Washington: Google has temporarily locked a number of unspecified Afghan government e-mail accounts, according to someone who is familiar with this problem, because the worries grew on traces of digital paper left by their former officials and international partners.
In a few weeks since the rapid takeover of the Taliban from Afghanistan from the US-backed government, the report has highlighted how biometric databases can be exploited by new rulers to hunt their enemies.
In a statement on Friday, Google Inc.
Googles stops confirming that the Afghan government account is locked up, saying that the company monitors the situation in Afghanistan and “takes temporary action to secure the relevant account.” One of the former government employees told Reuters, the Taliban tried to obtain an email former official.
Late last month the employees said that the Taliban had asked him to preserve the data held on the ministry server who used to work.
“If I do it, then they will get access to official data and communication from the previous Ministry’s leadership,” said the employee.
The employee said he did not obey and since hiding.
Reuters did not identify the man or his former service worried about his safety.
Note The exchange of available letters to the public shows that around two dozen Afghan government agencies use Google servers to handle official e-mail, including the Ministry of Finance, Industry, Higher Education and Mine.
The Afghan President’s protocol office also uses Google, according to records, as well as several regional government agencies.
Database and e-mail commanders can provide information about former administrative employees, former ministers, government contractors, tribal allies, and foreign partners.
“This will provide a lot of real information,” said Chad Anderson, a security researcher with DomainTools internet intelligence company who helped Reuters identify which ministry running email platforms where.
“Just having a list of employees on Google Sheet is a big problem,” he said, quoting replies on government workers.
Recording Exchanger Mail shows that Microsoft Corp.
email services are also used by several Afghan government institutions, including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Presidential.
But whatever step is unclear, if any, the software company takes to prevent data from falling into the hands of the Taliban.
Microsoft rejects comments.
Anderson said the Taliban’s efforts to control digital infrastructure built by the US should be supervised.
Intelligence was taken from the infrastructure, he said, “may be far more valuable for the young government than old helicopters.”