The BBC reports that more than a hundred memory sticks have been lost by the UK military in just four years. I am not sure if there is an increase or trend, but 26 went missing this year and 22 contained classified information. Today has yet another example:
The discovery at a Cornish nightclub of a computer memory stick with details of troop movements on it is being probed by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The USB stick, outlining training for 70 soldiers from the 3rd Battalion, Yorkshire Regiment, was found on the floor of The Beach in Newquay in May.
Club movements? I thought that used to be called dancing. Maneuvers in the dark?
Times, locations and travel and accommodation details for the troops were included in files on the device.
Perhaps a soldier handed it to a potential date as a sort of “sorry I don’t have a pen, but you can find me here” pick-up line.
Anyway, I expect new procedures for the military to be forthcoming, now that they have been caught in public with their stick out of their pants, so to speak.
The MoD said that it was carrying out a full forensic examination on the stick this week.
It added that it was “undertaking a programme of improvement to safeguard personal data and sensitive information” as recommended in the Burton report.
Full forensic examination on a USB stick? Phrases like that sound suspicious to me because there is little or no difference between full and regular forensic examinations when it comes to a USB stick.
Good for the MoD. Better late than never. If only they could convince staff to leave their sticks at home when going out on a bender.
