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OPA News Release: [03/20/2006]
Contact Name: Peggy
Abrahamson
Phone Number: (202) 693-7909
Contact Name: Kristin
Wilson
Phone Number: (202) 693-4676
Release Number: 06-0508-NAT
Labor Department Receives an A+ for Computer
Security
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) achieved a
grade of "A+" on the 2005 Federal Computer Security Score Card. DOL ranked
first among Cabinet departments and, along with five other federal agencies,
achieved one of the highest scores for computer and information technology
security.
This is the fifth year the House Committee on Government Reform has
prepared the score card. The agencies' grades are based on computer security
reports they provide to Congress and the Office of Management and Budget in the
fall. The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) that became law
in 2002 requires the annual reports. The committee reviews the results of the
FISMA reports, identifies strengths and weaknesses in government information
security and explores reasons behind poor performance by some agencies.
Overall, the committee's goal is to evaluate whether federal computer
operations are prepared for a major cyber-attack.
"The successes we have achieved to date can be attributed to strong
oversight of department-wide security issues, cooperation at the agency IT
senior management level, and collaboration through department-wide review
boards," said DOL Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO) Thomas Wiesner.
Wiesner credited DOL's information technology professionals for their efforts
in ensuring the department's networks, which handle financial and other vital
transactions and information, are secure.
"Achieving the goal of a secure information technology system is an
effort that requires continuous attention," said DOL Assistant Secretary for
Administration and Management and CIO Patrick Pizzella. "DOL is also proud to
have achieved the highest "green" rating for E-Government under the President's
Management Agenda. Ensuring that government computer systems are more secure is
vital to accomplishing our work for the public we serve."
The Department of Labor has an information technology budget of $455
million in Fiscal Year 2006 supporting 86 mission-critical IT systems as well
as enterprise-wide information systems that leverage the department's
resources, improve business efficiency and reduce redundancy.
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