Man finds security data for Britain's Heathrow airport on London street

    Oct. 31, 2017
    USB stick contained security routes, types of identification needed for security access and other sensitive material

    Source dpa, Hamburg, Germany (Tribune News Service)

    London (dpa) - A digital memory device containing 2.5 gigabytes of unencrypted data on the security systems at Britain's Heathrow airport was found lying in the street by an unemployed man.

    The unexpected discovery was reported by the Sunday Mirror newspaper and later confirmed to dpa by a Heathrow spokeswoman.

    The USB stick contained security routes, timetables and types of identification needed for security access and other sensitive material.

    "We have reviewed all of our security plans and are confident that Heathrow remains secure," Heathrow said in a statement. "We have also launched an internal investigation to understand how this happened and are taking steps to prevent a similar occurrence in future."

    According to the newspaper report, among the details to be found on the USB stick were the route and the security measures taken when Queen Elizabeth II used the airport.

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