Fact Sheet

When We Leaked Nuclear Secrets on a Free App

Part of Heroes and Hiccups: True Stories about Nuclear Weapon Risks

When We Leaked Nuclear Secrets on a Free App

The flashcard leak

U.S. soldiers responsible for guarding nuclear weapons at bases across Europe inadvertently exposed sensitive security information by using publicly accessible flashcard apps to study highly classified details between 2013 and 2021. Flash cards revealed precise locations of nuclear weapons, security camera positions, patrol patterns, duress words, restricted area badge identifiers, and more. Many of the flashcards had been publicly visible for years and were only taken down after NATO and the U.S. military were contacted.

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U.S. Military Personnel Spilled Nuclear Secrets in Online Flashcards

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