DHS Falls Short on IT Recommendations, Report Says

The Department of Homeland Security has only implemented less than three percent of the information technology-related recommendations issued by its Office of the Inspector General, according to a new report.

In an article on the Washington Technology website, Alice Lipowicz says that as of December 2007, “department officials had put into effect 27 of the 1,070 recommendations issued in more than 200 reports from the IG office.”

Lipowicz says the IG has released a 321-page status report, providing details on recommendations that have not been implemented. About half the improvements apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

“For example, in September 2005, the IG faulted FEMA for gaps in security related to data contained in the National Emergency Management Information System,” Lipowicz says. “As of December 2007, the four recommendations were not in effect, though an action plan had been submitted and the improvements were pending.”

In December 2006, the IG criticized FEMA for failing to do long-range planning for its IT assets. A year later, the five recommendations were not implemented, though an action plan had been submitted and work was pending, the report said.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.washingtontechnology.com/online/1_1/32994-1.html?topic=
budget-policy-legislation