
Files reveal WW2 secret 'Agent Fifi' test for spies - rb2e
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29231936
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jacquesm
Surprising that they would pass _all_ their spies by a single individual.
That's a serious operational risk, even if she managed to ferret out some bad
apples.

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lunchbox
Just curious, what risk are you referring to?

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jacquesm
One person knowing the identities of all your spies? That's a huge violation
of the compartimentalization principle.

[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_%28informa...](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization_%28information_security%29)

Of course you could say there was a 'need to know' but at a minimum there
should have been many 'Fifi's', and preferably ones that did not come from
occupied territory.

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praptak
Also there's the "never follow patterns" principle. Interrogate enough spies
and you might figure out they have been checked by the same person.

