People

How to stay off the High Risk List

The IBM Center for the Business of Government shares some ideas for staying off the Government Accountability Office's high-profile watch list.

Cybersecurity

GAO: FEMA needs framework to improve IT systems

According to the Government Accountability Office, FEMA needs to develop a governing framework for the oversight and modernization of IT investments.

Cybersecurity

GAO: SEC needs to follow its own security plan

A new GAO report says the SEC's financial data could be accessed by former or disgruntled employees unless proper access management controls are instituted.

Digital Government

GAO: Data problems could be costing feds billions

A new report attributes many federal agency redundancies to a failure to manage, or even collect, the right data.

Cybersecurity

IRS systems still vulnerable to cyber criminals

Government auditors told Congress that the IRS systems continue to show significant information security weaknesses.

Modernization

GAO says mostly good news on cloud contracts

Asked to examine cloud service agreements, GAO found room for improvement but said that overall, agencies are covering their bases.

Digital Government

Crunch time for Data Act guidance

Senior officials at GAO and OMB agree that clear governance will make or break Data Act reporting, and that guidance will take shape in the next few weeks.

Cybersecurity

How should the Pentagon confront civil cyber emergencies?

Defense Department has plans for cooperating with civil authorities for myriad security situations, but lacks specific guidance when it comes to cyber incidents according to a government watchdog.

Digital Government

GAO calls for improved security for HealthCare.Gov

The nonpartisan Capitol Hill watchdog greeted the sixth anniversary of the Affordable Care Act with a bracing dose of oversight about the security weaknesses of HealthCare.Gov.

Cybersecurity

Weak controls leave taxpayer data vulnerable

From patching to passwords, the Government Accountability Office is troubled by persistent shortcomings with the data security posture at IRS.

Modernization

D.C.-area first responders need a clearer path on comms

A GAO report says the group responsible for security in National Capital Region needs better coordination on making emergency communications interoperable.

Modernization

GAO cites progress and challenges on FDCCI

GAO said agencies have made progress on data center consolidation but lamented that some of them lack savings goals.

Cybersecurity

DHS excoriated for mismanaged HR IT system

The Government Accountability Office warned that mismanagement has led to blown deadlines and wasted money in a Homeland Security effort to unify its human resources IT.

People

GAO frets about ambiguity in Data Act standards

The Government Accountability Office says some data element definitions offered by Treasury and OMB are potentially unclear, inconsistent and open to interpretation.

Cybersecurity

GAO report highlights Einstein shortcomings

The Department of Homeland Security's Einstein program has built in limitations that prevent it from detecting previously unknown attack vectors, according to a watchdog report.

Cybersecurity

Senate panel complains of slow progress at DHS on biometric exit tracking

Lawmakers grilled officials on the slow pace of progress in setting up a system to gather details on foreign visitors when they leave the U.S.

People

GAO urges agency collaboration to keep federal buildings safe

A 2015 GAO audit of the Federal Protective Services and the General Services Administration finds both agencies should collaborate more in matters of building security.

Digital Government

Hill watchdogs warn on shortcomings in VA's claims system

The Veterans Benefits Management System has improved responses to compensation claims, but government watchdogs are questioning the VA's claims of improvement, as well as overall agency management.

Cybersecurity

Census Bureau misses self-imposed deadline as it implements security fixes

Years-old GAO actions remain unclosed, as the Census Bureau girds itself for 2020.

Cybersecurity

SBA slow to improve IT security, watchdog says

Lawmakers are seeking an overhaul of IT security management at the Small Business Administration, in the wake of a critical Government Accountability Office report.