TaxProf Blog: TIGTA: 100% of Tested IRS Databases Are Vulnerable to Hackers. Makes me feel better about my data being protected.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration today released Security Over Databases Could Be Enhanced to Ensure Taxpayer Data Are Protected (2011-20-044):
Some of the 2,200 databases that the IRS uses to manage and process taxpayer data are not configured securely, are running out-of-date software, and no longer receive security patches. Nor has the IRS fully implemented its plans to complete vulnerability scans of its databases – although the IRS spent more than $1.1 million in software licenses and support costs for a database vulnerability scanning and compliance assessment tool, it did not fully implement it.
TIGTA used database vulnerability assessment software to conduct remote scans of the primary databases for 13 applications supporting critical tax administration business processes. Its review found high and medium risk vulnerabilities, as classified by the scanning tool in each of the 13 databases.
How do you feel about this?
June 24, 2011 at 8:00 am
Hmmm, well this comes as no surprise. Virtually any system is vulnerable if you have determined individuals trying to get into them. The pentagon has been vulnerable on several occasions.
If you read the full report you find a system was purchased to deal with some of the issues. Then nope suddenly another system….duties were moved, things changed around. You don’t see that the major portion of the duties for this were contracted out during W’s administration to “save money”.
Me thinks if one were to dig and look at everything objectively one would find a lot of politics and back scratching here. That coupled with asinine decisions by high level administrators to not pay for upgrades or purchase newer software as a way to save money and absorb budget cuts or pay for other projects which if put under scrutiny would not rank as highly.
In other words government operation 101….politics, good old boy, helping out select individuals/companies, high level administrators that have no clue…..but they are somebody’s good buddy.
June 24, 2011 at 8:02 pm
“In other words government operation 101″
Or, my old pal Somebody, FUBAR!
June 25, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Yes Mary, that is correct.
June 25, 2011 at 5:16 am
that sounds about right.
June 25, 2011 at 10:02 pm
I thought having my identity stolen by a perfect stranger was bad, this makes taking the information candy. Too easy.
June 24, 2011 at 8:22 am
Yeah, that gives me real confidence every time we fill out our IRS tax forms! Not to mention, the government also wants to put all our personal medical information in computer files..gee…what can go wrong, eh?
June 24, 2011 at 8:04 pm
Could it be, Ms. Nunly, that the got wants it that way? Nah, just silly mistakes. Sue.
June 25, 2011 at 10:02 pm
What can go wrong Nunly? JK…we’re in a bad way, aren’t we?
June 25, 2011 at 1:53 am
I can protect my own computer, but federal government can’t protect theirs? Maybe we should hold off on paying taxes until they get that fixed. Just trying to do my part by not overloading their database.
June 25, 2011 at 7:02 pm
Love it!
June 25, 2011 at 10:04 pm
Would not that be grand rjjrdq? I would love to tell them to wait until they got their act together.
June 26, 2011 at 7:49 am
Relax people, the IRS is so incompetent if somebody were to hack your data it likely wouldn’t really be yours! I’ve been battling them for ten years over a couple of clerical errors, somebody entering data wrong. All you have to do is type one number wrong and you can dominate somebody’s life for decades. Receipts, canceled checks, letters, all mean nothing if the computer says something different. So, hackers help yourself! I don’t see how you could do anymore damage than they’ve already done themselves.
June 26, 2011 at 9:22 pm
OMG yttik that is a nightmare.