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| Down Under |
| Airport theft shocks Australia |
| 2003-09-05 |
| From the best theft of the week files: Australian authorities have ordered an urgent review of security at Sydney’s international airport after the theft of two mainframe computers from a restricted customs area. It is believed they were taken by two men posing as technicians at the end of August. The federal government is investigating the security breach, but has denied media reports in Australia that the computers held thousands of confidential files. The two suspected thieves told guards they were employees of the airport’s computer department. They were allowed to enter the customs division mainframe room, which is a high-security zone. The men spent two hours disconnecting the computers, before calmly walking out, pushing the machines on trolleys. Sweet. Just goes to show that you can steal anything with a phoney work order and a large set of balls. The government has insisted that no sensitive information was kept on the computers. Of course not. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper had claimed that top security communications between customs investigators, the federal police and Australia’s main domestic spy agency ASIO had been lost. Sounds like somebody trying to eliminate evidence of a crime. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #3 Usual interminable discussion on Slashdot, if anyone's interested... |
| Posted by: Old Grouch 2003-9-5 8:40:23 PM |
| #2 This is unliely to be theft as the term "main frame" to me means cannot be sold at a pawnshop for crack money. |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2003-9-5 11:43:49 AM |
| #1 Maybe not: Two men described as being of Middle-Eastern appearance walked out of the intelligence center at Sydney International Airport with two computers, prompting fears Australia's security has been breached by terrorists. The men, dressed as computer technicians, presented themselves to the security desk Aug. 27 as employees of a company that regularly provides service to the airport's cargo processing and intelligence center, according to The Age newspaper of Melbourne, Australia. The men were given access to the top-security mainframe room after supplying false names and signatures, and they seemed to know where to go, the paper said. Responding to stern memos from national counter-terror officials, the Australian Customs Service insisted no sensitive information had been lost, The Age reported. But customs officers issued angry denials, contending the two mainframe servers held thousands of confidential files related to operations against terrorists and international drug cartels. As they say, developing. |
| Posted by: Steve 2003-9-5 9:31:13 AM |