No, they didn't.
I just had to cover this with friends who don't believe me.
The story is bullshit from beginning to end.
Okay, NSA information may be in the public domain. It remains, however, "classified." If you download it onto a computer, they can, in theory, have a problem.
This doesn't matter to most users.
_IF_ you have a gov't computer or contract computer with NIPRNET access, you MAY put the stolen classified information onto your secure USAF computer.
At this point, there has to be a nerd slapfight between USAF computer security, assuring NSA computer security, that the information has been removed. USAF can't let NSA search its classified data, and NSA can't take their word for it, and can't tell USAF exactly what is at risk.
IOW, nobody wants to do the reams of paperwork involved in a menage a trois security leak that probably isn't anything to worry about anyway.
So they're saying, "Don't use your controlled access to reference ANYTHING to do with this case."
It's closing the barn after the horse escaped, but it's a necessary CYA.
Feel free to contact the unit (it's a single unit) PAO and ask for clarification.
Oh, and watch for black helicopt
