OMB POLICY STATEMENTS
OMB: Stronger Cybersecurity
The OMB has announced that federal agency's computer security systems are stronger than ever. However, the announcement comes after the House Committee on Government Reform gave government wide cybersecurity a grade of D in its annual report card. OMB announced that 77% of 8,623 systems were now certified and accredited as safe. Needed improvements include plans of action and milestones, and the continuation of the development agency certification and accreditation processes.

“’The federal government has made significant progress in identifying and addressing its security weaknesses,’ OMB said in the report. ‘However, uneven implementation of security measures across the federal government leaves vulnerabilities to be corrected.’”

“’Less than full reporting hampers the government’s ability to know whether an incident is isolated at one agency or is part of a larger event, e.g., the widespread propagation of an Internet worm, and thus complicates and delays appropriate response such as distributing security patches or other compensating controls,’ OMB noted.”