Los Alamos halts classified work to search for missing data

The Los Alamos National Laboratory has halted classified research while an inventory is conducted of sensitive data, the laboratory announced Thursday.

The inventory is expected to take several days to complete, Los Alamos spokesman Kevin Roark said. The move was prompted by the disappearance last week of two data storage devices.

During the inventory, Los Alamos employees will also undergo refresher training on laboratory procedures and policies on handling sensitive data storage devices such as floppy disks and CD-ROMs, according to the New York Times.

Meanwhile, the Sandia National Laboratory announced yesterday that it too was searching for a missing floppy disk that was marked classified. The disk was discovered missing during a recent inventory of removable memory storage devices. Although the disk was classified, it does not contain "weapons data or information that could damage national security," according to a laboratory release.

Laboratory Director C. Paul Robinson promised better controls in the future.

"As others are doing, we are taking strong measures to improve the tracking of all our electronic materials. I am heartened by the fact that when this item couldn't be found during our recent wall-to-wall inventory, the staff immediately took action to report it," he said.

In a statement released yesterday, Energy Secretary Spencer Abraham said that Deputy Energy Secretary Kyle McSlarrow and National Nuclear Security Administration chief Linton Brooks would lead the inquiry into the recent security lapses at Los Alamos. Abraham also said that last week's incident "indicates widespread disregard of security procedures by laboratory employees."