The Secret Service is, or at least ought to be, one of the most trusted agencies in the nation. That doesn’t make them perfect, but major slip-ups have occurred before where they lost sensitive information, firearms and even badges. We even witnessed an agent refusing to to her job in protecting the president. Makes one wonder how just how ‘protected’ this President is in comparision with previous commanders in chief. President Trump employs his own private security detail to augment the work of the Secret Service, it would seem to be a very wise thing to do.
With the disappearance of one of their laptop computers containing highly sensitive information, tensions are bound to increase as inquiries are initiated.
Authorities are frantically searching for a Secret Service-issued laptop — containing floor plans for Trump Tower, information about the Hillary Clinton email investigation and other national security information — that was stolen from an agent’s car in Brooklyn, police sources told the Daily News Friday.
The computer was lifted Thursday morning and officials are trying to determine if Agent Marie Argentieri was targeted or if the robbery was random.
NYPD cops are assisting in the investigation, sources said.
“It’s a very big deal,” a police source said. “There’s data on there that’s highly sensitive. They’re scrambling like mad.”
That doesn’t sound good, does it? One might wonder if the laptop has some security software on it that prevents anyone but its owner from accessing its data. One would also be right to doubt the ironclad effectiveness of any such security measures.
Sources and neighbors said the thief stepped out of a dark-colored sedan, possibly an Uber, and darted into Argentieri’s Bath Beach driveway about 3 a.m.
He grabbed the computer, a backpack, and other goods and walked away, sources said.
The crook, dressed in black, didn’t get back in the car he arrived in. He was seen on surveillance video strolling away from the brick home wearing a backpack and holding a laptop, sources said.
This presents many questions and problems. Did the person know what he was stealing, or what it a random theft? The longer this laptop is in the person’s possession, assuming he can defeat any security software on it, the more likely the sensitive information is to be copied and passed on to others.
The agency said the device doesn’t contain classified information but could be used to access a server that does.
“Secret Service-issued laptops contain multiple layers of security, including full disk encryption and are not permitted to contain classified information,” Holtzclaw said. “An investigation is ongoing, and the Secret Service is withholding additional comment until the facts are gathered.”
So the Secret Services says. This ends with the usual request for help from the public.
“If anyone has information that can assist in the investigation of this incident they are encouraged to contact the NYPD or the US Secret Service Field Office,” the NYPD said in a statement.
In the meantime, it looks like the Secret Service needs to tighten up its own security. Or, in a worse case scenario, weed out Obama ‘sleeper cells’ and landmines.
Source: NY Daily News
B******t,they sold it