Military officials in the British Ministry of Defense released a highly sensitive document about nuclear submarine security with key sections redacted simply by changing the background color from white to black.
The document was given an official release following a Freedom of Information request by anti-nuclear campaigners. Under British law, any information requested by the public must be released unless doing so would be against the national interest. Even then, documents can be redacted to remove sensitive data.
Redaction, though, usually means actually removing the sensitive stuff. Not just changing the background color.
Anyone with enough computer sense to set up a webmail account – or, you know, just open Word – could have copied and pasted the entire text from the top secret document and read it at their leisure. Or forwarded it to friends. Or posted it on Facebook. Needless to say, the MoD has issued a groveling apology and promised not to do it again.
Coming soon from the UK government: plans for the Royal Wedding in a PowerPoint deck. Don’t worry, all the secret stuff is safe, because they dragged photos of Will and Kate on top of it all.
(Via BBC)