[ISN] Sweden misplaces military secrets

From: InfoSec News (alerts@private)
Date: Sun Jan 06 2008 - 23:11:54 PST


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7172440.stm

4 January 2008
BBC News

Sweden's military is investigating a major security breach after a 
member of staff left a memory stick holding classified data on a public 
computer.

The story was reported by Aftonbladet newspaper, which was given the 
device by a member of the public who found it at a computer centre in 
Stockholm.

The paper returned the stick, which the military said included 
information on security threats in Afghanistan.

A military spokesman said the incident was being taken very seriously.

"It's primarily a matter of security for our soldiers," said Colonel 
Bengt Sandstrom of the Military Intelligence and Security Service (Must) 
in a statement.

"This is also a serious matter from a legal standpoint. Carelessness 
with regards to classified information is an offence that is punishable 
by up to six months in prison."

The statement said an employee had acknowledged the loss of the chip to 
his superiors.

The memory stick - a removable device for holding computer data, about 
the size of a key - contained documents about improvised explosive 
devices and mines in Afghanistan, as well as information about other 
countries including the US. Some of the data was classified.

Must is currently analysing the contents of the stick to assess the 
possible damage that the incident could have caused, the statement said.

Col Sandstrom was due to meet military attaches of the countries 
concerned to discuss the incident, it added.


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