Computer Security Lacking At State DMVs - GAO Report

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

http://www.newsbytes.com/news/02/175284.html

By Staff, Newsbytes
WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S.A.,
18 Mar 2002, 5:18 PM CST
 
Most state motor vehicle departments don't do enough to protect Social
Security numbers from hackers, the federal government's investigative
arm said today.

The findings were part of a General Accounting Office (GAO) study that
examined state DMV compliance with a federal law that requires states
to harvest Social Security numbers from driver's license applications
to aid in the collection of past due child support payments.
 
The GAO found that although most motor vehicle agency officials
believe that the Social Security numbers stored on their agency's
computers were safe from unauthorized access, officials in 40 states
also reported that their computer security programs lacked the basic
components of information security plans, audits, access monitoring,
and policies for password selection and use.

The GAO also found that no guidelines exist regarding the components
that motor vehicle agencies should include in their computer security
programs.

The report, submitted to the House Ways and Means Subcommittee on
Human Resources at the chairman's request, makes no recommendations to
remedy the problem, primarily because no federal agency is responsible
for overseeing computer security at state motor vehicle agencies.

The GAO is at http://www.gao.gov



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