Oversight

Trump Objects to Pandemic Spending Oversight, But Congress and IGs Still Have Authority

“Signing statements by themselves do not really do anything,” said one expert.

  • By Courtney Bublé

Get More Out of STEM Grants by Making a Plan to Tackle Sexual Harassment, Watchdog Says

Agencies’ processes for reviewing complaints don’t reflect the full picture.

  • By Mariam Baksh

DOD’s Inconsistent Mitigation of Cyber Vulnerabilities Is a Waste, Pentagon’s Watchdog Says

Leadership promises to improve responsiveness to red-teaming efforts.

  • By Mariam Baksh

IRS Legacy Technology Costs the Country ‘Billions,’ IG Says

The IRS isn’t capitalizing on its cloud strategy as it should be.

  • By Frank Konkel

GAO: OMB’s Data Center Policy Puts Agencies’ Networks at Risk of Cyberattacks

The administration pushed back hard against the assertion, going so far as to request GAO remove cybersecurity from its latest report.

  • By Aaron Boyd

GSA to Partner with GAO in Latest Centers of Excellence Partnership

The General Services Administration intends to help the Government Accountability Office stand up an innovation lab.

  • By Frank Konkel

Government Issued $175 Billion in Improper Payments, Watchdog Says

Despite laws and technology changes, federal agencies saw increased losses from fiscal 2018. 

  • By Frank Konkel

Data Center Issue Prompts GAO to Revert Redesigned Website Back to an Old Version

The new site’s host company, Contegix, is still working to resolve the technical difficulties, a GAO official said.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Government-Run Energy Company Keeps Reeling in the Same Employees in Phishing Training

The Tennessee Valley Authority has a good initial phishing training program in place but lacks real consequences for those that fail.

  • By Aaron Boyd

One Month Out, Watchdog Warns About Census IT and Cybersecurity Challenges

The Census Bureau this month switched the internet response system that respondents will use to complete the 2020 census questionnaire. The last-minute change worries the Government Accountability Office.

  • By Andrea Noble

Coming Cyber Commission Report Loaded with 75 Ways to Improve Security—Plus the Bill Proposals

Key lawmaker highlighted recommendations focused on Congressional reform and a new type of information sharing.

  • By Mariam Baksh

GAO to DHS: Assess How Agencies Implement Cyber Directives

An audit says the Department of Homeland Security needs to do more to ensure agencies carry out binding directives it issues.

  • By Frank Konkel

Agency Officials Are Increasingly Retaliating Against Whistleblowers With Impunity, IG Says

Lawmakers and advocates say Trump's attacks on the whistleblower that kicked off his impeachment will have long-lasting negative effects.

  • By Eric Katz

Unclear NSA CIO Role Puts the Agency’s IT at Risk, IG Says

Auditors report the position is not even in the agency’s organizational chart.

  • By Mariam Baksh

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Another Poor Cybersecurity Audit at State Department Draws Scrutiny

Auditors have been reporting weaknesses in IT security controls for over a decade. 

  • By Mariam Baksh

GAO Calls Out IRS’ Taxpayer Experience Issues

The 2019 tax filing season was more problematic than usual for IRS.

  • By Frank Konkel

Pentagon Must Focus on Reliability When Buying Weapons Systems, Auditor Says

The Government Accountability Office report holds implications for cybersecurity considerations in procurement processes.

  • By Mariam Baksh

EPA Could Save Taxpayers Thousands of Dollars Through Stronger Oversight of Mobile Phones

The agency “missed an opportunity” to better use $12,000 spent over two years on unnecessary voice and data services, watchdog finds.

  • By Courtney Bublé

Another Federal Employee Caught Watching Porn at Work

The employee admitted watching adult pornography at work but retired amid a government investigation.

  • By Brandi Vincent

Watchdog: OPM is At Risk of Not Being Able to Restore IT Systems Post-Disaster

The massive 2015 data breaches that exposed personal information of current and former federal employees are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit. 

  • By Courtney Bublé

NSA Data Storage Poses Risk to Civil Liberties, Watchdog Says

An audit conducted by the National Security Agency inspector general raises questions about the intelligence agency’s data retention policies.

  • By Frank Konkel