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Officer did not hack military internal server: MND

ROC Central News Agency

2016/08/16 20:58:32

Taipei, Aug. 16 (CNA) The Ministry of National Defense (MND) on Tuesday denied a news report that an officer had hacked into the military's internal server and gained access to classified information.

The officer used the military's internal network to download information onto her personal USB flash drive, but there was no attempt to access classified information, the MND said.

However, the officer was given two major demerits for breaching information security, said Huang Yi-hsiu (黃一修) of the MND Communication Development Office, when asked to comment on the news report.

According to the report in the Apple Daily on Tuesday, a first lieutenant surnamed Ku, who was based at the Kinmen branch of the MND's Communications Development Office, in April "hacked" into the military's internal server, which stores extensive classified information.

Ku's actions were a breach of the military's information security regulations since she used the military's internal server to obtain information for storage on her personal flash drive, the news report said.

Huang said, however, that the officer had an interest in academic research and was downloading some military research papers and academic journals that were accessible only within the military's network.

He said that as soon as the officer attached the flash drive to the military computer, the station's personnel immediately detected the security breach and sent officials to check.

The officer was immediately ordered to return to Taiwan proper for an investigation onto the incident and was given a test of her national loyalty, which she passed, Huang said.

She has since been barred from accessing any confidential information, Huang said.

Huang confirmed that the first lieutenant had visited China as an exchange student before she joined the military in 2013, as stated in the news report, but he said she had entered the Taiwan military in line with the relevant regulations and there had been no problems with her service until the incident in April.

Huang said the incident was a breach of information security but there was no question of espionage.

A military disciplinary committee decided in July to give the officer two major demerits for her breach of information security and ordered her expulsion from the military at the end of the year, Huang said.

The officer has been reassigned to an administrative unit of the military and now has no access to classified information or intelligence, he added.

The incident has received great attention because the MND Communication Development Office is believed to be a unit that collects intelligence on China by monitoring telecommunications equipment and devices.

(By Lu Hsin-hui and Elaine Hou)
ENDITEM/pc