back to article Prince William 'day with my chopper' pics reveal more than intended

The UK's Ministry of Defence was obliged to reset user names and passwords following the publication of pictures of the Duke of Cambridge at work on a military base. Four of the 10 pictures, released by St James's Palace, showed Prince William at work at RAF Valley but failed to blur or disguise sensitive information in …

COMMENTS

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  1. Vladimir Plouzhnikov

    OMG

    Al Qaeda now knows that their passwords are **************!

    Also, what a disaster - their Steam handles have now been compromised!

    1. James Micallef Silver badge
      FAIL

      WTF??

      "images showed unclassified MoD user names, passwords and computer screens on a restricted system"

      What the f*** were usernames and, most especially, passwords, doing in plain sight and available to be photographed in the first place??

      1. koolholio
        WTF?

        Re: WTF??

        and this doesnt contravene security regulations?!? Did they bother checking JSP 440 ??? DOUBLE WTF!!!

  2. Dave Bell

    I am sure that a quiet word has been said...

    "Restricted" is the lowest level of classification, and it is as much a reminder that you don't talk about things as a protection of anything important. Those passwords for outside sites such as the FAA don't reveal secrets but you shouldn't be revealing any passwords, None of us should.

    If anyone deserves the quiet word, it's the photographer, who I see was RAF and should have known better.

    1. Soruk
      Facepalm

      Re: I am sure that a quiet word has been said...

      > "Restricted" is the lowest level of classification

      Nope. "Protect" exists below "Restricted" but above "Unclassified".

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: I am sure that a quiet word has been said...

        It must be different in the UK... here in Australia, protected is above restricted; or at least it was until restricted was removed as a classification altogether.

  3. Magnus Ramage

    Chimp, prince, spot the difference

    I like that the Telegraph article has a link to piece entitled "Anybody would think he’s human..." in the sidebar. (It's above a photo of a chimp on a bike.) Coincidence?

  4. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    FAIL

    Whoops!

    Excuse me Mr terrorist, that photo you got... Would you be so kind as to delete it.

  5. Miek
    Coat

    "and the images showed unclassified MoD user names, passwords and computer screens on a restricted system" -- That is epically stupid, most people put that information on a post-it note by their desk.

  6. mhoulden
    WTF?

    What sort of computer system displays passwords on screen without at least obscuring them?

    1. mhoulden
      Boffin

      Actually, looking a bit closer, the username and password were on a piece of paper pinned to the wall rather than on screen. Poor user education rather than poor choice of systems then.

  7. Marc 13
    FAIL

    The versions I have just looked at on the Duke's website all looked like they had been blurred... you did say an MoD PHOTOGRAPHER didn't you? Even my 8 year old can get 2 or 3 photos out of 10 in focus!

  8. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Daily Mail?

    > More on the story, complete with more pictures, can be found in a Daily Mail article here.

    Daily Mail!!! It must all be lies. Those right wing journalists wouldn't know the truth if it came up and bit them on the ass.

    Until the Guardian publishes its version of events it will be impossible for me tell what the truth is.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Daily Mail?

      Ha ha. And in true Daily Mail fashion, they prefer to down vote you instead of listen to the truth.

      1. This post has been deleted by its author

    2. Mog0

      Re: Daily Mail?

      So rather than trust the biassed right-wing Daily Mail you'll wait for the biassed left-wing Guardian? You've just picked possibly the two furthest extremes of the mainstream UK newspaper industry. How about something in between, you might get somewhere closer to the truth?

      1. LaeMing
        Joke

        Re: Daily Mail?

        Um. I think OP was joking. The tone made it rather obvious, I thought.

  9. flearider
    WTF?

    who cares !!

    it's not like he's in the army or anything .. as soon as he's put in any danger even from a fart he's wisked away .. same with his brother ..

    it's a hoax to say he's done this and that ..

    move em out they cost us to much anyway ..german immigrants

    1. Jay Holmes
      FAIL

      Re: who cares !!

      I can guarentee the passwords would of been starred out as usual and maybe the usernames would of been able to be seen, but unless you have access to one of those machines on camp you wouldnt be able to use the username in the first place. As for the being whisked away from danger, Prince William is in a demanding job flying SAR up at Valley and the way the weather kicks up at the drop of a hat up there then yes it is dangerous. Hovering a helicopter off of the side of a cliff face, oil rig or in the mountains is dangerous enough without having to compensate for swiftly changing weather patterns. After 4 years at Valley trust me I know what Im talking about.

      As for his brother, yeah he has been whisked so far away from danger he went to Afghanistan to escape danger. In his Apache attack helicopter he is not a target and will never ever be fired upon!!!! Dumbass

      Fail because of idiot comments, Flearider get a clue about what you are talking about, then once you have that clue do everyone a favour, go look for another one!

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: who cares !!

        Indeed, I'm far from being a royalist, but have to say he'll have earned his stripes on this one. Anyone who thinks flying SAR helos up close and personal to mountains and cliffs is not dangerous, is an idiot. Then again I get to see him/them from time to time at close range so perhaps have a better appreciation of the skill involved than the eponymous man in the street.

      2. koolholio
        FAIL

        Re: who cares !!

        JSP 440 cares...

    2. This post has been deleted by its author

    3. FutureShock999

      Re: who cares !!

      I think it is still a very good idea to have the person that will be the titular head of the armed services having done some time in them. His career options are pretty limited anyway - it is basically do that or play polo. At least this is useful for his education, and he understands a bit more "on the ground" about some of the crisis that are likely to still be affecting the UK when he does rule.

  10. Evil Auditor Silver badge
    Joke

    "potential sensitive information was visible on computer screens"

    Were they playing Solitaire?

  11. SkippyBing

    Password Changes

    In my experience JPA would randomly tell you your password had expired and make you reset it anyway. 3 times in one week was my record...

  12. JeevesMkII
    Mushroom

    Missed a trick there

    Harry should have pinned a notice to his wall prominently labelled "Trident launch codes." That'd give the press something to be excited about.

  13. HP Cynic

    I bet this would not have been passed off as a mere "Admin error" had the mistake been made by a less Royal member of the team.

    1. LaeMing

      Um...

      the mistake was made by the photographer and/or the people releasing the photos. Other than bein the reason the photos were of particular interest to the press, what, exactly, was William's contribution to the 'error'?

      Some people are just too too bitter that people other than themselves get a spotlight on them. Seriously!

  14. Piro Silver badge

    I'd be more worried..

    ... about the fact they're using Windows XP and Office 2003. End of life, anyone?

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'd be more worried..

      That's nothing, we're still using IE6.

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: I'd be more worried..

      Military lifecycles aren't quite in tune with the "let's replace it before they have even installed it" speed of commercial software, which is why there is always tension between COTS and military use.

      Besides, massive thumbs up for not going to the productivity destroying ribbon yet.

      WE'RE UNDER FIRE AND I CANNOT FIND WHERE EVERYTHING IS. HELLO? HELLO? MICROSOFT SUPPORT?

      :)

      1. koolholio
        WTF?

        Re: I'd be more worried..

        Becuase DII is any different... as is featured in the wide office shot.

    3. Mike Flex

      Re: I'd be more worried..

      " about the fact they're using Windows XP and Office 2003. End of life, anyone?"

      XP goes EOL in April 2014.

      Military/Civil Service users can expect to be rolled to Win 7 in about March 2014.

      1. koolholio
        Stop

        Re: I'd be more worried..

        Public consumer EOL's are different from Extended support contracts... Particularly exclusive use of the word "public"... I'm sure they purposefully meant to include public to infer something?

        e.g. http://blogs.technet.com/b/windowsserver/archive/2009/09/15/support-changes-coming-july-2010-for-windows-2000-server-and-windows-server-2003.aspx

  15. Duckorange
    Black Helicopters

    In other - completely unconnected - news...

    Prince William is advertising for a new press officer

    http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/job/4540034/press-officer-the-households-of-trh-the-duke-and-duchess-of-cambridge-and-hrh-prince-henry-of-wales/

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: In other - completely unconnected - news...

      I wish him/her luck - it's not as cushy as you probably think it to be. Apart from anything else, the "chosen one" must have a wholly unremarkable life to start with so that they do not become the news instead.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    It is just me..

    .. or is that website album thingy buggered?

    http://www.dukeandduchessofcambridge.org/life-in-pictures?a=6647#na

    Mind you, I have ad blocking and various filters enabled - maybe that gets in the way. Or it's only for Friend of Bill Gates..

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Easy to remember ..

    Username = Ginger - Password = Babykins

  18. Anonymous Coward
    Headmaster

    on average around 2,000

    is it on average? Or around?

    Or approximately... or an approximately average?

  19. David 45

    Site down?

    Site seems to be mysteriously down "We are experiencing technical difficulties at the moment Please visit the official website of the British Monarchy". As of 1945, UK time, 21st November.

    1. Red Bren
      Coat

      As of 1945?

      As a republican, I've always thought the monarchy was out of date, but they openly admit it?

  20. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    sensitive plans on the board, like when/where they are planning the next invasion so they can upstart old UK business? Not even hitler himself would have been that paranoid. #poppycock

  21. Benchops

    Everyone knows the password is

    Joshua

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