David Axe
Security

Army Blogging = Horror Story Waiting to Happen?

Two weeks ago Army Secretary Pete Geren told an audience of soldiers and defense contractors that the Army was falling behind jihadists when it came to using the Internet to share ideas. One solution he proposed, "Find a blog to be a part of." But one long-time Army IT professional told DANGER ROOM that Geren […]

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Two weeks ago Army Secretary Pete Geren told an audience of soldiers and defense contractors that the Army was falling behind jihadists when it came to using the Internet to share ideas. One solution he proposed, "Find a blog to be a part of."

But one long-time Army IT professional told DANGER ROOM that Geren "missed the boat." "Secretary Geren correctly states the problem, but incorrectly states the answer," the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity since he is not authorized to talk to the press. He continued:

There have been a few stories in the media where soldier blogs have caused concern due to the inadvertent release of what could be considered "sensitive information" on the Internet. If the Army is concerned about soldiers blogs, then blogging by senior Army personnel is a Stephen King novel waiting to happen.

While some soldiers' blogs may be questionable, they are the ones who understand the Internet and the power it has. ... Turning loose senior Army officials who do not understand the impact of the Internet is a treasure trove for those who mean us harm!

I am a consultant to a major Army command that supplies soldiers with everything they need -- and the command with one of the biggest IT
footprints in the Army, if not the [entire] Department of Defense. I have seen first-hand what havoc those in positions of authority can wreak when they post on the Internet, or attempt to use technology without understanding it.
Information on troop movements, supply levels, diagrams of weapons systems, chemical munitions, you name it, has been posted to the likes of YouTube and Flickr, and hosted on unprotected and unsecured .COMs.
All in a misguided attempt to look "hip" or "cool" or "net savvy." ...

*Give a senior service official a BlackBerry and I can guarantee he will transmit sensitive and sometimes classified information on it without thinking. He will use the Bluetooth headset and the built-in phone to talk about sensitive topics without a care in the world as to who is listening. I have lost count of how many times we have had to collect all of the BlackBerries we issue and purge them due to sensitive or classified information being sent on them. The BlackBerry is one of the greatest weapons system in the terrorists' inventory, and we supply the bullets! *

I spent over 20 years in the Air Force working on the
"cyberbattlefield," as the Air Force calls it -- and yes, the Air Force has it completely correct: the Internet is a battlefield that needs to be dominated, not the tool set of some guy in a cave. Yes the Air Force also has its share of BOFHs, Bastard Operators From Hell.
I’m not bashing one service over the other, rather I am commenting on what I have seen and continue to seen. Until the rest of the Department of Defense sees the Internet as a battlefield that it should dominate, we will continue to give our enemies all the information and tools they need and give them an advantage that can defeat our best weapons and tactics.

So, what do you think? Is our source a crotchety paranoiac, or the cautious voice of reason?

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(Photo: Flickr)