Outgoing Oklahoma U.S. Senator Tom Coburn (R) says that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has failed at safeguarding and securing “Cyberspace.” The report is part of a 169 page document that blasts the DHS on all fronts but focuses some of the criticism on DHS Information Technology Security Efforts.
According to the report, “The Department’s fourth mission is to safeguard and secure cyberspace. Attacks against government and private networks have become a significant threat to the nation and our economy. DHS spends more than $700 million annually on a range of cybersecurity programs, including its efforts to assist the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) with federal agency information security, as well as various initiatives to help the private sector and critical infrastructure owners and operators with their cybersecurity. Other entities within DHS, including the Secret Service and ICE, have investigative responsibilities for cybersecurity.
Repeated audits by the Inspector General have found that the Department’s own offices and employees do not always comply with federal rules and policies for agency cybersecurity. It is also unclear whether DHS’s programs for assisting the private sector in preventing, mitigating, or recovering from cybersecurity incidents are providing significant value or are worth the tax dollars spent on them.”
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