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July 27, 2013 11:02 pm  #1


MI6 USB key with missile plans

I don't know why anyone hasn't discussed yet about the MI6 agent wandering around with a uSB stick in his pocket containing "eyes only" strategic information about some misiles, and furthermore, bragging about it while drunk in a pub.

utterly stupid and unbeliavable. Epic fail from the script writers

 

July 28, 2013 12:11 am  #2


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Actually, you'll find that this kind of thing happens in real life. Government workers have been photographed transporting sensitive papers clearly on full view so that the subject of the papers can be seen. And maybe Andrew West got a bit drunk on power and the knowledge of what he had, wanting to show off.


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Dean - "I'm not happy about it. But I got to move on. So I'm gonna keep doing what we do...while I still can. And I'd like you to be there with me."

Sam - "I'm your brother, Dean, if you ever need to talk about anything with anybody, you got someone right here next to you."


 

July 28, 2013 2:20 pm  #3


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Often happens in real life and has occurred with alarming regularity here!


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

July 28, 2013 4:57 pm  #4


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

*nods* It's to show corruption within the government. People just can't keep secrets! 


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Dean - "I'm not happy about it. But I got to move on. So I'm gonna keep doing what we do...while I still can. And I'd like you to be there with me."

Sam - "I'm your brother, Dean, if you ever need to talk about anything with anybody, you got someone right here next to you."


 

July 29, 2013 7:24 pm  #5


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Not so much corruption as people with loose tongues and careless attitudes.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

July 29, 2013 7:26 pm  #6


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

True!


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dean - "I'm not happy about it. But I got to move on. So I'm gonna keep doing what we do...while I still can. And I'd like you to be there with me."

Sam - "I'm your brother, Dean, if you ever need to talk about anything with anybody, you got someone right here next to you."


 

August 3, 2013 4:16 pm  #7


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Sorry to disagree. I work in one of the largest defence companies worldwide and security is so strict that you cannot plug any device (eg USB) neither extract information from the system without firing alarms. And these are security measures in a corporation. It is not realistic MI6 cannot replicate these basic protocols, specially with that sort of information. Ridiculous.

On the other hand, I know of someone that we (me and the people who know him) suspect works for the intelligence. And I say suspect because of hints we've collected through the years, nobody has been able to say for sure. Intelligence Officers, firstly, would never admit that they are IOs. Only first degree relatives are athourized to know. And secondly, they would never talk about their work.

In sum, an Intelligence Officer walking around carrying a USB with highly sensitive information and talking openly about it is one of the most stupid plots I have ever seen in long time.

i'm ok with plots where people manage to sneak out sensitive information to sell it or make some sort of profit. I am not saying is not possible to steal information. But i cant deal with plots where people just walk around with missiles plans in their pockets the same way I carry around the keys of my house, with the only intention of chatting about it in a pub. "Hey nice weather; by the way, look what I have in my pocket, just for the fun of it. Yes yes, strategic missile plans. I'm going to print them and use them as wallpaper in my room, because is kind of cool. Yeap"

Last edited by hariatu (August 3, 2013 6:41 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

August 4, 2013 11:15 am  #8


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

I guess they tried to include a reference to the canon plot of the submarine plans going missing.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

August 4, 2013 5:39 pm  #9


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

First of all, it's a clear reference to the canon as Davina pointed out.
Secondly, it's really not that far-fetched. There's always the danger of information getting out or lost. Be lucky that this is unthinkable in your defence company.
And then.... umm.... I'm not intending to attack you but did you just register to trouble over a plot that doesn't please you?


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Falling is just like flying, except there’s a more permanent destination."

"Sherlock Holmes is a great man, and I think one day—if we’re very very lucky—he might even be a good one."

"Would you like to-"
"-have dinner?"
"-solve crimes?"
"Oh"



 

August 5, 2013 6:20 pm  #10


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

You're calling the show stupid? Good luck.


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Dean - "I'm not happy about it. But I got to move on. So I'm gonna keep doing what we do...while I still can. And I'd like you to be there with me."

Sam - "I'm your brother, Dean, if you ever need to talk about anything with anybody, you got someone right here next to you."


 

August 8, 2013 11:29 am  #11


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

#9 well then, if that should be the level of professionalism of the MI6, i guess they should replace Daniel Craig with Mr. Bean for the next 007 film in order to reflect better real life.

Yes, I registered to complain about it. Since when criticism is not allowed here?

     Thread Starter
 

August 8, 2013 11:35 am  #12


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

#10 I have not called the show stupid, I have said some parts of the story are ridiculous.

Are you telling me you cannot accept criticisms about the show? That the scriptwriters do not make mistakes? That the show is perfect?

     Thread Starter
 

August 8, 2013 11:49 am  #13


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Sometimes secret information manages to leak. Because human beings tend to do stupid things. Despite all precautions. We saw it already leaking on the internet or being photographed when carried open by government personell. In real life.

Don't feel obliged to be uncritical. "They don't do it to anger you personally."  Mr Gatiss' tweed today.
http://thepessimist.com/2013/08/07/how-to-be-outraged-on-the-internet/
 

 

August 8, 2013 11:54 am  #14


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

But you are right that some scenes are ridiculous.
For example the investigation in Max' and Claudette's rooms. They practically walk into it without coats and precautions to prevent that they contaminate the evidence. When I see that my hair stands.
Sherlock might as well have examined his own foofprints after walking around like that.
But then Anderson was not there.

Last edited by Be (August 8, 2013 11:59 am)

 

August 12, 2013 10:00 pm  #15


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

hariatu wrote:

Sorry to disagree. I work in one of the largest defence companies worldwide and security is so strict that you cannot plug any device (eg USB) neither extract information from the system without firing alarms. And these are security measures in a corporation. It is not realistic MI6 cannot replicate these basic protocols, specially with that sort of information. Ridiculous.
=13px

From what you wrote I deduce you work for a private company. Sadly private companies usually are much more efficient/careful that many governmental services. It is possible for governmental employees to walk out carrying secret or sensitive information. I don't doubt that where you work there are many security measures in place but it's not the case everywhere, the WikiLeaks affair being a proof of that. 

Maybe Andrew West just put the info in the USB key to hand it to his boss (or maybe he received from his boss) and then he put the USB key in his shirt pocket and forgot about it until he was in the bar. It's improbable but not impossible. 

And at the end Sherlock is a piece of fiction whose main objective is entertaining the audience. We are supposed accept everything that happens as true (it's true in that verse) and enjoy. Of course we can have fun pointing the mistakes or the inconsistency but no TV show is meant to be a 100% reflection of reality.
 

 

August 12, 2013 10:12 pm  #16


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Mrs. Watson wrote:

hariatu wrote:

Sorry to disagree. I work in one of the largest defence companies worldwide and security is so strict that you cannot plug any device (eg USB) neither extract information from the system without firing alarms. And these are security measures in a corporation. It is not realistic MI6 cannot replicate these basic protocols, specially with that sort of information. Ridiculous.
=13px

From what you wrote I deduce you work for a private company. Sadly private companies usually are much more efficient/careful that many governmental services. It is possible for governmental employees to walk out carrying secret or sensitive information. I don't doubt that where you work there are many security measures in place but it's not the case everywhere, the WikiLeaks affair being a proof of that. 

Maybe Andrew West just put the info in the USB key to hand it to his boss (or maybe he received from his boss) and then he put the USB key in his shirt pocket and forgot about it until he was in the bar. It's improbable but not impossible. 

And at the end Sherlock is a piece of fiction whose main objective is entertaining the audience. We are supposed accept everything that happens as true (it's true in that verse) and enjoy. Of course we can have fun pointing the mistakes or the inconsistency but no TV show is meant to be a 100% reflection of reality.
 

No, if you work for a government institution with highly classified material, you cannot bring in or take out any devices carrying information.  My husband works for the DoD (nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers), and he can't even bring any type of cell phone inside at all.  All data is sent to others via an internal network, not USB keys or any other form of device.  Everything HAS to be locked up every night before everyone leaves, and everyone else in your group helps to check your desk before you leave.  Then armed guards with machine guns check your car as you leave the facility.

You're not going to leave with a USB containing highly classified missile plans on it.

 

Last edited by sj4iy (August 12, 2013 10:19 pm)


__________________________________________________________________Bigby: Will you shut up?
Colin: Well, maybe if my throat wasn’t so parched, I wouldn’t have to keep talking.
Bigby: Wait, that doesn’t make se-
Coline: Just give me a drink, please.
 

August 12, 2013 10:40 pm  #17


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Swanpride wrote:

I'm actually not so sure..I once looked up the most succesful art heists, because people claimed that the heists in the shows are unbelievable because nobody would fall for such simple lies. But the truth is, the most sucessful criminals simply marched into the galeries and took whatever they liked. 2009 the US government accidentally put a secret report about their atom facilities on the net. The Swiss law enforcement managed the same thing with their Schengen Information System, basically telling smugglers when and where they intended to do the controls. This in mind, it's not THAT hard to believe that the plans somehow ended up on a memory stick. Perhaps it was even his job to bring the information from one place to another. It wasn't really clear what his "minor capacity" was after all.

I don't see how they could have ended up on a USB key when almost every secure workplace has something in place that detects if a device is installed on a computer (like where my husband works).  And his entire network is completely contained at his workplace, so there is no way to get anything on or off the internet there.  I would think that since he does the same thing they do in Britain (and they actually do work with the British on many things), that they have many of the same office policies.

However, I do realize that it's just a tv show and that there is such a thing as artistic license.


__________________________________________________________________Bigby: Will you shut up?
Colin: Well, maybe if my throat wasn’t so parched, I wouldn’t have to keep talking.
Bigby: Wait, that doesn’t make se-
Coline: Just give me a drink, please.
 

August 13, 2013 11:52 am  #18


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Swanpride wrote:

Just because it detects it, it doesn't mean that it's not possible to put it on a stick...perhaps there was a specific reason why he had it. He apparently didn't sneak it out, considering that Mycroft knew that he had it in the first place.

But it's not allowed in the first place...ever. They would have an internal network where the kept these files.


__________________________________________________________________Bigby: Will you shut up?
Colin: Well, maybe if my throat wasn’t so parched, I wouldn’t have to keep talking.
Bigby: Wait, that doesn’t make se-
Coline: Just give me a drink, please.
 

August 15, 2013 7:21 am  #19


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

Imagine if there were never any plans on the USB and it was all a ploy to see how far Sherlock would go... after all the entire episode was about Moriarty leading Sherlock on. But Sherlock wants everything to be fantastical and clever (sometimes in ways that appear ridiculous to everyone else.) And Moriarty is known to make Sherlock look ridiculous by using ploys that *look* more complicated than they really are...

But if that's not the case then it probably does look stupid to someone for whom security is their livelihood.


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'Non Solum Ingenii Verum Etiam Virtutis'
                
 

August 18, 2013 10:54 am  #20


Re: MI6 USB key with missile plans

It is just the modern equivalent of the paper plans in the canon. Artistic license.


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Don't make people into heroes John. Heroes don't exist and if they did I wouldn't be one of them.
 

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