Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
    • Reason TV
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • Just Asking Questions
    • Free Media
    • The Reason Interview
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Print Subscription
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

ISIS

OMG! U.S. Central Command Hacked by Terrorists! Er … Not Exactly

Scott Shackford | 1.12.2015 3:50 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests
They don't even know how to do a header image properly.
Twitter

So while President Barack Obama was presenting his plan to regulate students' online privacy to reduce the ability of businesses to target them with advertising, somebody seized the Twitter feed and YouTube account for the U.S. Central Command. For a short time, it appeared as though the Islamic State had taken control of the feed and was posting all sorts of secret U.S. intelligence, like maps and personnel information.

Until people started looking closely. It turned out none of it was actually classified information. The slides and maps could be easily sourced online. The personnel information was not particularly secretive information. Some of it looked like it was from military post or base directories that are easily available. From the Associated Press:

Most of the material was labeled "FOUO," which means "For Official Use Only," but none of it appeared to be classified or sensitive information, suggesting the hackers did not breach classified material.

One of the documents appeared to be slides developed by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Lincoln Laboratory, a federally funded research and development center focused on national security. The slides appeared to depict what it called "scenarios" for conflict with North Korea and China.

"This is little more than a prank or vandalism. It's inconvenient and it's an annoyance. But that's all it is," said Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman. "It in no way compromises our operations in any way shape or form."

What appears to be the same hacker or hackers took over the Twitter feed of a Maryland CBS affiliate last week. Whether these folks have actual strong beliefs in support of Islamic terrorism or if they are just pranksters is an open question.

In any event, there's no sign that Central Command itself was hacked. Somebody got access to their social media accounts. That's obviously not the same thing as getting access to the classified data storage.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: 'Directly Confronting Congress,' D.C. Legislators Push Marijuana Regulation

Scott Shackford is a policy research editor at Reason Foundation.

ISISCybersecuritySocial MediaPentagonTwitterFree SpeechTechnology
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (15)

Latest

Brickbat: Justice Delayed

Charles Oliver | 10.10.2025 4:00 AM

2 Controversies Over Political Rhetoric Illustrate the Perils of Blaming Gun Control Critics for Murder

Jacob Sullum | 10.9.2025 4:30 PM

Bari Weiss Is Powerful, Establishment Media Is Not

Robby Soave | 10.9.2025 4:00 PM

D.C. Will Arrest This CEO if His Rideshare Alternative Doesn't Shut Down by Friday

Jack Nicastro | 10.9.2025 3:45 PM

Original Zyn: FDA Failures Allow Fake Nicotine Pouches To Flood U.S. Market

Sofia Hamilton | 10.9.2025 3:30 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300