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Pentagon Says Identified Areas to Improve Security Posture in Light of Teixeira Leak

Sputnik News

20230705

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - The US Department of Defense (DoD) said on Wednesday that following a 45-day review it has found several areas where the department should improve its security posture and accountability measures in light of the Jack Teixeira leakage incident.

"The review found that the overwhelming majority of DoD personnel with access to classified national security information (CNSI) comply with security policies, processes, and procedures, and recognize the importance of information security in maintaining our national security," the department said in a press release. "The review also identified areas where the Department should improve its security posture and accountability measures."

Such areas include improving individual and collective accountability for CNSI, security posture at facilities used to develop, process, and store CNSI, and information sharing to ensure both appropriate security clearance eligibility determination by the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency and appropriate access management by unit commanders, supervisors, and their personnel, the release added.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in a memorandum for department senior leaders ordered to develop a centralized tracking system for facilities that require special access and contain sensitive information by no later than December 31.

Austin also ordered the senior military leadership to issue policy guidance to ensure that US military personnel certify their adherence to policies prohibiting the use of personal or portable electronic devices within designated facilities.

Austin ordered the DoD review after Teixeira, a 21-year-old US Air National Guardsman, allegedly transmitted classified information beginning in or around January 2022. The documents purportedly contained information regarding the conflict in Ukraine, US espionage activities, and other national security matters.

Teixeira was indicted on six counts of willful retention and transmission of classified information relating to national defense in June. Each one of these charges could garner him up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000.

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