Regardless of your feelings about WikiLeaks, one thing is beginning to become evident: world governments, the United States especially, are beginning to reevaluate the security of their information infrastructure—and are reexamining the security protocols meant to keep such information protected and secret. However, it is possible, if not likely, that the government’s response to digital espionage and the leaking of classified information will go beyond a meager reinvention of its digital security net—tightening control over in what form, circumstance, and with whom sensitive information is shared.
Although, at this point, any guesswork about how the government might respond the Julian Assange’s actions, are nothing more than idle speculation—after all, the White House just only asked that an investigation be launched to look into existing security measures. Nevertheless, many have wondered, and some have speculated that the fallout from WikiLeaks’ disclosure could affect prospective and existing federal employees. Phil Scott, of the career site Vault, recently wondered in a blog whether Pfc. Bradley Manning’s and others’ security breaches will have a “knock-on effect for anyone applying for [a] clearance from now on.” Wondering if the WikiLeaks release will lead to tougher security clearance-related measures and standards. That is, if justified paranoia will force the government to reform the clearance process, making clearances even more difficult to obtain.
Although Scott’s musings do amount to nothing more than idle speculation, his speculative claims do raise a valid point: WikiLeaks has, and will continue to force governments to change those safeguards which protect their information infrastructure. For example, in e-mails to students, different university career services departments have supposedly warned that the information on WikiLeaks, despite its “publication,” is still classified, and as such, should not be perused. Alerting students to the fact that unlawfully viewing such classified materials could impact their ability to obtain a federal clearance.
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