4 ms·

We knew that Hegseth didn't understand (or didn't believe in) security. It's not surprising that Trump, who had highly classified documents laying around in Ma

We knew that Hegseth didn't understand (or didn't believe in) security. It's not surprising that Trump, who had highly classified documents laying around in Mar a Lago, doesn't either. Years ago, I was in a classified meeting in a SCIF when someone's cell phone went off. The person was immediately escorted out of the room--probably their clearance was revoked, and they were told not to come back. Having a cell phone in a SCIF is bad enough, having it go off inside the SCIF is even worse--and answering it during a classified meeting (or just answering it inside a SCIF) is cause for trouble big.

ModernMech 1y ago
Huh... I had always imagined SCIFs were like faraday cages, so a cell phone wouldn't be able to send or receive any signals.
- derektank 1y ago
  That would be prohibitively expensive in most cases.
  - sam_lowry_ 1y ago
    O'rly? These are not only Faraday cages, but they also actively transmit noise. It's open information since the 70-ies. A mobile phone will not work inside.
- mcswell 1y ago
  (OP here) I kid you not, the person whose phone went off inside the SCIF was holding his phone next to a window, complaining about the poor signal. He was some kind of scientist or engineer who had been given a clearance as an "expert" adviser to listen to and grade presentations by people like me. I'm sure he didn't usually work in a SCIF--this might have been his first (and probably last) time inside one.
xlii 1y ago
In case anyone else didn’t know: SCIF stands for "sensitive compartmented information facility" (I assume ;)) The thing with security is that usually people treat it like a joke or very very seriously. I think that was the latter.
deleted 1y ago
[deleted]
FL410 1y ago
Why would a cell phone even work in a SCIF?
- sitzkrieg 1y ago
  its not a faraday cage. just built to spec
HappySweeney 1y ago
I'm a bit surprised the entire thing isn't in a faraday cage.
- russdill 1y ago
  If the door is open, signals can get in. Additionally, "gone off" could mean an alarm
sitzkrieg 1y ago
i have seen someone lose their clearance and sap after wearing a fitbit into the doorway

ModernMech 1y ago

Huh... I had always imagined SCIFs were like faraday cages, so a cell phone wouldn't be able to send or receive any signals.

derektank 1y ago
That would be prohibitively expensive in most cases.
- sam_lowry_ 1y ago
  O'rly? These are not only Faraday cages, but they also actively transmit noise. It's open information since the 70-ies. A mobile phone will not work inside.
mcswell 1y ago
(OP here) I kid you not, the person whose phone went off inside the SCIF was holding his phone next to a window, complaining about the poor signal. He was some kind of scientist or engineer who had been given a clearance as an "expert" adviser to listen to and grade presentations by people like me. I'm sure he didn't usually work in a SCIF--this might have been his first (and probably last) time inside one.

xlii 1y ago

In case anyone else didn’t know: SCIF stands for "sensitive compartmented information facility" (I assume ;)) The thing with security is that usually people treat it like a joke or very very seriously. I think that was the latter.

deleted 1y ago

[deleted]

FL410 1y ago

Why would a cell phone even work in a SCIF?

sitzkrieg 1y ago
its not a faraday cage. just built to spec

HappySweeney 1y ago

I'm a bit surprised the entire thing isn't in a faraday cage.

russdill 1y ago
If the door is open, signals can get in. Additionally, "gone off" could mean an alarm

sitzkrieg 1y ago

i have seen someone lose their clearance and sap after wearing a fitbit into the doorway