Ineffective protection of these information systems and networks can  impair delivery of vital services, and result in  loss or theft of computer resources, assets, and funds; inappropriate access to and disclosure, modification, or destruction of  sensitive information, such as personally identifiable information; disruption of essential operations supporting critical infrastructure,  national defense, or emergency services; undermining of agency missions due to embarrassing incidents that  erode the public’s confidence in government; use of computer resources for unauthorized purposes or to launch  attacks on other systems; damage to networks and equipment; and high costs for remediation. In addition, the act continues the requirement for federal agencies to  develop, document, and implement an agency-wide information security  program. Unintentional threats can be caused by, among other  things, natural disasters, defective computer or network equipment,  software coding errors, and the actions of careless or poorly trained  employees. Intentional threats include both targeted and untargeted  attacks from a variety of sources, including criminal groups, hackers,  disgruntled employees and other organizational insiders, foreign nations  engaged in espionage and information warfare, and terrorists. As we reported in February 2015, since fiscal year 2006, the number of  information security incidents affecting systems supporting the federal  government has steadily increased each year: rising from 5,503 in fiscal  year 2006 to 67,168 in fiscal year 2014, an increase of 1,121 percent. Information Security Weaknesses Place Federal Systems and Sensitive Data at Risk

Given the risks posed by cyber threats and the increasing number of  incidents, it is crucial that federal agencies take appropriate steps to  secure their systems and information. We and agency inspectors general  have identified numerous weaknesses in protecting federal information  and systems. Specifically, for fiscal year 2014, 19 of the 24 federal agencies covered by  the Chief Financial Officers Act reported that information security control  deficiencies were either a material weakness or a significant deficiency in  internal controls over their financial reporting. Over the last several years, we and agency inspectors general have  made thousands of recommendations to agencies aimed at improving  their implementation of information security controls. For example, we  have made about 2,000 recommendations over the last 6 years. However, many agencies continue to have weaknesses in implementing  these controls in part because many of these recommendations remain  unimplemented. Until  federal agencies take actions to implement the recommendations made  by us and the inspectors general—federal systems and information, as  well as sensitive personal information about the public, will be at an  increased risk of compromise from cyber-based attacks and other threats. Healthcare.Gov: Actions Needed to Address Weaknesses in Information  Security and Privacy Controls. Cybersecurity: Threats Impacting the Nation.
Why GAO Did This Study

Effective information security for federal computer systems and databases is essential to preventing the loss of resources; the unauthorized or inappropriate use, disclosure, or alteration of sensitive information; and the disruption of government operations. Since 1997, GAO has designated federal information security as a government-wide high-risk area, and in 2003 expanded this area to include computerized systems supporting the nation's critical infrastructure. Earlier this year, in GAO's high-risk update, the area was further expanded to include protecting the privacy of personal information that is collected, maintained, and shared by both federal and nonfederal entities.
This statement summarizes threats and information security weaknesses in federal systems. In preparing this statement, GAO relied on its previously published work in this area.

What GAO Found

Federal systems face an evolving array of cyber-based threats. These threats can be unintentional—for example, from software coding errors or the actions of careless or poorly trained employees; or intentional—targeted or untargeted attacks from criminals, hackers, adversarial nations, terrorists, disgruntled employees or other organizational insiders, among others. These concerns are further highlighted by recent incidents involving breaches of sensitive data and the sharp increase in information security incidents reported by federal agencies over the last several years, which have risen from 5,503 in fiscal year 2006 to 67,168 in fiscal year 2014 (see figure).
Security control weaknesses place sensitive data at risk. GAO has identified a number of deficiencies at federal agencies that pose threats to their information and systems. For example, agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, have weaknesses with the design and implementation of information security controls, as illustrated by 19 of 24 agencies covered by the Chief Financial Officers Act declaring cybersecurity as a significant deficiency or material weakness for fiscal year 2014. In addition, most of the 24 agencies continue to have weaknesses in key controls such as those for limiting, preventing, and detecting inappropriate access to computer resources and managing the configurations of software and hardware.
Until federal agencies take actions to address these weaknesses—including implementing the thousands of recommendations GAO and agency inspectors general have made—federal systems and information will be at an increased risk of compromise from cyber-based attacks and other threats.

What GAO Recommends

Over the past 6 years, GAO has made about 2,000 recommendations to improve information security programs and associated security controls. Agencies have implemented about 58 percent of these recommendations. Further, agency inspectors general have made a multitude of recommendations to assist their agencies.