The FBI apparently isn’t very good at securing its own memory systems
The FBI has “significant weaknesses” in the way it handles digital media storage devices and in the way it disposes of media containing sensitive or classified information, a new report finds.
Findings by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) indicate that the FBI does not have adequate policies, procedures or controls in place to record electronic storage media removed from larger devices and USB flash drives.
Furthermore, it does not label its electronic storage media with the appropriate NSI classification or SBU levels.
New FBI Guidance
The law enforcement agency did not dispute the findings and instead pledged to do better.
“Our audit found that the FBI does not properly secure confidential NSI or SBU information and does not mark all electronic storage media as required, nor account for this media in accordance with the FBI’s internal policies and Department of Justice (DOJ) guidelines,” the report said. “The lack of accounting for this electronic storage media is exacerbated by inadequate internal physical access and security controls at the facility, potentially placing this media at risk of loss or theft without the possibility of detection.”
Ultimately, the FBI must improve internal physical access and security controls in relevant areas of the facility, the document said.
During the audit, the OIG recommended that the FBI review its procedures to ensure that all electronic storage media containing sensitive or classified information is properly accounted for, tracked, decontaminated in a timely manner, and destroyed. It should also implement controls to ensure that electronic storage media is properly marked with the appropriate NSI classification level markings, and generally strengthen its controls and practices.
The FBI acknowledged the findings, BleepingComputer added, and said it was currently drafting a new guideline, called “Physical Control and Destruction of Classified and Sensitive Electronic Devices and Materials Policy Guidance,” that would address these issues.
Via BleepingComputer
More from TechRadar Pro
- FBI investigating alleged hack of US presidential campaigns
- Here is a list of the best firewall software available today
- These are the best endpoint security tools right now
