In a troubling breach of protocol, a U.S. Navy sailor recently attempted to gain unauthorized access to President Joe Biden's medical records, according to Pentagon officials. The incident occurred in February 2024, when the sailor, whose name has not been disclosed, tried to access the electronic health records through the Navy’s health system, but ultimately failed to obtain any information.
The sailor's actions have raised serious security concerns within the military and federal government. It is unclear what the sailor's motives were, but the incident has prompted an internal investigation and increased scrutiny over access to sensitive information within the Navy's medical records system.
Navy Sailor tried to get Biden's medical records: Everything we know https://t.co/oGtZZxVD4H pic.twitter.com/snTSDNr8Ez
— Newsweek (@Newsweek) July 9, 2024
The Pentagon revealed that the sailor's attempt was flagged by the system's monitoring protocols, which are designed to detect and prevent unauthorized access to protected health information. Upon detection, immediate steps were taken to secure the system and initiate a comprehensive investigation into the breach attempt.
This incident comes amid heightened tensions and concerns over espionage and security within the U.S. military. In a separate but related issue, Wenheng Zhao, a U.S. Navy sailor, was recently sentenced to 27 months in federal prison for transmitting sensitive military information to a Chinese intelligence officer. Zhao had collected nearly $15,000 in bribes in exchange for information on Navy exercises and operations.
The Navy confirmed that a junior sailor attempted to access President Biden's medical records from a military medical database multiple times. https://t.co/o40BPtcO2n
— CBS News (@CBSNews) July 9, 2024
The U.S. military has been increasingly vigilant about protecting sensitive information, especially given recent cyber threats and espionage activities. The Biden administration has also been proactive in enhancing privacy protections for medical records. Recently, a new rule was introduced to strengthen the HIPAA Privacy Rule, specifically to safeguard reproductive health care information.
The attempted breach of President Biden’s medical records underscores the ongoing need for stringent security measures and oversight within military and government systems. The Navy is expected to review and possibly tighten its access controls and monitoring protocols to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The internal investigation will determine the sailor's intent and any potential lapses in security that allowed the attempt. Depending on the findings, disciplinary actions could range from administrative penalties to court-martial proceedings.
As this investigation continues, it highlights the broader issue of safeguarding sensitive information within the military and government, emphasizing the need for robust cybersecurity measures and vigilant monitoring to protect national security and privacy.
