Pentagon Reveals Theft Of 24,000 Files From Unnamed Contractor

A foreign intelligence service hacked a U.S. Department of Defense contractor in March and stole some 24,000 military files, a DoD official revealed today.

In a speech to unveil the DoD's Strategy for Operating in Cyberspace (PDF), Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn told an audience at the National Defense University that the theft was one of the largest ever to hit a Pentagon supplier.

According to news reports, Lynn told reporters after the speech that "it was done, we think, by a foreign intelligence service. In other words, a nation-state was behind it."

Lynn declined to name the supplier whose files were stolen or to name the nation-state suspected of stealing the information. He also would not say what types of files were stolen in this specific attack, but he did say that during the years, the DoD and its suppliers have lost files containing plans for missile tracking systems, satellite navigation devices, surveillance drones, and jet fighters.

As expected, the newly unveiled military cyberdefense plan provides general directions, but few details on the DoD's strategy for protecting military networks. The DoD said it will work with other government agencies, as well as the governments of U.S. allies, to shore up the defenses of its networks.

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