Security troubles continue at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where officials have confirmed that workers recently sent out an undisclosed number of classified e-mails over a nonsecure e-mail system. The new disclosure comes less than two weeks after the New Mexico-based lab announced that two removable computer disks containing classified nuclear weapons data were missing. . . .
Security troubles continue at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, where officials have confirmed that workers recently sent out an undisclosed number of classified e-mails over a nonsecure e-mail system.

The new disclosure comes less than two weeks after the New Mexico-based lab announced that two removable computer disks containing classified nuclear weapons data were missing (see story). That incident represents at least the third time since 2000 that storage media containing classified information have been lost in the facility.

In the latest incident, lab spokesman Kevin Roark late yesterday confirmed a Los Angeles Times report that the lab recently discovered new incidents of classified information being sent through a nonclassified e-mail system.

"We have had occurrences recently, yes," Roark said. "We have had them in the past. It's anticipated we will have them in the future."

The incidents, he said, occurred when scientists in the lab, which employs about 12,000 people, incorrectly judged information as being classified or unclassified and sent it without asking for assistance about the contents of their e-mails. The incidents are always promptly reported to the U.S. Department of Energy and other agencies, as required by law, Roark said.

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