US space group Nasa has been left red-faced after selling off computers without ensuring that rarely sensitive information had been removed.
An inner scrutiny found 10 cases where PCs were sole notwithstanding unwell information withdrawal procedures.
Another 4 PCs - that were about to be sole - were found to enclose information limited beneath arms manage rules.
The computers were being sole off as Nasa winds down its space convey operations.
The final convey flight is scheduled for June 2011.
But the space agency's inner auditors detected that its policies for wiping information from PCs used in the Shuttle programme have not always been followed.
They unclosed problems at 4 locations: the Kennedy and Johnson Space Centers, and the Ames and Langley Research Centers.
In a few cases, tests were not being run to declare the computers had been wiped.
Investigators moreover found that a few PCs that had unsuccessful the corroboration tests were still being put up for sale.
Their inform in to the incidents says its unfit to know what information was left on the sold-off equipment, but review of identical apparatus "raises major concerns" for Nasa.
Investigators found 4 PCs being ready for sale at the Kennedy Space Center that contained information theme to trade manage by the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.
They moreover found dozens of PCs at the Kennedy apparatus ordering trickery that all had outmost markings inventory network details.
Such sum could potentially give hackers with "unauthorised access to Nasa's inner P.C. network".
Nasa will right away review and refurbish its apparatus disposals procedures.
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