Census Gambles on Shorter Cybersecurity Testing for 2020 Count

Gil C/Shutterstock.com

Experts worry the rushed process could leave some security gaps unaddressed.

The Census Bureau is behind schedule building and testing the technology it needs to count the population in 2020, and experts worry rushing the rollout of those IT systems will leave their cybersecurity below par.

The Government Accountability Office reports the bureau has fully tested only eight of the 44 IT systems involved in its 2018 end-to-end test, the last trial run for the decennial count. The congressional watchdog also found 14 of the 44 technologies are still in the development stages, and four of those, including the fraud detection system, had no functionality as of April.

The bureau also cut two of the three planned sites for the end-to-end test citing budgetary concerns. The trial run, which ends April 2019, serves as “the last opportunity to demonstrate census technology and procedures across a range of geographic locations, housing types, and demographic groups,” said GAO, and “without sufficient testing, operational problems can go undiscovered and the opportunity to improve operations will be lost.”

On Tuesday, officials from GAO, Census and the Commerce Department addressed these and other concerns before the House Oversight Committee. The vast majority of the hearing revolved around a controversial citizenship question many fear could suppress responses in communities of color, but witnesses also reiterated the negative consequences of delayed IT testing.

In October, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross asked Congress for an extra $3 billion in funding for the 2020 count, with about half going to cover additional IT costs.

“Since Secretary Ross announced this cost increase, we have seen strengthened governance at both the department and the bureau,” said David Powner, director of IT issues at GAO, in his opening statement. “Although positive, we still see need for improvements in the executive level reports that go to commerce on systems and security readiness.”

Of particular concern to Powner is how Census will ensure the cybersecurity of their technology.

As it stands, the bureau’s chief information officer must conduct a security assessment of each of the 44 IT systems and sign off on them before they can be deployed. While Powner said it’s impossible to eliminate risk completely, the authorization process is intended to make sure each system hits a certain threshold of security.

So far, only six systems have been fully authorized, 32 must be reauthorized after the end-to-end test, and another six remain unauthorized, according to GAO. The bureau usually takes six to eight weeks to complete this process for each technology, but GAO found the delayed rollout is forcing IT experts to spend only five to eight days testing some systems.

As the 2020 count grows closer, Powner told Nextgov he questions whether the bureau will have “enough time to do the rigorous [cybersecurity] reviews” it needs to do and patch up the gaps it uncovers.

“If you have more time, you can probably close more vulnerability and gaps,” he said. “The question is are they going to do whatever is needed and is that enough? There’s a likelihood they accept more risk with that authorization if there’s less time.”

Powner said he’s “encouraged” by the bureau’s collaboration with the Homeland Security Department on penetration testing and other cybersecurity checks, “but we need more visibility into what they’re finding there.”

X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.