After The Crash

From IBD:
Posted 3/23/2006

National Defense: The federal government has taken a look at the computer security of its various agencies and departments, and guess which ones failed? That's right: those charged with keeping Americans safe.

Naturally, the agency that graded out with a Potomac best of 100% in protecting its information technology system is also one of the most useless federal agencies — in a government filled with useless and counterproductive functions — the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

But then, what else should we expect from the bureaucracies of a leviathan government that typically focuses on the wrong thing?

Getting F's in the evaluation conducted last year by the Government Accountability Office were the Homeland Security and Defense departments. This is nothing new for either. Homeland Security has failed its evaluation three years in a row; Defense has flunked the last two.

Also failing were Agriculture, Energy, Health and Human Services, Interior, State and Veterans Affairs. The Justice Department, which might be of some use in protecting the country, got a D.

Overall, the federal government performed much like a student in our failing public school system, earning an unacceptable D+.

If any departments should protect themselves from terrorists, unfriendly governments, common identity thieves, run-of-the-mill hackers and hackers with a purpose, they should be Defense and Homeland Security, which is actually charged with guarding the country's digital infrastructure.

Yet they've left themselves open to tampering that could threaten our security on a widespread basis. Lax protection not only makes it easier for the wrong people to get sensitive information. There's also the frightening possibility that essential computer operations within Defense and/or Homeland Security would be thrown into disarray if the U.S. suffers another terrorist attack. That doesn't inspire much confidence.

As is often the problem, Washington has lost focus. Too many resources that should be applied to keeping us safe are instead devoted to marginal activities. It may be comforting to some that the Environmental Protection Agency, the Labor Department and the Office of Personnel Management each received an A+. But their missions aren't critical to security. If Washington is to protect us as it should, it must get its priorities in order.