Web Site of GSA (responsible for computer security technology) Insecure

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Web Site of Agency Is Called Insecure
By JOHN MARKOFF
Published: January 13, 2006


The General Services Administration has shut a Web site for government contractors after a computer industry consultant reported that he was able to view and modify corporate and financial information submitted by vendors.

The security flaw, which could have permitted contractor fraud, was reported to the agency's inspector general on Dec. 22, but almost three weeks passed before the system was taken offline Wednesday afternoon.

The General Services Administration is the federal agency responsible for procuring equipment and services, including computer security technology, making the lapse all the more striking.

"This is the government entity responsible for letting contracts for security," said Mark Rasch, chief security counsel for Solutionary, a security firm. "Clearly the people who log in would know about security."

The agency said it believed that the flaw had not been exploited by intruders or by authorized users....


http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/13/technology/13secure.html

[PATRICK]

1. Faith based security

n/t Why bother upgrading then. Just keep believing no crooked contractor hand in paw with the government would ever do such a thing- especially with a three week heads up.