Police control of classified information
Mark Lomas
ukcrypto at chiark.greenend.org.uk
Mon, 13 Apr 2009 22:27:30 +0100
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2009/4/12 Roland Perry <lists@internetpolicyagency.com>
> In article <20090412223135.114806x8csu9jans@webmail01.purplecloud.com>,
> signup@bealoid.co.uk writes
>
>> What would be a suitably secure way to carry SECRET papers around inside
>>> an otherwise secure building like No10 - a genuine question.
>>>
>>
> Inside a building I'm guessing you have document safes, locked office
>> doors, areas restricted to some personnel, strict vetting, warnings about
>> Official Secrets and disciplinary procedure for people who don't lock the
>> cupboards. It's amazing that there aren't more leaks of sensitive
>> information.
>>
>
> Especially given the number of visitors, and the difficulty of carrying a
> document safe from one locked room to another, just to have a meeting about
> some paper or other.
>
> Outside a building there's suddenly a much bigger risk to the document. All
>> kinds of stuff can happen that leaves the document outside the carrier's
>> control. Especially if the carrier is absent minded and leaves the document
>> / laptop in a taxi, in a rental car, in plain view of press, etc.
>>
>
> We are back where I came in - the Westminster "campus" theory, and the
> extension of people's office-space to their official cars (not public
> transport).
>
> What kind of procedure would "normal" rules require for a SECRET document
> being carried from (say) Scotland Yard to No 10, or the Home Office?
>
I think it reasonable to expect that an Assistant Commissioner should carry
a laptop computer. Such a laptop should have full disc encryption software -
CESG has approved several choices. I find it hard to believe that it was
necessary to print, let alone carry, the document that A.C. Quick took to
Downing Street.
The newspaper stories have concentrated upon the mistake in carrying the
document - which I agree was a mistake. However, and I consciously repeat
myself, I think his mistake was earlier.
Mark
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<br>
<div class=3D"gmail_quote">2009/4/12 Roland Perry <span dir=3D"ltr"><<a =
href=3D"mailto:lists@internetpolicyagency.com">lists@internetpolicyagency.c=
om</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">In article <<a href=3D"mailto=
:20090412223135.114806x8csu9jans@webmail01.purplecloud.com" target=3D"_blan=
k">20090412223135.114806x8csu9jans@webmail01.purplecloud.com</a>>, <a hr=
ef=3D"mailto:signup@bealoid.co.uk" target=3D"_blank">signup@bealoid.co.uk</=
a> writes=20
<div class=3D"im"><br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">What would be a suitably secure =
way to carry SECRET papers =A0 around inside an otherwise secure building l=
ike No10 - a genuine =A0 question.<br>
</blockquote></blockquote><br></div>
<div class=3D"im">
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Inside a building I'm guessi=
ng you have document safes, locked office doors, areas restricted to some p=
ersonnel, strict vetting, warnings about Official Secrets and disciplinary =
procedure for people who don't lock the cupboards. =A0 It's amazing=
that there aren't more leaks of sensitive information.<br>
</blockquote><br></div>Especially given the number of visitors, and the dif=
ficulty of carrying a document safe from one locked room to another, just t=
o have a meeting about some paper or other.=20
<div class=3D"im"><br><br>
<blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"PADDING-LEFT: 1ex; MARGIN: 0px 0=
px 0px 0.8ex; BORDER-LEFT: #ccc 1px solid">Outside a building there's s=
uddenly a much bigger risk to the document. All kinds of stuff can happen t=
hat leaves the document outside the carrier's control. =A0Especially if=
the carrier is absent minded and leaves the document / laptop in a taxi, i=
n a rental car, in plain view of press, etc.<br>
</blockquote><br></div>We are back where I came in - the Westminster "=
campus" theory, and the extension of people's office-space to thei=
r official cars (not public transport).<br><br>What kind of procedure would=
"normal" rules require for a SECRET document being carried from =
(say) Scotland Yard to No 10, or the Home Office?<br>
</blockquote>
<div>I think it reasonable to expect that an Assistant Commissioner should =
carry a laptop computer. Such a laptop should have full disc encryption sof=
tware - CESG has approved several choices. I find it hard to believe that i=
t was necessary to print, let alone carry, the document that A.C. Quick too=
k to Downing Street.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>The newspaper stories have concentrated upon the mistake in carrying t=
he document - which I agree was a mistake. However, and I consciously repea=
t myself, I think his mistake was earlier.</div>
<div>=A0</div>
<div>Mark</div></div>
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