Fergie's Tech Blog

GAO: Critical FBI Network Full of Security Holes

Ryan Singel writes on Threat Level:

A critical FBI communications network containing sensitive law enforcement and investigative data is rife with security flaws and is vulnerable to attacks from outsiders and insiders alike, according to an audit released Thursday by the Government Accountability Office.

The unnamed network is part of the long delayed and scandal plagued Trilogy system that the FBI wants to replace its network of computers and networks, which for years was so bad that agents reportedly couldn't email one another.

System administrators have failed to keep obsolete software off the network, patch computers quickly, ensure passwords and data are strongly encrypted, log and audit security events and prevent insiders from having more privileges than necessary for their job, according to the audit. The report explicitly refers to rogue former agent Robert Hannsen, who misused his insider access to sell government secrets for years to the Soviets.

posted by Fergie @ 5/24/2007 01:53:00 PM