WEBVTT

1
00:00:00.090 --> 00:00:01.020
- The Department of Defense

2
00:00:01.020 --> 00:00:03.960
just did an investigation on itself

3
00:00:03.960 --> 00:00:06.600
and found some pretty big data problems.

4
00:00:06.600 --> 00:00:09.180
The report finds Pentagon
employees are using banned

5
00:00:09.180 --> 00:00:12.960
and unauthorized apps to
find hookups, watch TikToks,

6
00:00:12.960 --> 00:00:16.410
and buy crypto on government
phones and devices.

7
00:00:16.410 --> 00:00:19.710
Which wouldn't be a problem
except they're, you know,

8
00:00:19.710 --> 00:00:21.180
government phones and devices.

9
00:00:21.180 --> 00:00:24.900
The list of no-nos includes
dating apps, Chinese drone apps,

10
00:00:24.900 --> 00:00:27.240
third-party VPNs, games,

11
00:00:27.240 --> 00:00:31.110
and apps related to
multi-level marketing schemes.

12
00:00:31.110 --> 00:00:34.740
My favorite, though, is the
luxury yacht dealer apps

13
00:00:34.740 --> 00:00:36.330
that they found on government phones.

14
00:00:36.330 --> 00:00:38.490
Unfortunately, the report doesn't mention

15
00:00:38.490 --> 00:00:41.160
whether Pentagon officials
actually purchased any yachts,

16
00:00:41.160 --> 00:00:42.930
but it's fun to think about them

17
00:00:42.930 --> 00:00:44.730
planning their little bomb strikes out

18
00:00:44.730 --> 00:00:46.560
on a weekend booze cruise.

19
00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:48.277
According to the investigation, quote,

20
00:00:48.277 --> 00:00:50.430
"DoD employees are downloading apps

21
00:00:50.430 --> 00:00:53.490
that could pose operational
and cybersecurity risks

22
00:00:53.490 --> 00:00:56.490
to DoD information and
information systems."

23
00:00:56.490 --> 00:00:58.920
The report doesn't
mention any apps by name,

24
00:00:58.920 --> 00:01:01.140
or even the number of
apps that they found.

25
00:01:01.140 --> 00:01:03.870
But if you look at the
size of the redactions,

26
00:01:03.870 --> 00:01:06.690
it's pretty easy to figure out
what they're talking about.

27
00:01:06.690 --> 00:01:07.650
Look at this here,

28
00:01:07.650 --> 00:01:10.860
pretty clear that is
not a two digit number,

29
00:01:10.860 --> 00:01:12.960
or a three digit number for that matter.

30
00:01:12.960 --> 00:01:14.670
The unauthorized and banned apps

31
00:01:14.670 --> 00:01:17.190
could number in the thousands.

32
00:01:17.190 --> 00:01:19.740
A when they reference
short form video apps,

33
00:01:19.740 --> 00:01:21.390
you tell me whether that sounds like

34
00:01:21.390 --> 00:01:24.780
any popular social media apps
you've heard about recently.

35
00:01:24.780 --> 00:01:25.800
And, look, I get it,

36
00:01:25.800 --> 00:01:27.930
we've all wanted to find a date

37
00:01:27.930 --> 00:01:30.540
or buy a luxury yacht on our work phones.

38
00:01:30.540 --> 00:01:31.373
And, frankly,

39
00:01:31.373 --> 00:01:33.300
all of these national security protocols

40
00:01:33.300 --> 00:01:35.310
people at the Pentagon
are supposed to follow

41
00:01:35.310 --> 00:01:37.200
are really a buzzkill.

42
00:01:37.200 --> 00:01:40.860
It's pretty funny, except
it's kind of not funny at all.

43
00:01:40.860 --> 00:01:42.720
The report says that employees

44
00:01:42.720 --> 00:01:44.970
are even doing official business

45
00:01:44.970 --> 00:01:46.890
and discussing sensitive information

46
00:01:46.890 --> 00:01:49.320
that's supposed to have special safeguards

47
00:01:49.320 --> 00:01:52.410
on unapproved, third-party messaging apps.

48
00:01:52.410 --> 00:01:53.820
It's all kind of a bummer

49
00:01:53.820 --> 00:01:55.530
if you're a fan of national security,

50
00:01:55.530 --> 00:01:57.540
and I don't meant the movie.

51
00:01:57.540 --> 00:02:00.014
Check out more videos here on Gizmodo.com.

52
00:02:00.014 --> 00:02:02.372
(gentle music)