The Pentagon Investigates Air Force Employee for Security Breach
By Isabel Vincent | July 29, 2023 | 2:58pm
The Pentagon has launched an investigation into an Air Force employee accused of being responsible for a security breach that resulted in the theft of government radio technology worth $90,000. This breach has created a “critical compromise” of communication systems affecting 17 Air Force facilities, according to a search warrant obtained by Forbes.
The warrant also revealed that the breach may impact FBI communications, raising concerns about potential security vulnerabilities. The government was alerted to the breach by a contractor working with the Arnold Air Force Base in Tullahoma, Tennessee. Subsequently, a raid was conducted on the engineer’s home.
Although the engineer, aged 48, has not been charged with any crime, the Forbes report has not disclosed his identity. It is alleged that he had “unauthorized administrator access” to radio communications technology used by the Air Education and Training Command (ATEC), which affects 17 Department of Defense installations.
This breach marks yet another incident of security compromise within the Pentagon. Just three months ago, Jack Teixeira, an employee of the Air National Guard, was accused of leaking sensitive information regarding the war in Ukraine on the social platform Discord. Teixeira has pleaded not guilty.
During the raid on the Air Force engineer’s home, authorities discovered an open computer screen showcasing the suspect running radio programming software containing the entire communications system of Arnold Air Force Base. Additionally, evidence suggests that the engineer had access to FBI and Tennessee state agencies, although the nature and extent of the compromised information remain undisclosed.
Both the Pentagon and the FBI have refrained from commenting on the search warrant publicly. The investigation into this critical compromise is ongoing, and further updates are expected.