HOLY SHIT! Charles, you were damn right about MEGAmole Deutch --the guy's a serial goofer.... His blunder repertoire traces back to the 1980s, prior to his appointment as CIA Director!
Below is the unclassified official report on Deutch's misconduct by the Inspector General:
fas.org
However, I've worked out an Executive Summary highlighting Deutch as a blithering fool:
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DID DEUTCH HAVE CONCERNING VULNERABILITIES ASSOCIATED WITH COMPUTERS?
What is Deutch's recollection?
83. (U/ /FOUO) During an interview with OIG, Deutch advised that, to the best of his recollection, no CIA officials had discussed with him the proper or improper use of classified and unclassified computers. Around December 1997, approximately one year after he resigned as DCI, he first became aware that computers were vulnerable to electronic attack. Not until that time, Deutch commented, had he appreciated the security risks associated with the use of a modem or the Internet in facilitating an electronic attack.16
16 (U/ /FOUO) After reading the draft ROI, Deutch's refreshed recollection is that it was in December 1996, not December 1997, that he first became aware that his computer priorities resulted in vulnerability to electronic attack.
[...]
86. (U/ /FOUO) Deutch indicated he had become accustomed to exclusively using an unclassified Macintosh computer while serving at DoD. He acknowledged that prior to becoming DCI, he was aware of the security principle requiring the physical separation of classified and unclassified computers and their respective information. However, he said he believed that when a file or document was deleted (i.e., dragged to the desktop trash folder), the information no longer resided on the magnetic media nor was it recoverable. Deutch maintained that it was his usual practice to create a document on his desktop computers, copy the document to an external storage device (e.g., floppy disk), and drag the initial document to the trash folder.
87. [...] Deutch said that he had not spent a significant amount of time thinking about computer security issues.
[...]
What did Deutch learn at [an] operational briefing?
89. (U/ /FOUO) On August 1, 1995, Deutch and several senior CIA officials receive[d] various operational briefings.
90. (U/ /FOUO) [During these briefings] Deutch was specifically told that data residing on a [commercial ISP network was vulnerable to a computer attack.]
[...]
What was Deutch's Congressional testimony?
92. (U/ /FOUO) On February 22, 1996, DCI Deutch testified before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence on the subject of worldwide security threats to the United States during the post-Cold War era. During his appearance, Deutch stated:
Mr. Chairman, I conclude with the growing challenge of the security of our information systems. There are new threats that come from changing technologies. One that is of particular concern to me is the growing ease of penetration of our interlocked computer and telecommunications systems, and the intelligence community must be in the future alert to these needs-- alert to these threats.
[...]
What are the personal recollections of DO staff members?
95. (U/ /FOUO) Deutch's [Executive] Assistant served in that position from February 1995 through July 1996 at DoD and CIA.[He] considered Deutch to be an "expert" computer user. [The Executive Assistant] was responsible for coordinating the preparation of computers for Deutch's use upon his confirmation as DCI. During the transition, [the Executive Assistant] informed Deutch that the processing of classified and unclassified information required the use of separate computers to prevent the improper transfer of data. [The Executive Assistant] stated that the computer support staff at CIA went to great lengths to appropriately label Deutch's computers as either classified or unclassified in order to prevent improper use.
96. (U/ /FOUO) [The Executive Assistant] advised that he never informed Deutch that it was permissible to process classified information on a computer configured for unclassified use. [The Executive Assistant] stated that he was not aware that Deutch processed classified information on computers configured for unclassified use. When advised that classified material had been recovered from multiple computers used by Deutch that had been configured for unclassified purposes, [the Executive Assistant] responded that he was at a loss to explain why this had occurred.
97. (U/ /FOUO) [The Executive Assistant] remembered the August 1, 1995 briefing. [The Executive Assistant] said that Deutch was very concerned about information warfare and, specifically, computer systems being attacked. [The Executive Assistant] recalled that during his CIA tenure, Deutch and he became aware of efforts by [others] to attack computer systems.
98. (U//FOUO) The computer specialist who provided regular information support to Deutch while he served at DoD, was hired at Deutch's request in June 1995 to provide computer support to the DCI Area. After arriving at CIA, the computer specialist provided direct computer support to Deutch about once per week. At times, Deutch, himself, would directly contact the computer specialist for assistance.
99. (U/ /FOUO) The computer specialist described Deutch as a "fairly advanced" computer user who sought and used software that was considered to be above average in complexity. Deutch was further described as having "more than a passing interest in technology" and asking complex computer-related questions. The computer specialist found that Deutch "kept you on your toes"' with questions that required research [for] the answers. Deutch was also described as having a heightened interest in the subject of encryption for computers. The computer specialist recalled that all computer equipment issued to Deutch was appropriately labeled for classified or unclassified work.
100. (U/ /FOUO) The computer specialist remembered a conversation with Deutch on the subject of computer operating systems creating temporary documents and files. This conversation occurred while the computer specialist restored information on Deutch's computer after it had failed (i.e., crashed). Deutch watched as documents were recovered and asked how the data could be restored. Deutch was also curious about the utility software that was used to recover the documents. The computer specialist explained to Deutch that data was regularly stored in temporary files and could be recovered. Deutch appeared to be "impressed" with the recovery process.
101. (U/ /FOUO) During another discussion, the computer specialist recalled telling Deutch that classified information could not be moved to or processed on an unclassified computer for security reasons.
102. (U/ /FOUO) The computer specialist considered Deutch to be a knowledgeable Internet user who had initially utilized this medium while a member of the scientific community at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. During September 1996 and while Deutch was still serving as DCI, the unclassified CIA Internet web page was altered by a group of Swedish hackers. During discussions with the computer specialist concerning this incident, Deutch acknowledged that the Internet afforded the opportunity for the compromise of information.
103. (U/ /FOUO) C/ ISMS, who supervised computer support provided to Deutch from the time of his arrival at CIA through October 1996, considered Deutch to be a computer "super user." Deutch only sought assistance when computer equipment was in need of repair or he desired additional software. The computer support supervisor stated that all unclassified computers and PCMCIA cards that were provided for Deutch's use had green labels indicating they were for unclassified purposes.
[...]
HAD DEUTCH PREVIOUSLY BEEN FOUND TO HAVE MISHANDLED CLASSIFIED INFORMATION?
105. (U/ /FOUO) Beginning in 1977, when he was the Director of Energy Research at the Department of Energy (DoE), Deutch had a series of positions with U.S. Government agencies that required proper handling and safeguarding of classified information to include sensitive compartmented information and DoE restricted data.
106. (U/ /FOUO) From 1982 to 1988, Deutch was a paid consultant to the CIA's National Intelligence Council. In 1984, he was also under contract to the CIA's Directorate of Intelligence, Office of Scientific Weapons and Research, serving as a member of the DCI's Nuclear Intelligence Panel.
107. (U/ /FOUO) [CIA records reflect Deutch had problems before becoming Director with regard to the handling of classified information. Other specific information on security processing and practices has been deleted due to its level of classification.] Deutch served as DoD's Undersecretary for Acquisitions and Technology and Deputy Secretary of Defense prior to his appointment as DCI.
[snip]
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Tell you what.... That LOVEBUG virus-scheme might be Deutch's Parthian shot at the US administration --after all, his resume clearly indicates that he is sufficiently versed in computer gear to be capable of engineering such a vicious computer virus.
Gus. |
