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Fed. agencies are facing a set of cybersecurity threats that are the result of increasingly sophisticated methods of attack & the blending of once distinct types of attack into more complex & damaging forms. Examples of these threats include: spam (unsolicited commercial e-mail), phishing (fraudulent messages to obtain personal or sensitive data), & spyware (software that monitors user activity without user knowledge or consent). This report determines: the potential risks to fed. systems from these emerging cybersecurity threats; the fed. agencies' perceptions of risk & their actions to mitigate them, fed. & private-sector actions to address the threats on a nat. level; & governmentwide challenges to protecting fed. systems from these threats. Illus.

NASA relies extensively on information systems and networks to pioneer space exploration, scientific discovery, and aeronautics research. Many of these systems and networks are interconnected through the Internet, and may be targeted by evolving and growing cyber threats from a variety of sources. This report: (1) determines whether NASA has implemented appropriate controls to protect the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of the information and systems used to support NASA¿s mission directorates; and (2) assesses NASA¿s vulnerabilities in the context of prior incidents and corrective actions. The report examined network and system controls in place at 3 centers; and analyzed IS policies, plans, and reports.

This is a print on demand edition of a hard to find publication. Approximately 90 percent of all federal background investigations are provided by OPM¿s Federal Investigative Services (FIS) division. In fiscal year 2009, FIS conducted over 2 million investigations of varying types, making the organization a major steward of personal information on U.S. citizens. This report: (1) describes how OPM uses personally identifiable information (PII) in conducting background investigations; and (2) assesses the extent to which OPM's privacy policies and procedures for protecting PII related to investigations meet statutory requirements and align with widely accepted privacy practices. The report compared OPM and FIS policies and procedures with key privacy laws and widely accepted practices. Illustrations.

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) relies extensively on computerized systems to support its financial and mission-related operations and on information security controls to protect financial and sensitive taxpayer information that resides on those systems. As part of an audit of IRS's FY 2010 and 2009 financial statements, the auditor assessed whether controls over key financial and tax processing systems are effective in ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of financial and sensitive taxpayer information. To do this, the auditor examined IRS information security policies, plans, and procedures; tested controls over key financial applications; and interviewed key agency officials at four sites. This is a print on demand report.