MI6.  Home of James Bond, Q, and Dame Judi Dench, arguably the best M ever.  Shaken Vodka Martinis, never stirred.  Babes.  But going forward, “Nikon Coolpix” may be what comes up to some people’s minds when MI6 is mentioned.

Many (way too many) sites are reporting and spreading the news that a 28-year old delivery man in the UK reported buying a camera off eBay that contained MI6-related images, including what appear documents.  Supposedly, one of the images is of an encrypted computer system that the secretive agency uses.  I don’t know what that means, but it can’t be good.  On the other hand, here’s proof positive that even intelligence agencies know that data encryption software like AlertBoot is part of their security arsenal.  Of course, I’d imagine what the MI6 is using is a much more powerful type of encryption, something with really long keys (the longer the key length, the more secure the system).  But you can get something as good for civilian purposes.

What’s funny to me in the midst of this tragedy (which it will be for the guy hocked off the camera) is the fact that everybody has decided to mention that the camera in question was a Nikon Coolpix.  Some have even gone ahead and posted pictures of random Coolpixes (Coolpixae?) as part of the story.  The most popular model seems to be the Coolpix 5700.  Is it because that was the actual model?  Or is this one of those instances where someone just posts a random image in an article and everyone else decides to go with it?  Either way, hilarious.  It’s not as if people who use a computer need an image to visualize what a camera looks like.

When you think about it, this is not really news.  People use cameras as convenient memo pads all the time.  Sure, most use the tiny camera on their phones, but there are others, like me, who carry a small camera with them all the time.  Of course, being security-minded, I don’t take pictures of anything that could be deemed “sensitive.”

An MI6 agent, however, may not have that luxury.  What if he’s undercover and has taken the role of a tourist?  What would be more natural than having a digital camera?  And, if he stores pertinent images on that camera—like profiles of suspects—well, even better, right?  One imagines that it would make it easier to recognize suspects.

On the other hand, I can’t state strongly enough how messed up the situation is.  Do they have amateur hour at MI6, like in comedy clubs? I mean, can random people walk off the street and join the force just to see what happens?  What kind of intelligence worker doesn’t check to make sure that images are deleted before selling their camera?  I won’t even go into how data can be recovered from virtually any media storage device that hasn’t been “wiped down.”

Related Articles:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article1749217.ece

http://blogs.computerworld.com/mi6_camera_for_auction_on_ebay

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/09/30/mi6_camera_sold_ebay/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1064589/MI6-terror-photographs-camera-bought-eBay.html?ITO=1490