(B2) A Dutch journalist managed to get into the Defense Ministers' meeting on Friday (20.11) without any real difficulty. A lot of fun... but not for everyone
RTL journalist Daniel Verlaan (top right) waves to the assembled EU defense ministers (Credit: RTLNieuws/Daniel Verlaan)
A blunder from the Dutch minister
It all starts with a monumental blunder. On her twitter account, the Dutch Minister of Defense Anlk Bijleveld - or a member of her team according to the Dutch government - publishes a photo where we can see 5 of the 6 digits of the PIN code allowing to enter the Zoom meeting. A " accident ” assures the Ministry of Defense. The photo has also been removed in the meantime. But Daniël Verlan, journalist specializing in 'tech' for the Dutch media RTL News, had time to see the info...
...followed by a security failure
The journalist makes a screenshot and quickly guesses the missing number. Especially since the user code is not rocket science. A simple 'admin' works. And, quite simply, he arrives in the middle of a meeting, while the discussion between the ministers is in full swing.
A little masterful hello in a meeting
Then follows, between the journalist and the head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, who leads the meeting, a dialogue worthy of a film by Buñuel.
- " Someone has entered the system. We have to stop the meeting... we are working on the public scene there », alerts Josep Borrell, who attempts to address the intruder directly.
« How are you ? », he asks, in a playful tone, badly repressing a smile. A few bursts of laughter are heard in the meeting.
- " Who are you ? You know you walked into a secret meeting of defense ministers? You know, it's a crime huh! (Josep Borrell)
— « Yes I know. I am a journalist from the Netherlands. I'm sorry to have disturbed your meeting. Thanks for... I'll be leaving! (Daniel Verlan)
— « Yes, it would be better to leave quickly, before the police arrive huh », concluded Josep Borrell, in a paternal tone, badly repressing a smile towards this impetuous 'youngster' who could be his grandson.
A lightning intrusion...
The journalist claims to have stayed only a few minutes in the meeting, and to have immediately turned on his camera and his microphone so that we can detect his presence... But the result is astonishing. " I myself was a little shocked that it worked. I didn't expect there to be any other form of security or validation “says the journalist on twitter.
With a major consequence
The following ? The journalist does not tell it. But B2 learned it from a good source. The meeting was stopped. And the press conference of the High Representative of the EU has been brought forward by a little half an hour on the planned schedule. " This resulted in the immediate interruption of work “, confirmed to B2 a participant in the meeting. Without really creating any damage, according to him. The essential had been said. " The meeting was over. Be that as it may, our Dutch colleague has hit on a sensitive point.
A real problem
In European circles, the time is indeed not for frank laughter. And the embarrassment in the face of such an intrusion is clear. " This shows how careful you have to be with this kind of meeting. A meeting of defense ministers is never innocent “, thus conceded to RTL News Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, before trying to reassure himself in front of the (big) dumpling of his minister. " The only side effect, positive, that A. Bijleveld pointed out to other ministers, is how careful you have to be. »
Strengthen communications security
« We need a very clear reinforcement of communications security a diplomat told B2. Work " is launched “, we specify moreover. This issue of securing internal communications was also discussed at the highest level during a European Council last year (in June 2019). The Heads of State and Government (who were still 28 at the time) had asked the European institutions to work on the subject in order to strengthen security. The head of European diplomacy Josep Borrell said no better during the meeting, addressing the chairman of the military committee, General Claudio Graziano: “ General, you are right. Invest in communication systems ».
In videoconference, please do not discuss top secret matters
As a precaution, moreover, during this meeting (as during other meetings by videoconference), several ministers saw fit not to discuss subjects deemed too confidential. " The lines were not secure “, confirms our interlocutor. We avoid talking about topics that are too confidential. Thereby " we haven't talked specifically about threat analysis », a 'classified' document from the European intelligence services.
The boon of the Covid-19 for spies of all kinds
Everyone knows that in the case of videoconferencing, which has become widespread with the coronavirus crisis, the possibilities of hacking or eavesdropping are multiplied. Videoconferences are a boon “, confided to us a few months ago, a specialist in the field, for all that Brussels has spies of all kinds (Chinese, Russians…).
