Messages like “Sweet Dave, the supply of weapons is completely classified, which is great!” and “You have a job in the Operations Center today, I remember, I’m sure there is a lot of interesting news there?” demonstrated a deliberate effort to gather classified National Defense Information (NDI). David Franklin Slater, who worked as a civilian employee at the United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), admitted to transmitting SECRET-level national defense information to an individual claiming to be a Ukrainian woman between February and April 2022. Slater’s security training included courses on Unauthorized Disclosure of Classified Information, Counterintelligence Reporting and Awareness, and Not Releasable to Foreign Nationals (NOFORN) Classification Training, which made his actions even more miserable given his knowledge of security protocols. Co-Conspirator 1, who claimed to be a Ukrainian woman, systematically requested classified information through messages such as “what is shown on the screens in the special room?” and “Dave, it’s great that you get information about [Specified Country 1] first”. The primary charge was conspiracy to disclose national defense information under 18 U.S.C. § 793(g), along with two counts of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information under 18 U.S.C. § 793(d) for incidents occurring on March 28, 2022, and April 13, 2022. Slater transmitted classified Russia-Ukraine war information to someone posing as a Ukrainian woman who requested NATO plans and weapon supply details.
This Cyber News was published on cybersecuritynews.com. Publication date: Mon, 14 Jul 2025 13:05:13 +0000