DHS' IT weaknesses chronicled in series of IG reports

The Homeland Security Department's inspector general issued 16 reports highlighting IT weaknesses within the agency in the past six months, according to the just-released Semiannual Report to the Congress.

Among the IT topics examined by Inspector General Richard Skinner were IT security shortcomings in the Coast Guard, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Citizenship and Immigration Services, Customs and Border Protection, and Secret Service databases.

The inspector general issued 34 management reports in all, and processed 183 reports on DHS programs issued by other organizations, from April 1 to Sept. 30.

The IG office identified $31.1 million of questioned costs, of which $8.1 million were determined to be unsupported. Its investigations yielded 54 arrests, 70 indictments and 66 convictions during the period.