> If both Petraeus and Broadwell had used GMail accounts not associated with their names, such Dave501010@gmail.com and PaulSmith900@gmail.com, how likely is it that anyone would discover their shenanigans?
I'd argue that every security agency worth its salt is also keeping a close watch on its bosses (especially on its bosses) so that let's say if Petraeus had logged in with joe.doe@gmail.com his communications being intercepted someone would have noticed. As a non-American, I'm not exactly sure what's for example the relation between the NSA and CIA, but I guess it's somehow telling that the whole thing seems to have been driven by the FBI
According to the NYT, the revelation was due to the emails being forwarded from Broadwell. So as almost always is the case in real life, it seems the security breach was through a social lapse, not through a technical obstacle. And it was not movie-like/CSI-level sleuthing, but just an accident, that the authorities found out
> WASHINGTON — The F.B.I. investigation that led to the resignation of David H. Petraeus as C.I.A. director on Friday began with a complaint several months ago about “harassing” e-mails sent by Paula Broadwell, Mr. Petraeus’s biographer, to an unidentified third person, a government official briefed on the case said Saturday.
I'd argue that every security agency worth its salt is also keeping a close watch on its bosses (especially on its bosses) so that let's say if Petraeus had logged in with joe.doe@gmail.com his communications being intercepted someone would have noticed. As a non-American, I'm not exactly sure what's for example the relation between the NSA and CIA, but I guess it's somehow telling that the whole thing seems to have been driven by the FBI