Chinese Spy "Slept" in US for 2 Decades

[Marauder06]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/02/AR2008040203952.html?nav=rss_nation

Prosecutors called Chi Mak the "perfect sleeper agent," though he hardly looked the part. For two decades, the bespectacled Chinese-born engineer lived quietly with his wife in a Los Angeles suburb, buying a house and holding a steady job with a U.S. defense contractor, which rewarded him with promotions and a security clearance. Colleagues remembered him as a hard worker who often took paperwork home at night.

"Taking work home at night" is often an indicator, especially if that "work" is classified...

 

[Typhoon]

"Taking work home at night" is often an indicator, especially if that "work" is classified...

Good point. My dad, who worked in a defense related industry in a former era would have immediately lost his job if he had left the plant with such materials...

 

[Marauder06]

With our country's "instant gratification" culture, I think a lot of people just don't realize how far in advance our enemies plan.

 

[JBS]

It still amazes me that we have such enormous differences between how different government facilities function. Taking paperwork home?

If employees can take work home, then why put card readers on the doors of the office?

 

[Scotth]

USB Memory sticks are a big threat for lost data and makes for a security problem.

 

[HoosierAnnie]

Taking paperwork home? If employees can take work home, then why put card readers on the doors of the office?

As part of the health care industry, I am forbidden to "take work home" on anything that might have individual patient information on it. This is a violation of the health information privacy act. Should we not take even stronger attention to items that effect national security??

 

[car]

USB Memory sticks are a big threat for lost data and makes for a security problem.

We're about to ban their use in this command.

 

[Paddlefoot]

Good point. My dad, who worked in a defense related industry in a former era would have immediately lost his job if he had left the plant with such materials...

OTOH, my dad once came home driving a company car, a station wagon, holding one of the most sophisticated aerial recon cameras ever built. He was taking it out west to deliver to the AF for testing.

He was scheduled to leave the next day, and the camera was going to be accompanying him on the commercial flight. As I understood, he was allowed to observe it being loaded and unloaded at the airports.

I didn't think too much of it at the time, but I doubt that would ever happen these days. It's pretty funny, in retrospect.

 

[Marauder06]

USB Memory sticks are a big threat for lost data and makes for a security problem.

Roger, that's why so many organizations ban their use.

 

[Totentanz]

Good point. My dad, who worked in a defense related industry in a former era would have immediately lost his job if he had left the plant with such materials...

Still occurs at some (several) places in this era.

 

[Frisco]

Roger, that's why so many organizations ban their use.

All of the computers in my CAD class at school have USB flash drives disabled. . . where the computer can't recognize them..