CLUELESS

Gov’t Workers Undermining Cybersecurity

Falling for stupid scams.

The federal government has invested $10 billion a year in cybersecurity to protect sensitive national data, but its own employees and contractors are inadvertently thwarting the safety efforts. Apparently, the people who have computer access to military secrets and our Social Security numbers also buy into your basic email scam. Unlike the notorious Edward Snowden, a number of government employees and contractors unwittingly leaked information after being lured into breaches. According to an AP analysis, government workers across some dozen agencies are responsible for at least half of all federal cybersecurity incidents reported since 2010. They have “clicked links in bogus phishing emails, opened malware-laden websites, and been tricked by scammers into sharing information,” the AP reported. One worker clicked on a link to a video of Serena Williams, which then led to a hostile site. The federal government is not obligated to publicize cybersecurity attacks, but the incidents have gained increasing attention and scrutiny. Last month, The Washington Post revealed hackers believed to be based in Russia breached unclassified White House computers. The government has spent more than $100 billion over the last 40 years on attempts to secure federal data.