Homeland Security flunks cybersecurity prep test

pr0digal jenius · May 27, 2005, 01:49 PM

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has failed to live up to its cybersecurity responsibilities and may be "unprepared" for emergencies, federal auditors said in a scathing report released Thursday.

More than two years after its creation, Homeland Security has never developed a contingency plan to restore Internet functions in an emergency and has yet to create a vulnerability assessment of what could happen in an worst-case scenario, the Government Accountability Office concluded.

"DHS cannot effectively function as the cybersecurity focal point intended by law and national policy" at the moment, the report (Click for PDF) said. "There is increased risk that large portions of our national infrastructure are either unaware of key areas of cybersecurity risks or unprepared to effectively address cyber emergencies."

The dismal grade for Homeland Security comes as the federal government is conducting a war game called "Silent Harbor" that's designed to model what might happen during an electronic attack on the United States. It was convened by the CIA's secretive Information Operations Center and was set to conclude Thursday.
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Source/Read More: C|Net News

pr0digal jenius · May 27, 2005, 01:50 PM

Apparently they budget more for fighting the evils of file sharing then they do the evils of cyber-terrorism

BWX · May 27, 2005, 03:50 PM

Yeah file sharing is such a huge threat.. while the terrorists take out the government's communication to stage an attack, the FBI is busy harassing BitTorrent users. Th entire staff of the FBI and Homeland security should be fired..

Get some people in there that won't be bought off by the RIAA and MPAA, and maybe worry about terrorist coming in through the open borders, and leave the high school kids sharing movies and songs alone..

pr0digal jenius · May 27, 2005, 05:04 PM

don't leave them alone....but well...when you're failing basic cyber-terrorism excercises, and sweeping torrents off the web in record numbers, perhaps it's time to re-think priorities?

BWX · May 27, 2005, 05:53 PM

Yeah it is truly insane.

May 27, 2005, 01:49 PM	#1
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	Homeland Security flunks cybersecurity prep test The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has failed to live up to its cybersecurity responsibilities and may be "unprepared" for emergencies, federal auditors said in a scathing report released Thursday. More than two years after its creation, Homeland Security has never developed a contingency plan to restore Internet functions in an emergency and has yet to create a vulnerability assessment of what could happen in an worst-case scenario, the Government Accountability Office concluded. "DHS cannot effectively function as the cybersecurity focal point intended by law and national policy" at the moment, the report (Click for PDF) said. "There is increased risk that large portions of our national infrastructure are either unaware of key areas of cybersecurity risks or unprepared to effectively address cyber emergencies." The dismal grade for Homeland Security comes as the federal government is conducting a war game called "Silent Harbor" that's designed to model what might happen during an electronic attack on the United States. It was convened by the CIA's secretive Information Operations Center and was set to conclude Thursday. _____________ Source/Read More: C\|Net News

May 27, 2005, 03:50 PM	#3
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Yeah file sharing is such a huge threat.. while the terrorists take out the government's communication to stage an attack, the FBI is busy harassing BitTorrent users. Th entire staff of the FBI and Homeland security should be fired.. Get some people in there that won't be bought off by the RIAA and MPAA, and maybe worry about terrorist coming in through the open borders, and leave the high school kids sharing movies and songs alone.. __________________

May 27, 2005, 05:53 PM	#5
BWX unplugged Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: USNY Posts: 19,669 Rep Power: 110 System Specs	Yeah it is truly insane. __________________

May 27, 2005, 01:50 PM	Thread Starter #2
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	Apparently they budget more for fighting the evils of file sharing then they do the evils of cyber-terrorism

May 27, 2005, 05:04 PM	Thread Starter #4
pr0digal jenius Delete Me Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 14,648 Rep Power: 0	don't leave them alone....but well...when you're failing basic cyber-terrorism excercises, and sweeping torrents off the web in record numbers, perhaps it's time to re-think priorities?