80 Missing Computers At Los Alamos Lab

[n2doc]

February 14th, 2009 in Technology / Other

Eighty computers have been lost, stolen or gone "missing" at a major US nuclear weapons lab, the nonprofit watchdog group Project On Government Oversight (POGO) has said.

The group posted online a copy of what they say is an internal letter outlining what appear to be worrisome losses at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the state of New Mexico.
The letter says that 13 lab computers were lost or stolen during the past year, three of the machines taken from an employee's home in January. Another 67 computers are deemed "missing."
"The magnitude of exposure and risk to the laboratory is at best unclear as little data on these losses has been collected or pursued," the letter dated February 3 maintains.
The letter, addressed to Department of Energy security officials, contends that "cyber security issues were not engaged in a timely manner" because the computer losses were treated as a "property management issue."

more:
http://www.physorg.com/news153825475.html

[ShortnFiery]

1. Last week Mike Malloy was talking about this theft in a way that was seriously FRIGHTENING!

I want to read more (hopefully feel comforted) about how throughly our NUCLEAR ARSENAL is protected and safeguarded. :scared:

[shraby]

2. Los Alamos is always losing stuff. A couple

of years ago it was some computer discs, and at the time some earlier stuff that was missing was cited.

[ThomWV]

3. There have also been more spys there than any other National Lab, by far.

At least spys exposed or caught. Who knows about the California labs?

[valerief]

4. Again? nt

[Joanne98]

5. Bechtel is in charge of security. Bush and Cheney sabotaged it.

They tried to get the contract changed to Texas but it didn't work. So they've decided to STEAL information.

LOS ALAMOS, N.M., November 25, 2008 — Today, Los Alamos National Laboratory announced that Isaac “Ike” Richardson has been selected to be the new deputy director, effective February 1, 2009. Richardson will replace Jan Van Prooyen, who--after three years at the Laboratory and a distinguished 43-year career in national security matters--has announced his plans to retire in early 2009.

Van Prooyen joined the Lab from Bechtel in 2006, following the NNSA’s selection of Los Alamos National Security, LLC to operate the Laboratory.

“I want to thank Jan for his commitment to the Laboratory, valuable insights, and leadership over the last three years,” said Laboratory Director Mike Anastasio. “At the same time, I welcome Ike and believe that his experience and skills will complement and enhance the strong leadership team that the Laboratory has in place.”

Richardson brings 37 years of leadership experience to Los Alamos. He spent 31 years in the U.S. Navy, where he attained the rank of rear admiral. He commanded the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and provided strategic direction of large, complex organizations, such as the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier program.

http://www.lanl.gov/news/index.php/fuseaction/home.story/story_id/15173

An academic-industrial team led by the University of California and engineering firm Bechtel National Inc. has been awarded a seven-year contract to run the Energy Department's Los Alamos National Laboratory in northern New Mexico.

Los Alamos National Laboratory Photo
Team Effort Los Alamos National Laboratory will now be managed by UCLA and Bechtel

Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman announced at a Dec. 21 news conference that the UC-Bechtel team beat out a rival joint bid led by the University of Texas and defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

"This is a new contract with a new team, marking a new approach to the management of Los Alamos, one that will benefit the national security of the U.S. through superb science," Bodman said. "It is not a continuation of the previous contract."

It was the first time in the 63-year history of the nation's premier nuclear weapons lab that the contract had been open to competition. UC has run the lab on its own since the facility was created during World War II to design and build an atomic bomb.

The new management and operations contract, which takes effect on June 1, 2006, is worth up to $79 million a year. The Los Alamos lab will also get a new director—Michael Anastasio, who is currently head of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. He will replace Interim Director Robert W. Kuckuck.

Former energy chief Spencer Abraham announced the competition in April 2003 after a series of safety, security, and management lapses brought the lab and UC under critical scrutiny by Congress and DOE's inspector general. Problems included "missing" classified computer disks that turned out to be an accounting error.

An eight-member board comprising career civil servants from throughout the nuclear weapons complex has been evaluating contract proposals since July. Los Alamos National Security LLC, a limited liability corporation made up of UC, Bechtel, BWX Technologies Inc., and the Washington Group International Inc., will run the lab under the new agreement.

Chemical & Engineering News
http://pubs.acs.org/cen/news/83/i52/8352labs.html

[bananas]

6. They're going to start showing up on milk bottles.