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Ministry of Defence reveals information leaks due to social networking use

An investigation has led to revelations that Ministry of Defence staff and military personnel leaked secret information 16 times on social networking websites and internet forums in the last 18 months.

The MoD confirmed that it does not permit access to internet-based social networking sites, such as Facebook and Twitter, and this block has been in place for some years.

But there are a small number of internet cafés or similar facilities in some miltary bases, which enable personnel to access the internet when off duty.

Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer at F-Secure, said: “It's amazing how many people drop their guard when they use social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. They might think they are confiding in friends or family when they go on Facebook. However, the recent changes in Facebook's privacy settings might make them disclose information to the world. This is a potential security risk. In the future, the MoD must do more to ensure their guidelines on internet use are adhered to.”

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