Homeland Security Department Vulnerable to Hackers, GAO Says

By Joseph Russell- Talk Radio News Service

According to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is still considerably vulnerable to cyber attacks.

“Over the past three years, GAO has consistently reported that DHS has yet to fully satisfy its key responsibilities, including those for coordinating and protection of cyber critical infrastructure,” said Greg Wilshusen, Director of Information Issues for the Government Accountability Office during a hearing Thursday with the House Technology and Innovation Subcommittee on weaknesses in U.S. cyber security.

The Cyber Space Policy Review and a recent report from the Government Accountability Office highlighted many problems in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) cyber security operations and coordination. These problems include weak and outdated infrastructure, poor research, and lack of security.

A plan for collaborating national cyber security standards is needed, according to Wilshusen, because different agencies, including DHS, are unclear about their roles and responsibilities of addressing cyber security. 

The Bush Administration created the Comprehensive National Cyber Security Initiative (CNCI) to secure federal systems in 2008. The classified CNCI had issues securing systems because 85 percent of the U.S. infrastructure is owned and operated by private entities. Under President Obama, the CNCI seeks to grow cyber security through increased transparency and public-private partnerships. 

Debts and deadbeats

Over 1.6 million businesses owe more than $58 billion to Uncle Sam, according to Senator Carl Levin (D-Mich.) at a hearing before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs on unpaid payroll tax abuse. A study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) concluded that more than half this debt is now uncollectible.

According to Levin, delinquent businesses not only stash away taxes they owe the government but also steal funds withheld from employee paychecks. Levin pointed out that this widespread failure to remit payroll taxes is a felony and a disgrace. Levin said that in 1998, the GAO found unpaid payroll taxes totalled $49 billion but now it has increased to $58 billion. Levin attributed the cause for this increased tax debt partyly to ineffective Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payroll collection efforts.

Levin focused on three of the hosts of problems identified by the GAO. Levin said that GAO’s report disclosed that 70% of all unpaid payroll taxes owed by businesses are due to repeat offenders. Levin also cited the IRS’ failure to make effective use of available enforcement tools and “deadtime in the queue” where cases are left unproductive until a revenue officer is assigned to them and enforcement action is taken.

Senator Norm Coleman (R-Minn.), ranking member of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, referred to those who fail to pay payroll taxes as “deadbeats” and said they are not only breaching their employees’ trust but shortchanging honest American taxpayers. Coleman said that the IRS estimated $44 billion has been transferred from general tax revenues to Social Security and Medicare. Coleman pointed out that the billions of dollars could have been invested in crucial areas such as healthcare, homeland security and education. Coleman also said that tax-cheats are shifting the tax burden onto honest Americans and are gaining an unfair advantage over honest businesses.

Early detection key to safeguarding America

A hearing on “One year later: Implementing the bio-surveillance requirements of the 9/11 act” before the Emerging Threats, Cybersecurity, and Science and Technology Subcommittee. Chairman James R. Langevin (D-R.I.) said that the threat of biological attack is real and wanted to address one of the ‘most glaring vulnerabilities’ facing America.

According to Langevin, the 9/11 act authorizes the National Biosurveillance Integration Center (NBIC) and requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to submit a report to Congress describing federal, state and local biosurveillance efforts. He noted that the keys to stopping an attack from turning into a catastrophe were early detection, identification, tracking and response.

Robert Hooks, deputy assistant for weapons of mass destruction and biodefense from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Eric Myers, director of NBIC from DHS, issued a joint statement and said that America’s first indication of a bioterrorist attack would be through early detection and warning systems such as BioWatch and the NBIC. Hooks and Myers noted that a ‘comprehensive biosurveillance capability’ could minimize the impact and the duration of an attack.

William Jenkins, Jr., director of homeland security and justice issues from the GAO, said that the DHS had made efforts to make NBIC completely operational by September 30 but it remains unclear what operations the center will be capable of at that point in time. In addition, Jenkins emphasized the importance of improving the technology used by the BioWatch program.

Roundtable discussion on diversity does not go in circles

House Homeland Security Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) and syndicated columnist George Curry chaired a roundtable discussion on the challenges and experiences in achieving model diversity initiatives. Representatives from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), Verizon Communications, American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and other companies offered their opinions on how to create a more inclusive work environment.

Ellie Hollander, Chief People Officer of AARP, said that AARP had taken a holistic approach to maximize the engagement of all their employees. Hollander attributed this level of involvement to AARP’s several human resource groups that cater to the needs and concerns of diverse individuals such as minorities and disabilities.

Verizon Communications was named number one this year by Diversity Inc. According to Emilio Gonzalez, vice president of strategic alliances for Verizon, 25 percent of the Verizon board of directors are from minority groups and 95 percent of the workforce is within the U.S. Gonzalez attributed the success to four core concepts which are employment, procurement, philanthropy and governance. The GAO representative aptly said that America ‘has not arrived’ but remains committed to the inclusion of diversity initiatives.

Long term health care budget likened to a dysfunctional relationship

The long term budget outlook for slowing the growth of health care costs was discussed at a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance. Panelist Dr. Peter R. Orszag, Director of the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), gave the analogy of a dysfunctional relationship to illustrate the unsustainable state of the federal budget. Orszag said that, like such a relationship, there was no telling how long the budget would last but the end was bound to be messy.

Panelist Mr. Gene Dodaro, Acting Comptroller General of the Government Accountability Office (GAO) cautioned that Social Security cash surplus would start declining in 2011. Dodaro said that this would force increased borrowing from the public, reduced spending or increased revenue. Dodaro also said that American standard of living would be affected in terms of how the types of services would be funded.

Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) noted that Congress would be able to help more if given more data regarding health care costs and guidelines. Orszag agreed and discussed ways to constrain costs without adversely affecting health benefits. Orszag recommended increasing the salience of health costs and improving health care efficiency. He said that might result in a change in cost-consciousness which would shift demand. Orszag also recommended generating more information about effectiveness and changing incentives such that people pay for ‘better care and not just more care’. Lastly, Orszag stressed the importance of adopting measures that promote healthier living such as increasing cigarette tax to discourage smoking.