The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.
© 2024 AFPParis Olympics security plans stolen from train
PARIS©2025 GPlusMedia Inc.
The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.
© 2024 AFP
25 Comments
Login to comment
ClippetyClop
"In the event of any kind of security issue, tear gas the entire block".
virusrex
Typical security rules for people that take out sensitive information in portable formats say to never be separated from the bag containing that information. It would be difficult to think that does not apply in this case, which unfortunately became a very clear example of why such rules exist.
Yubaru
Rather surprised that anyone with access to that level of information would casually handle it in the manner that they did. They should have been on possession of the bag the entire time, and one can never be 100% sure, yet he could have been targeted as well.
Speed
This is a pretty big "Oops". Could sell the info for a lot of mullah to terrorist organizations.
Peter Neil
Inspector Jacques Clouseau must have been carry them.
masterblaster
Hopefully the USBs are encrypted and the computer requires authentication beyond a simple password that can be easily cracked.
shogun36
I'm sure this is all just a part of the plan. Has no one seen the Ocean's 11 movies?
socrateos
Why don't they just call the Lost and Found office?
TokyoLiving
And this is the begginning..
virusrex
Encryption does not guarantee the information will not be accessible, it just make it much more difficult to do it. With enough time and a powerful enough incentive it is still possible someone will get the plans.
And seeing how the person carrying the info was not even cautious enough to keep the bag in his hands all the time it is even likely the information was not encrypted in the first place.
Because that would not solve the problem, even if the media is found, that someone took it means it is safer to assume all the information has been copied already.
Strangerland
That's somewhat true, but not really applicable to the current hypothetical situation. Eventually almost all current encryption will be eventually crackable. However, realistically the stronger algorithms in place today are, on a practical level, not yet crackable.
https://security.stackexchange.com/a/4528
Eventually, when quantum computing becomes a thing, almost all current encyrption algorithms will be crackable. Interestingly, starting with the next Apple iOS release, messages will be encrypted with an encryption that is meant to not even be crackable by quantum computers, making Apple forward thinking in their protection of user information.
https://www.wired.com/story/apple-pq3-post-quantum-encryption/
kohakuebisu
Along with a special delivery of a "beumb"
virusrex
Usually people that encrypt properly the information also have proper security protocols and training that would make this incident happening very difficult to believe. Poor training would make it natural to expect also weak encryption.
Strangerland
Or a mistake by someone well trained. Either is plausible, and without more information, we cannot know.
It's really not that hard to encrypt USB sticks these days though, and many company computers will have software installed that does not allow data to be written to an unencrypted drive. It requires no technical skill upon the user, rather is imposed upon them by the system. They plug in a flash drive, and it says 'this drive must be encrypted to write to it. Would you like to encrypt this drive?' and if they say no, it's readonly.
I know this, because we do it.
Now whether the French Police do this... I have no idea whether they do or not. My knowledge of things French is very limited.
John-San
And who would need a decent security plan ? Israel's Mossad.
Strangerland
Or any of an infinite amount of other possibilities...
Strangerland
And later too.
WA4TKG
Off to a great start
Daniel Neagari
Whaaaaat?
This cannot be true, but if it in France were (form some commentators here) the people and procedures there are near to perfection.
Like, high security plans in a bag, which the porter put in to the overhead compartment, instead of haveing them "sticked" to the porter himself?
As someone already said... this must be a trap set in the style of Ocean's 11 or Lupin...
Legrande
Ringing endorsement ensuring the safety of Olympic visitors lol
Paris is very well known for pickpockets and thieves who target tourists, unfortunately
TrevorPeace
Time for Plan B.
theFu
All portable devices need encrypted storage and for the device to be locked, if not fully turned off, whenever moving between buildings. Use 2FA to unlock the storage.
Standard practice here and has been nearly 20 yrs.
Why was the laptop provided without encryption? Makes no sense in the world today.