The dates of the documents to the type of paper they were printed on are all essential early signs for U.S. spies trying to discover who leaked classified notes about American surveillance on allies and the Ukraine / Russia war.
According to officials, some documents look like they were produced on A4 paper, the European equivalent to 8.5 x 11-inch paper in the US.
Foreign adversaries may have been keen to sow a rift between the United States and its allies, according to Daniel Hoffman, a former CIA station head in Moscow and one of the agency’s greatest spymasters.
According to Hoffman, this places the US State Department in a bind.
Most of the 53 documents published this week are from Feb. 23 and Mar. 1. If the documents were printed out, investigators could trace their origin using the sequentially numbered sheets produced by secure printers.
Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) said the leak happened in January but wasn’t noticed until April.
National Security Advisor John Bolton is concerned that a new wave of hacks would be encouraged by the light sentences handed out to previous leakers like Bradley (now transgendered as Chelsea) Manning and hackers like Russia’s Cozy Bear group.
Chief of Staff for the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA), Eric Smith, warned personnel not to use government or private devices to look for the leaked data online, as it is still classified despite publication and widespread coverage by civilian media.
In addition, workers shouldn’t speculate about possible leaks of classified material or share it with anyone who isn’t allowed to see it. The intentional or careless disclosure of classified information is a criminal offense. If malicious intent existed, the consequences might be much more severe, including termination and criminal charges.
DLA’s data security program manager, Matt Baker, emphasized the importance of being careful, especially in high-traffic areas where classified paperwork may quickly become mixed up with unclassified paperwork. He stressed that everyone in the company, including those without clearance, was responsible for maintaining security.
