MoD Information

Top Secret documents go missing

Sun, December 22, 2002

Source: Ananova

Jack Straw is facing demands to explain security breaches in the Foreign Office computer system used to handle secret intelligence material.

Top Secret documents go missing after security breach

Jack Straw is facing demands to explain security breaches in the Foreign Office computer system used to handle secret intelligence material.  The Aramis system had to be shut down for three days towards the end of last year after hundreds of top secret documents went astray. 

The Observer newspaper says the material is thought to have been "highly classified" with codewords used by MI6.  Observer bosses say the paper was contacted by a whistleblower who said the system was still so distrusted that intelligence officers downgrading the security status of classified documents so they could read them on their PCs.  It means that highly secret material is being used on relatively insecure systems which can be penetrated by hackers.

The Foreign Office has refused to comment directly on the reports but made no attempt to deny the central thrust of the story.  A spokesman said: "We take any breach of security very seriously. Our security arrangements are under constant review." 

The Liberal Democrat's foreign affairs spokesman describes the system as a "shambles" and is demanding to know when ministers became aware of the the problem.  Menzies Campbell said: "It beggars belief that the Foreign Office should be relying on a computer system which is less effective than paper.  "In the campaign against terrorism developed countries should have an overwhelming comparative advantage in IT. But the systems have to work."