WikiLeaks spurs NASA to emphasize information protection

Reacting to recent disclosures of classified information by WikiLeaks, NASA issued a warning on Dec. 3 to all of its employees reminding them of the importance of safeguarding classified information.

In a short memo obtained by SpaceRef.com, NASA reminded employees that classified information, even if posted in the public domain, “remains classified and should not be accessed, downloaded, copied, or retransmitted utilizing government IT resources or equipment.” The memo also stated that the WikiLeaks site has been blocked by the NASA Headquarters Information Technology and Communications Division to prevent the spilling of classified information from agency computers that could be published on WikiLeaks.

The chief of NASA’s Headquarters Security Office, Paul Raudenbush, declined to comment further on the memo for Federal Computer Week. 

The memo also stated that employees should review all of NASA’s security policies so the agency could stay in compliance with various federal laws concerning the handling of classified information; “including but not limited to Executive Order 13526, Classified National Security Information (Dec. 20, 2009) and its implementing directive 32 C.F.R Part 2001 (June 25, 2010).”

Specifically, the memo told employees to overview four security information documents to stay in compliance with federal laws:

• NPR 1600.1, NASA Security Program Procedural Requirements w/Change (04/01/2009).
• NPR 2810.1A, NASA Information Security Policy.
• Basic IT Security for 2010 (SATERN).
• NASA Headquarters Security Awareness Training 2010 (SATERN).