Security News > 2020 > April > GAO Criticizes Pentagon Over Cyber Hygiene Efforts
A report published this week by the U.S. Government Accountability Office shows that the Pentagon's cyber hygiene initiatives have not been completed and in some cases no one is keeping track of their progress.
The GAO has reviewed three of the Department of Defense's initiatives aimed at improving the security of its networks, including the 2015 Cybersecurity Culture and Compliance Initiative, the 2015 Cyber Discipline Implementation Plan, and the Cyber Awareness Challenge training.
The Cyber Discipline Implementation Plan includes 17 tasks focused on addressing vulnerabilities in DoD networks, and ten of them that are overseen by the DoD chief information officer should have been implemented by the end of fiscal 2018.
The GAO's review also identified issues with the Cyber Awareness project, whose goal is to ensure that the DoD workforce is up to date on cyber threats and best practices.
"Overall, until DOD completes its cyber hygiene initiatives and ensures that cyber practices are implemented, the department will face an enhanced risk of successful attack," the GAO said in its report.