Computer hard drive sold on eBay 'had details of top secret U.S. missile
defence system'
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:08 AM on 07th May 2009
Highly sensitive details of a US military missile air defence system
were found on a second-hand hard drive bought on eBay.
The test launch procedures were found on a hard disk for the THAAD
(Terminal High Altitude Area Defence) ground to air missile defence
system, used to shoot down Scud missiles in Iraq.
The disk also contained security policies, blueprints of facilities and
personal information on employees including social security numbers,
belonging to technology company Lockheed Martin - who designed and built
the system.
British researchers found the data while studying more than 300 hard
disks bought at computer auctions, computer fairs and eBay.
The experts also uncovered other sensitive information including bank
account details, medical records, confidential business plans, financial
company data, personal id numbers, and job descriptions.
The drives were bought from the UK, America, Germany, France and
Australia by BT's Security Research Centre in collaboration with the
University of Glamorgan in Wales, Edith Cowan University in Australia
and Longwood University in the US.
A spokesman for BT said they found 34 per cent of the hard disks
scrutinised contained 'information of either personal data that could be
identified to an individual or commercial data identifying a company or
organisation. '
And researchers said a 'surprisingly large range and quantity of
information that could have a potentially commercially damaging impact
or pose a threat to the identity and privacy of the individuals involved
was recovered as a result of the survey.'
Two disks appear to have been formerly used by Lanarkshire NHS Trust to
hold information from the Monklands and Hairmyres hospitals including
patient medical records, images of x-rays, medical staff shifts and
sensitive and confidential staff letters.
In Australia, one disk came from a nursing home and contained pictures
of patients and their wounds.
Confidential material including network data and security logs from the
German Embassy in Paris were also discovered on a disk from France.
And the trading performances and budgets of a UK-based fashion company,
corporate data from a major motor manufacturing company were discovered
along with details of a proposed 50 billion currency exchange through
Spain involving a US-based consultant.
Dr Andy Jones, head of information security research at BT, who led the
survey, said: 'This is the fourth time we have carried out this research
and it is clear that a majority of organisations and private individuals
still have no idea about the potential volume and type of information
that is stored on computer hard disks.
'For a very large proportion of the disks we looked at we found enough
information to expose both individuals and companies to a range of
potential crimes such as fraud, blackmail and identity theft.
'Businesses also need to be aware that they could also be acting
illegally by not disposing of this kind of data properly.'
Dr Iain Sutherland of the University of Glamorgan said: 'Of significant
concern is the number of large organisations that are still not
disposing of confidential information in a secure manner. In the current
financial climate they risk losing highly valuable propriety data.'
A spokesman for Lockheed Martin, who make the THADD launch system, said:
'Lockheed Martin is not aware of any compromise of data related to the
Terminal High Altitude Area Defence programme.
'Until Lockheed Martin can evaluate the hard drive in question, it is
not possible to comment further on its potential contents or source.'
A spokesman for NHS Lanarkshire said: 'This study refers to hard disks
which were disposed of in 2006. At that time NHS Lanarkshire had a
contractual agreement with an external company for the disposal of
computer equipment.
'In this instance the hard drives had been subjected to a basic level of
data removal by the company and had then been disposed of
inappropriately. This was clearly in breach of contract and was wholly
unacceptable. '
The spokesman said the trust now destroy equipment containing data on
the premises, so no longer use external companies to dispose of IT
equipment.
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sold-eBay-details- secret-U- S-missile- defence-system. html
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