The Government Accountability Office has recommended that the Department of Defense fully implement its three cyber hygiene initiatives and designate components that would help monitor the implementation of cyber hygiene practices and related tasks.
GAO said in a report published Monday that it assessed the department’s implementation of the 2015 DOD Cybersecurity Culture and Compliance Initiative, Cyber Awareness Challenge training program and the 2015 DOD Cyber Discipline Implementation Plan and found that the Pentagon has yet to fully implement the tasks in the programs.
In addition to the initiatives, DoD has created lists of methods frequently used by cyber adversaries and determined practices to safeguard its systems and networks against such techniques. According to the report, the “department does not know the extent to which these practices have been implemented.”
The congressional watchdog called on the Pentagon to ensure that its senior leaders receive information on cybersecurity initiatives and implementation of cyber practices. “Such information would better position leaders to be aware of the cyber risks facing DOD and make more effective decisions to manage such risks,” GAO noted.
