After yet another significant leak, a large number of classified US national security papers have surfaced online, according to the New York Times, which also notes that the new documents contain "sensitive" information regarding terrorism, China, the Middle East, and the Ukraine.
One day after other "top secret" documents revealing US and NATO attack plans in Ukraine circulated on social media, there was another leak.
In what one senior US intelligence official called a "nightmare" for Western security services, the new cache of papers was discovered on Twitter and other sites on Friday afternoon, according to the NYT. The site speculated that the most recent breach may have "more than 100 documents" in total, while the full extent of the leak has not yet been discovered and the authenticity of the files has not been confirmed.
Some of the files contain information on intelligence relating to the crisis in Ukraine, similar to another classified disclosure that was originally revealed on Thursday. After months of ferocious combat, Moscow has largely taken control of the city of Artyomovsk (also known as Bakhmut in Ukraine), according to one "top secret" document.
The NYT continued, stating that the scope of the breach appears to have caught the White House "off guard," adding that the new leak does not stop with Ukraine and covers a variety of other topics, including "sensitive briefing slides on China, the Indo-Pacific military theater, the Middle East, and terrorism."
The Justice Department later announced its own independent investigation after the Pentagon stated on Thursday that it will look into the incident. It claimed to be in contact with military authorities, but neither party provided any further information.
Officials promised to take down the information from the internet after the initial breach this week, but many of the records are still available on social media, suggesting that they have not been successful.
Finding the source of the leak would start with "identifying which officials had access to them," according to one unnamed official quoted by the NYT. Many national security agencies' employees spoke of a "rush" to identify the leaker and expressed worry that this week's revelations will turn into a "steady drip of classified information" posted online.
One day after other "top secret" documents revealing US and NATO attack plans in Ukraine circulated on social media, there was another leak.
In what one senior US intelligence official called a "nightmare" for Western security services, the new cache of papers was discovered on Twitter and other sites on Friday afternoon, according to the NYT. The site speculated that the most recent breach may have "more than 100 documents" in total, while the full extent of the leak has not yet been discovered and the authenticity of the files has not been confirmed.
Some of the files contain information on intelligence relating to the crisis in Ukraine, similar to another classified disclosure that was originally revealed on Thursday. After months of ferocious combat, Moscow has largely taken control of the city of Artyomovsk (also known as Bakhmut in Ukraine), according to one "top secret" document.
The NYT continued, stating that the scope of the breach appears to have caught the White House "off guard," adding that the new leak does not stop with Ukraine and covers a variety of other topics, including "sensitive briefing slides on China, the Indo-Pacific military theater, the Middle East, and terrorism."
The Justice Department later announced its own independent investigation after the Pentagon stated on Thursday that it will look into the incident. It claimed to be in contact with military authorities, but neither party provided any further information.
Officials promised to take down the information from the internet after the initial breach this week, but many of the records are still available on social media, suggesting that they have not been successful.
Finding the source of the leak would start with "identifying which officials had access to them," according to one unnamed official quoted by the NYT. Many national security agencies' employees spoke of a "rush" to identify the leaker and expressed worry that this week's revelations will turn into a "steady drip of classified information" posted online.
