Oakley pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he tried to sell pieces of uranium enrichment equipment to the French Embassy in Washington, D.C., which he had gathered while working at the East Tennessee Technology Park, which is part of the Oak Ridge reservation.
At the time, the facility's office manager said it reviewed its security procedures in light of the breach.
The National Nuclear Safety Administration's spokesman did not return calls for comment.
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January 14, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (14)
No surprise here.
In the end, it's a firesale...
Posted by: ToungeTyed | Jan 14, 2008 10:13:42 AM
More evidence of foreign agents working hand in hand with American right wingers.
Posted by: GreatScott | Jan 14, 2008 1:11:39 PM
great scott-
You are blaming right wingers?
Don't you know the Left is about 10% more incompetent than you lefties?
Teh Chinese govt. is downloading all our nuclear information onto their laptops.
Both parties suck, but the Democrats have been proven to have received campaign donations from the Chinese govt.
Posted by: both parties are bad | Jan 14, 2008 6:22:28 PM
The reason that our security is the pits is because of leftist insistance upon multi-culti PC hiring standards. it's people like you who are destroying our country. Everything from runaway entitlement spending, to high technology sales to China, to poor security in our military and scientific institutions can be laid squarely at your door. . America was founded and made great by "right wingers".
Posted by: Steve T | Jan 14, 2008 7:02:20 PM
Some America hating "Progressive" must have left it there for one of their Comrades..
Posted by: Jud | Jan 14, 2008 7:03:18 PM
are you serious foreign agents and right wingers? you have short term memory loss. During Bubba Clinton's 8 years. Do you recall the Los Alamo Laboratory and the scandals there. I think both parties are for sale. So be fair with your criticism.
It was Bill Clinton who allowed Loral Space and Communications company to sell missile technology to the Chinese. They couldn't get there rockets off of the launch pad. No need to steal secrets. Just pay the traitors in our Government. They should all work in brothels. I would have more respect for them.
Posted by: MAS | Jan 14, 2008 7:05:16 PM
we all better learn to speak chinese!!!
crm
Posted by: c.r.mote | Jan 14, 2008 7:38:42 PM
In keeping in lock step with my republican friend who called a truce in discussion because of overload I put on him...the clowns that supported the right wing failures keep pointing out the fact that both sides are bad...as some morons reason for the failed right wing they waddled in step with...VOILA(FRENCH TERM)
Posted by: daddyblue | Jan 15, 2008 9:50:50 AM
DOH....
Posted by: daddyblue | Jan 15, 2008 10:20:54 AM
China almost owns this country,watch out when they call for the repayment of all the money they lent us.
Posted by: AJ | Jan 15, 2008 10:24:31 PM
Wiretaps!-"I-GOTTA HAVE MORE WIRETAPS!
Posted by: joseph | Jan 16, 2008 12:31:05 PM
Speak Chinese?
Why not German, Arabic or a host of other languages that want to see us gone?
Don't limit this to the Chinese. It may be that the Chinese are spear-heading this, but if they are successful then the rest will follow their lead.
It's bad enough that our own "Contractors" are doing this.
Posted by: ToungeTyed | Jan 16, 2008 5:10:48 PM
So, it looks like the Chinese are behind the espionage. And what do we do? We continue to make them rich and strong by buying their junk and outsourcing our jobs. Is our leadership brilliant, or what?
Posted by: Paul_W | Jan 17, 2008 1:04:21 AM
We have nothing to fear from the Chinese. If you have a business, you don't shoot your best customer. What we should fear is the overwhelming stupidity of the average American.
Posted by: Joedakota | Feb 14, 2008 1:39:24 PM
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