Government gets a ' D ' in cybersecurity

The federal government's overall grade on cybersecurity improved over the last year, rising from an F in 2002 to a D in 2003, according to the House Government Reform Committee's fourth annual scorecard.

But improvement is still too slow, said Rep. Adam Putnam, chairman of the House Government Reform subcommittee on technology, information policy, intergovernmental relations and the census.

Fourteen of 24 agencies' grades were below a C, and eight failed. There was one A and one A-.

"We must do more and quicker if we are going to protect ourselves from a potential digital disaster," said Putnam, R-Fla. "There are substantial material weaknesses that expose agencies to potential cyberattacks. The damage that could be inflicted, both in terms of financial loss and potentially loss of life, is considerable."