FBI Investigates Classified US Intel Leak on Israel

Leak or Hack?

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Department of Defense are currently working to determine how two highly classified intelligence documents related to Israel's potential retaliatory attack on Iran were leaked on a Middle East news-related Telegram channel. The White House has expressed deep concern over this serious breach and confirmed that an intense investigation is underway to ascertain how the leak occurred and who had access to the documents. As of now, it remains unconfirmed whether the documents were made public through a hack or a leak by an individual with access to them.

Details of the Leaked Documents

The documents were created by the US National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and National Security Agency and were marked "Top Secret". They were restricted from distribution to most foreign allies, with the exception of countries belonging to the "Five Eyes". The White House has stated that they do not believe more documents were breached beyond the two which were made public.

Investigation Progress

According to CNN, investigators currently suspect that the intel documents were leaked by someone within the US intelligence community. The FBI is leading the investigation, in collaboration with Pentagon investigators and the intelligence community. Investigators have been working to authenticate the documents and determine who could have had access to them. This focus suggests that the FBI and other investigators are operating on the theory that the breach most likely came from a government insider rather than a cyber intrusion.

Tracking Down the Culprit

Statements from the FBI suggest that authorities are getting close to identifying the person responsible for the leak. Although both documents were available to a relatively large pool of US intelligence analysts and officials, one of them appears to have been scanned from a printed briefing book. This could provide investigators with a critical starting point, as the Defense Department, like other federal agencies, tracks when employees print classified documents. The pool of people who printed these pages would be relatively small.

Past Precedent

This method of tracking is how US Air Force veteran and former NSA translator Reality Winner was caught. She printed a single classified document from her work computer and then anonymously mailed it to The Intercept. It was an NSA document related to alleged 'Russian interference' in the 2016 United States elections, which involved some phishing scams and efforts at breaching voting software. The document itself was relatively vague. Government investigators were able to very quickly determine which printer was used, and which NSA employee viewed it.

Bottom Line

The leak of classified US intelligence documents is a serious matter that has raised concerns about the security of sensitive information. The ongoing investigation is crucial in identifying the source of the leak and preventing future breaches. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do you think the leak was an inside job or a cyber attack? Share this article with your friends and join the discussion. Remember, you can sign up for the Daily Briefing, which is every day at 6 pm.