Close this Advertisement




Share

'Idiots' simplify hacking, CSC director tells news agency

DHS test shows cats not only curious species

  • By Washington Technology staff
  • Jun 27, 2011

The Homeland Security Department ran a test this year to see how hard it was for hackers to corrupt workers and gain access to their computer systems, and the answer was – not very, according to a Bloomberg News report.

DHS employees dropped computer discs and USB thumb drives in the parking lots of government buildings and private contractors to see who would pick them up.

Of those who did, 60 percent plugged the devices into office computers, curious to see what they contained. If the drive or CD case had an official logo, 90 percent were installed.

“There’s no device known to mankind that will prevent people from being idiots,” Mark Rasch, Computer Services Corp.’s director of network security and privacy consulting, told the business news agency.

Reader Comments

Tue, Jun 28, 2011 Dan Kuchem WDC

This is yet another solid example of why agencies should include virtualized desktops and thin clients in their application delivery solution strategies. This allows the IT folks to turn on or off access to USB devices and other items like printing and copying data/files based on the user device, network access and role within the organization.

Tue, Jun 28, 2011

Didn't we know this already, IT people?

Please post your comments here. Comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately after submitting. We will not post comments that we consider abusive or off-topic.

Please type the letters/numbers you see above

What is your e-mail address?
My e-mail address is:

Do you have a password?
Forgot your password? Click here
close
SEARCH

Trending

Webcasts

  • How Do You Support the Project Lifecycle?

    How do best-in-class project-based companies create and actively mature successful organizations? They find the right mix of people, processes and tools that enable them to effectively manage the project lifecycle. REGISTER for this webinar to hear how properly managing the cycle of capture, bid, accounting, execution, IPM and analysis will allow you to better manage your programs to stay on scope, schedule and budget. Learn More!

  • Surviving Lowest Price Technically Acceptable IT Projects: Maximize your Returns and Customer Satisfaction Ratings

    Register for this FREE exclusive roundtable webcast to hear from Nick Wakeman, Editor of Washington Technology, Shamun Mahmud, Cloud Security Architect, DLT Solutions and Paul McCloskey, Federal Alliances Leader, SolarWinds, and they discuss the different approaches on how you can deliver low cost, technically excellent, better value solutions to meet the fiscal and technology needs of today’s government, while still maximizing your returns on your LPTA IT projects. Learn More!