Note that there are different levels of "secret" when it comes to this stuff. Given the size of that meeting (20+ people) and the reaction, I'd be surprised if the topic matter was more secret than how much the defense agencies pay their employees - secret, no doubt, but not exactly the nuclear launch codes.
Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
21–30 of 94 posts
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#22The conference chair couldn't help giggling. What was it he said? "Hey you better hang up before the police arrives"?
It's very serious stuff, it's not funny. Someone leaves their doors unlocked it doesn't mean you should be entering. More importantly, how on bloody earth are defence discussions happening in a situation that can so easily be defeated. The officials themselves are to blame for blatantly terrible security protocols.
I think it's better to have a journalist step in and warn you about your door being open, rather than having someone with bad intentions sneak in, don't you think?
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#23Its amazing how well they took it, laughing and all
Probably because they secretly knew that if word gets out real fast (which it won't because it'll controlled by them), they'll all be booted from office.
Sure word got out, but it need not reach most of the populace.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#24EU has no defense anyway so this is not entirely disastrous, though still very unacceptable.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#25One of the ways China managed to hack into America's F35 (or F22) fighter development program was listening into a conference call of various vendors discussing project status.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#26Of course they respond with the obligatory "we'll report this to the authorities", rather than "thank you for pointing this out in a harmless way we'll do better".
It was humor... The "threatener" was laughing, the audience was laughing, and the journalist laughed too.
Probably the best response you can hope for in the moment.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#27Its amazing how well they took it, laughing and all
Probably because they secretly knew that if word gets out real fast (which it won't because it'll controlled by them), they'll all be booted from office. Sure word got out, but it need not reach most of the populace.
This is on BBC.com's frontpage.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#28The conference chair couldn't help giggling. What was it he said? "Hey you better hang up before the police arrives"?
It's very serious stuff, it's not funny. Someone leaves their doors unlocked it doesn't mean you should be entering. More importantly, how on bloody earth are defence discussions happening in a situation that can so easily be defeated. The officials themselves are to blame for blatantly terrible security protocols.
This is by far the most effective way to make sure said door is locked in the future. This guy deserves a reward.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#29They're laughing right now, but really these kinds of mistakes are telling how weak the security of various agencies are.
EU militaries are a joke tbf. Apart from France and (formerly) the UK, most of them can't do shit except sell firearms to Arab despots. I think someone from Romania here mentioned that they trust the US to protect them more than they trust France or Germany.
If the EU is to become independent from the US as Macron wants it to, then that's going to have to change.
Re: Dutch journalist gatecrashes EU defence video conference
#30According to a screenshot that the journalist posted on Twitter, it appears like the video conference session is browser-based, and the pin and username are in the browser URL in plaintext.
So then if you can see anyone's screen, or any clear photo of it, you can easily join the conference. Seems like very poor security design if that's so
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/EnRlaFeWMAQzyIS?format=jpg
The software URL format looks similar to that used by Pexip.com