Re: U.S. Government Flunks Computer Security Tests

[InfoSec News <isn () c4i org>]

Forwarded from: huggins () airmail net

Note: The fine print in the document says that these inspections were
more indepth then previous inspections and that in comparison the
government has improved its security.  Those in business and
government as well as the private sector had an opportunity until
Monday to improve on the Cyber Security national plan.  THe problem
was we dont want regulation, we dont want to utilized secure unix or
hardened Microsoft even though those procedures exist.  Our society
wants instant gratification, and with that goes instant access to
everything without security influencing how things are done.  As a
retired military security professional my experience is that senior
management in government is just like senior management (although a
little more secure than those) in america's corporation.  Those that
would hoot and hooler that we told you so need to look at the
corporations and how they work and think where they would be 2 maybe 3
would receive a D the rest would fail miserably.


> Forwarded from: Elyn Wollensky <elyn () consect com>
>
> http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9496-2002Nov19.html
>
> By Brian Krebs
> washingtonpost.com Staff Writer
> Tuesday, November 19, 2002
>
> The U.S. government has earned failing marks for computer security for
> the second year in a row, according to a report released today by a
> congressional oversight committee.
>
> Nearly two-thirds of the federal government's 24 major agencies
> flunked the General Accounting Office's (GAO) latest "computer
> security report card," according to a House Government Reform
> subcommittee. The Departments of Justice, Defense, Energy and Treasury
> earned flunking grades, with the Department of Transportation earning
> the lowest score.
>
> The Social Security Administration won the highest mark, with a
> "B minus."
>
> The report comes at a time when the Bush administration worries that
> international terrorist groups like Al Qaeda not are planning attacks
> against U.S. citizens, but intend to disrupt or disable the Internet
> and other global communications networks.

[...]



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