Until mid-2005 "everyone" on the WH computer network had access to the central email files

[sabra]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hKKWSY_43nHexg55YcW2X9YXNayAD8V27J100

WASHINGTON (AP) — A computer expert who worked at the White House provided the first inside look at its e-mail system Tuesday, calling it a "primitive" setup that created a "high" risk that data would be lost.

Steven McDevitt's written statements placed on the public record at a congressional hearing asserted that a study by White House technical staff in October 2005 turned up an estimated 1,000 days on which e-mail was missing.

...

McDevitt's statements detailed shortcomings that he said have plagued the White House e-mail system for six years. He declared that:

_The White House had no complete inventory of e-mail files.

_There was no automatic system to ensure that e-mails were archived and preserved.

_Until mid-2005 the e-mail system had serious security flaws, in which "everyone" on the White House computer network had access to e-mail. McDevitt wrote that the "potential impact" of the security flaw was that there was no way to verify that retained data had not been modified.

[TooBigaTent]

1. The system they set up performed exactly as they wanted it to. nt

[ConcernedCanuk]

2. I don't believe that for a nanosecond - we'd have tons of evil evidence if it was that vulnerable.

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The "loss" conveniently started shortly before the invasion and occupation of Iraq.

Gimme a break.

This stinks.

[formercia]

3. Plausible denial

It could have been anyone. D'oh.

[NashVegas]

4. If The Files Were That Insecure, It's a Safe Bet That Someone Copied Them

For future insurance policies.

[sabra]

5. maybe Geraldo will find it in Cheney's vault?