A recent report by the Washington Post revealed that a massive leak of classified US military documents has been traced back to an individual working on a military base. The leaker, known only as "OG," began posting messages containing sensitive national security secrets in a Discord chatroom last year.
In the months that followed, OG continued to post messages in which he appeared to transcribe classified information from US documents. The leaked documents were posted on a Discord server described as a “pandemic refuge, particularly for teen gamers locked in their houses and cut off from their real-world friends.”
On Sunday, a Discord spokesperson informed CNN that they are cooperating fully with law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation.
The Washington Post also reported claims identifying the leaker as a teenager who shared photographs of highly classified briefing slides over six to eight months within this small private group of video gamers on Discord. Speaking with his parents' permission, this minor referred to OG only by his online moniker because he considers him like family and describes him as his “best friend.”
President Joe Biden addressed these leaks during an official visit to Ireland, stating that investigators are "getting close" and expressing concern about sensitive information being disclosed through such channels. To prevent further breaches of national security, the Pentagon is now limiting access across government departments receiving its highly classified daily intelligence briefs.
Immediately following the discovery of this trove of leaked classified material last week, both FBI-led criminal investigations and internal damage assessments have begun hand-in-hand with Pentagon officials.
Meanwhile, President Biden's administration is considering expanding surveillance efforts by tracking more online sites where intelligence agencies and law enforcement authorities can keep an eye out for leaks or other threats against sensitive government operations or materials.
As investigators work tirelessly towards identifying those responsible for leaking critical American intelligence data online, it highlights once again how crucial cybersecurity measures must be continually strengthened within government operations.