Security Flaws Could Cripple Defense Network

userexec wrote to mention an FCW.com article about the uninspiring future for the Missile Defense System's software. The developers are apparently very worried about poor information security on the project. From the article: "The report said that neither MDA nor Boeing officials saw the need to install a system to conduct automated log audits on unencrypted communications and monitoring systems. Even though current DOD policies require such automated network monitoring, such a requirement 'was not in the contract.' The network, which was also developed to conform to more than 20-year-old DOD security policies rather than more recent guidelines, lacks a comprehensive user account management process, the report said. Neither MDA nor Boeing conducted required Information Assurance (IA) training for users before they were granted access to the network, the report stated. "

Comments

why answer

[Anonymous Coward]

Being someone who is actually fairly close to this issue, I thought about trying to answer some of the questions associated with it. But, I realized, it doesn't matter. The system is too complex to describe. And even if I did I can't describe it without revealing information that cannot be legally divulged. And how could I answer the procedural or contractual questions? The differences between a weapon system and a corporate network or even a small weapon network or government network are so vast you cannot describe them in a week. And the idocyncracies of the contract are so complex that no-one understands them down to the difference between Raytheon at location X and Northrop Grumman at location Y. And why answer the specifics of the report? We have a formal response and it covers the entire IG report. The kind of response you read and think "well why'd we get our panties in a twist"? In the end, people will talk about that network that network terrorists could hack at the drop of hat for a week and then will forget about it for the next political scandal or missing white blonde girl. And my coworkers and I will continue on trying to do the right thing for the weapon system and our Nation.

di34

[Anonymous Coward]

Rival distributi9on, and enjoy all the a full-7ime GNAA

Re:Let me take guess....

[Master of Transhuman]

Probably SAIC - the CIA front company the Bush crime family uses for a lot of shady stuff.

In any event, whatever company it was, look for the names Bush the Elder, James Baker, Rumsfeld, Cheney, et al, on the board of directors either present or past.

That or the company is owned by the Carlyle Group.

Or it's an Israeli company. We gave an Israeli company the contracts to run our law enforcement wire tapping operation - until employees got caught selling wiretap data to drug dealers in LA. The same company also offers mass transit video surveillance systems - like the one in the London Underground that got bombed.

Israel has figured out that the best way to spy on the world is to make the security gadgets the world depends on. That's why you have tons of Israeli security and technology companies like Checkpoint firewall. Now that I know that, rely on a Checkpoint firewall? I don't think so.