Incompetence as usual

All the shit that doesn't fit!
If it doesn't go into the other forums, stick it in here.
A general free for all
Post Reply
ex-khobar Andy
Posts: 5418
Joined: Sat Dec 19, 2015 4:16 am
Location: Louisville KY as of July 2018

Incompetence as usual

Post by ex-khobar Andy »

NYT is reporting that military security devices loaded with Afghanistan-related fingerprints and retinal scans are for sale on eBay.

The German hackers who discovered this appear to have notified the feds so it's possible that all have been withdrawn from sale before the bad guys (e.g. Taliban) can get hold of one or maybe the cat is already well out of the bag.

Ten years or so ago the US military was concerned about 'green on blue' attacks whereby seemingly well screened Afghan military recruits would turn on their US colleagues and kill them. So in trying to identify those who might do this, they collected prints and retinal scans and, apparently for training purposes, those of regular US military folk and put all the data onto these identification devices. Ten years later these things start to show up on military surplus sales and make their way to Bay.

For $68 the German hackers obtained one of these and then a few more for a similar price. They appear to have dealt with the data they contained - which of course is still good - a lot more responsibly than the US military has done. The military has requested that all such devices be returned to them.
“Because we have not reviewed the information contained on the devices, the department is not able to confirm the authenticity of the alleged data or otherwise comment on it,” Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, the Defense Department’s press secretary, said in a statement. “The department requests that any devices thought to contain personally identifiable information be returned for further analysis.”

He provided an address for the military’s biometrics program manager at Fort Belvoir in Virginia where the devices could be sent.
So that's all right then. It's all under control.

Post Reply