Despite failing the security check - had access to the "black net"

The official, whom DN previously reported on, worked in the cabinet preparation with assignments close to the prime minister's national security advisor Niclas Kvarnström.

In mid-July, the employee was informed that he was no longer approved in his security clearance and thus was not considered suitable to participate in security-sensitive activities.

Despite that, the person retained access to the Government Offices' security-sensitive IT system and was able to continue moving in the Cabinet Committee's premises at Rosenbad, including in the prime minister's corridor.

DN can now say that one of the systems that the employee had access to was the Government Office's so-called "black network".

The Government Office uses several different IT networks with different security levels. The green network is connected to the internet, while the red network is separated from the internet for security reasons and is also not accessible via mobile phones or tablets.

In addition, there is the lesser-known black net, which is used to handle particularly sensitive information. It is also called "the separate network". To gain access to it, special training is required.

There is very little public information about the dark web. In one of the Security Police's interrogations in the investigation into the former national security advisor Henrik Landerholm, a witness describes the black network as a system for "extremely secret actions".

Despite the fact that the employee was no longer approved in his security clearance, according to DN's information, the person was therefore allowed to retain access to the system.

Just over a month after the announcement, the employee was found dead in his home. The person had taken his own life.

In a letter sent to DN's reporters, the employee directed harsh criticism at the Government Offices' security organization. The person described, among other things, how, despite the failed security check, he still had access to security-sensitive information and equipment.

"The security flaws that were committed can affect Sweden for generations if they are not corrected," the employee wrote.

The trade unions that organize the civil servants are critical of the actions of the Government Office.

- This has not been handled well enough. The employee has not been taken care of properly. It also becomes deeply problematic because you are not able to protect the information worth protecting correctly, says Britta Lejon, confederation president of ST.

The Office of the National Security Adviser has been embroiled in several security scandals. DN has asked the Government Office for a comment. The authority does not want to answer questions about access to the black network, which is therefore also called the separate network.

"The red network has a higher security level compared to the green network and handles information with higher protection values. The separate network handles communication about information with particularly high protection values. Otherwise, we refer to our previous answers that we do not go into the Government Offices' internal security work," writes the Government Offices' press service.

Read more here:

Failed security clearance - had continued access to classified information