- Federal Facility Cybersecurity: DHS and GSA Should Address Cyber Risk to Building and Access Control Systems, GAO-15-6: Published: Dec 12, 2014. Publicly Released: Jan 12, 2015: “The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has taken preliminary steps to begin to understand the cyber risk to building and access controls systems in federal facilities. For example, in 2013, components of DHS’s National Protection and Programs Directorate (NPPD) conducted a joint assessment of the physical security and cybersecurity of a federal facility. However, significant work remains.
- Lack of a strategy: DHS lacks a strategy that: (1) defines the problem, (2) identifies the roles and responsibilities, (3) analyzes the resources needed, and (4) identifies a methodology for assessing this cyber risk. A strategy is a starting point in addressing this risk. The absence of a strategy that clearly defines the roles and responsibilities of key components within DHS has contributed to a lack of action within the Department. For example, no one within DHS is assessing or addressing cyber risk to building and access control systems particularly at the nearly 9,000 federal facilities protected by the Federal Protective Service (FPS) as of October 2014. According to an NPPD official, DHS has not developed a strategy, in part, because cyber threats involving these systems are an emerging issue. By not developing a strategy document for assessing cyber risk to facility and security systems, DHS and, in particular, NPPD have not effectively articulated a vision for organizing and prioritizing efforts to address the cyber risk facing federal facilities that DHS is responsible for protecting.
- Cyber threat not identified in report for federal agencies: The Interagency Security Committee (ISC), which is housed within DHS and is responsible for developing physical security standards for nonmilitary federal facilities, has not incorporated cyber threats to building and access control systems in its Design-Basis Threat report that identifies numerous undesirable events. An ISC official said that recent active shooter and workplace violence incidents have caused ISC to focus its efforts on policies in those areas first. Incorporating the cyber threat to building and access control systems in the Design-Basis Threat report will inform agencies about this threat so they can begin to assess its risk. This action also could prevent federal agencies from expending limited resources on methodologies that may result in duplication.”
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