New Yorker Magazine Details 2012 Y-12 Security Break-In

The July 28, 2012, break-in by a trio of peace activists at the Y-12 National Security Complex is the subject of a lengthy article in the New Yorker this week. The article, by journalist Eric Schlosser, chronicles the security incident that led to a massive shakeup in the National Nuclear Security Administration’s security ranks as well as the Plowshares anti-nuclear movement that birthed “direct actions” at nuclear sites around the country. The article also delves into existing vulnerabilities at the sites. “Those who work at a nuclear site are the most familiar with its security weaknesses,” Schlosser wrote. “Managers too often become complacent about longtime employees and don’t consider the possibility that someone may be blackmailed or coerced into helping terrorists. As one security expert notes, ‘Any vulnerability assessment which finds no vulnerabilities or only a few is worthless and wrong.’ ”