GAO: poor security procedures put sensitive government data at risk

Things that make you go "Hmmmmmmmmm..."

From Homeland Security News Wire:


Data security
5 October 2011

A recently released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that poor information security practices at U.S. government agencies have put sensitive data and servers at risk

A recently released Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that poor information security practices at U.S. government agencies have put sensitive data and servers at risk.

“Federal agencies’ information and information systems remain at risk,” the report concluded. “This risk is illustrated in part by the rising numbers of incidents reported by federal agencies in fiscal year 2010. At the same time, weaknesses in their information security policies and practices compromised their efforts to protect against threats.”

Over the past five years, reports of security incidents from federal agencies have increased over 650 percent. In 2006, there were a total of 5,503 incidents reported to U.S.–CERT while in 2010 that number had skyrocketed to 41,776...

And you just know there is more here. Doesn't this just make you feel all warm and fuzzy? No, me neither.