The Pentagon is investigating a “critical compromise” of communications across 17 US air force facilities, according to reports.
The US Department of Defense’s investigation comes amid a tip from a base contractor that a 48-year-old engineer at the Arnold air force base in Tennessee had taken home various government radio technologies, Forbes first reported on Friday.
According to a search warrant obtained by investigators and reviewed by Forbes, the equipment allegedly taken by the engineer cost nearly $90,000. It also added that when law enforcement agents searched his home, they found that he had “unauthorized administrator access” to radio communication technology used by the Air Education and Training Command (AETC), which is one of the nine major commands of the air force and in turn affected 17 defense department installations.
Investigators also found an open computer screen that showed the engineer running a Motorola radio programming software. According to the warrant, the software “contained the entire Arnold air force base (AAFB) communications system”, Forbes reported.
The outlet also reported that, according to the warrant, a document detailing the forensics on technologies seized from the engineer’s home revealed that he had a USB which contained “administrative passwords and electronic system keys” for the AETC radio network.
Other items seized included flash drives that contained “local law enforcement radio programming files” and “Motorola radio programming files” which presented a warning banner that indicated they were government property.
Installer files which were recovered in the search opened with a “CONFIDENTIAL RESTRICTED” pop-up, according to Forbes.
The warrant also recounted how witnesses and co-workers informed investigators that the engineer had allegedly “sold radios and radio equipment, worked odd hours, was arrogant, frequently lied, displayed inappropriate workplace behavior and sexual harassment, had financial problems, and possessed [Arnold air force base land mobile radio] equipment”.
It added that a colleague had reported him twice due to “insider threat indicators” as well as unauthorized possession of air force equipment, according to investigators.
Investigators also reported to have found evidence which indicated that the searched contractor had possible access to FBI communications, as well as Tennessee state agencies, Forbes reported. The FBI is working alongside the air force on the investigation, according to the outlet.
Forbes has not yet disclosed the engineer’s name as he has not been charged. However, the outlet reported that according to his LinkedIn page, the engineer has an extensive history in cybersecurity and radio communications.
“He claims to have carried out numerous tests of the Arnold air force base’s security, improved protection of radio communications on the site and had knowledge of the encryption used on government data,” Forbes reported.
The Forbes report comes only three months after one of the worst leaks in US intelligence in over a decade. In that case, 21-year-old Jack Teixeira, an air national guardsman at the time, was arrested on suspicion of leaking hundreds of Pentagon documents.
He has since been charged under the Espionage Act.
In another potential security issue facing the government, the New York Times reported on Saturday that the Joe Biden White House was hunting alleged Chinese malware that it believes is hidden across various American facilities.
The malware is a “ticking timebomb” that could allow China to interrupt or hinder American military deployments by cutting off power, water and various communication channels to US military bases, according to one congressional official speaking to the New York Times.
The outlet also reports that more than a dozen government officials and experts said the government effort to track down and eliminate the malware has been “under way for some time”, although the full extent of the code’s presence across various networks remains unknown due to how deeply it is hidden.
In a statement to the New York Times, a national security council spokesperson said that the Biden administration was “working relentlessly to defend the United States from any disruptions to our critical infrastructure, including by coordinating interagency efforts to protect water systems, pipelines, rail and aviation systems, among others”.
