Snowden didn't seem to have to work very hard to grab top secret classified government info. REUTERS/Bobby Yip
How Edward Snowden Stole His Cache Of NSA Secrets -- The Week
The NSA leaker reportedly just walked out of work with some of America's big secrets on a thumb drive in his pocket.
A week after Edward Snowden's leaks about National Security Agency surveillance and data-gathering were first reported, and four days after he revealed himself as the leaker, the news media is figuring out how the 29-year-old IT systems administrator managed his potentially huge data heist.
If you're concerned about national security, the new revelations will probably dismay you; if you appreciate leaking of government secrets, Snowden's technique is likely encouraging: Theft by thumb drive.
The NSA and other spy and military agencies have long known the dangers of the innocent-seeming portable USB flash drive. In October 2008, the NSA discovered that a thumb drive loaded with malware had infected the military's secure internal network. The Pentagon then (at least temporarily) banned the use of thumb drives — NSA commanders even reportedly ordered USB ports filled in with liquid cement.
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Update #1: Snowden smuggled out data on thumb drive, officials say -- L.A. Times
Update #2: NSA leaker Ed Snowden used banned thumb-drive, exceeded access -- Washington Times
My Comment: Someone was asleep on the job .... permitting an active USB port was just an open invitation for someone like Edward Snowden to grab what he wanted. Then again .... Edward Snoeden does not strike me as a stupid guy .... he probably knew what he had to do in order to obtain the information that he wanted.How Did NSA Leaker Snowden Steal All Of Those NSA Secrets