~aa

9 

uscms 13.5/77 

'POP SElOREi'f '8' .s. ffi.1!10 Olf.U:C 

MEK)RANDUM FOR THE 1£l.lBERS OF USCIB: 

~El 1*3GlfMEN'.PS 

GON'flUN Cffi3EWORfl M:A'.t'EftIAL 

6 Jul:y 1954 

Subject: Compromises of COM:i:NT Information. 

Reference: CIBD #9 (Revised) dated 4 February 1954 

Attached for your information is a summary of initial reports 

of three cases involving ineffective connnunications security 

practices which have been evaluated by the National Security 

Agency as compromises of COMINT informationo Complete reports, 

which will include information regarding corrective action ta.ken, 

etc., will be circulated when received. 

Enclosure - NSA Serial OOOJ05-S 

dated 25 June 1954 

USCIB: 33.5/77 

~ fl06tlMBIUi'S 

com..Y:N COBEWORB MA'f'i!IRIAL 

Declassified and approved for release by NSA on 02-19-2014 pursuantto E .0. 1352\3 

TOP SECRET 

24 
NATIONAL SECURITY ~GENCY 

WASHINGTON 25, D. G. 

MEMJRANDUM FOR THE EXECUTIVE SECRETARY' uscrm 

SUBJECT: Compromises of COMINT Information 

Reference: CIBD NO. 9 

Serial: 000305-S 

25 June 1954 

1. A report of recent compromises of COMIICT information is 

inclosed for your file. Extra copies of the inclosure are 

furnished for forwarding by you to the members of USCIB. 

2. It is noted that this report is initial in nature. 

When sufficient information is' received, a final type report 

will be forwarded to you. 

FOR THE DIRECTOR: 

Incl: 

a/s (40 copies) 

~i"BEB BOSUMl!lN'!'S 

eOIH.':AIM eOflEWORfJ Mfd'ERIM:i 

(signed) 

L. H. FROST 

Captain, US Navy 

Chief of Staff 

Inclosure with USCIB: "33.5/77 dtd 6 July 1954 

TOP SECRET 
.. ...... 

E.o 3. 3 I h I I 2 I 

PL 86-36/50 USC 3605 

':E'OP OB9fill'i' FRe'fII 

COHPROMISEG OF COMINT INFORI.WrION 

1. The followini.; report of COM!NT compromises cover the period 

from 5 A11rH l95l1 to 15 May 1954. 

a. On 5 Apri.l 1954, a corrununications security v:!.olation 

occurred at Detachment E, 333rd Communicat;lons\Reconna:!ssance Company, 

Nome 1 AlasJta. On that elate portions of four messages, one classified 

SECRl'Jr CODE.'\TOHD and three classified CONFIDENTIJ\L. were inadvertently 

enclphered in depth anrl sul;sequently transmitted over communication 

circuits vulnerable to jnterception. Tl1ese messae;e.s must be considered compromised. The subject violation, if intercepted and decrypted, would compromise our success in the recovery of a 

b. On 12 April 1954 a communications security violation 

occurred at the 3l~th Radio Squadron Mobile. On that date a portion of 

a message classified CONFIDENTIAL was inadvertently transmitte.d in 

plain languac;e over a landline telety:pe circuit to Wheelus Air Force 

Base, Tripoli, Libya. Since the relevant transmission was vulnerable 

to interception, the informat:!on must be consjdered compromised. The 

subject violation if intercepted, would 

c. On 15 May 1954 a communications security violation 

occurred at the National Security A1~ency Communication Center, Washington 25, D. C. On that date a portion of a message classified SECRET 

CODEWORD was inadvertently transmitted in the clear over a landline 

communication circuit to the Navy Security Station (OP-302) Washington 

25, D. c. Since the relevant transmission was vulnerable to interception, the information must be considered compromised. The subject 

violation, if intercepted, would expose our system or case notations 

and our use of RAD numbers to indicate callsign continuity. 

Incl 

Top ~ec1 ell 

Copy l. j' 

Page 1 

eu11b10::.. Ne. 54-16S<) 

of 61 Copies 

of 2 Pages 

TQP SECRET FRQTH 

NSA Form 781-CIOS J Jul 52 
'l1QF SESRM PF109:'ff 

2. In ea.ch case, nppropr:late instructions have been iosued to 

operat:lns personnel, stressing the importance of more alert surveillance during operation of cryptographic equipment. 

NSA Form 781-ClOS 1 Jul 52 

~e~ Seere~ Oen~rel No. 54-16$9 

Copy '-'t' of 61 Copies 

Page 2 of 2 Pages 

~()P SE€RET FROTII