Activate Email 
INDUSTRIES
INDUSTRIES
Enterprise Featured Article
September 25, 2007
Hackers Crack Homeland Security Computers
By Tim Gray TMCnet Web Editor
Hackers have broken into several Homeland Security computers and moved sensitive information to Chinese language Web sites, according to government officials.
Now, a top homeland security official is charging that Unisys Corp— the company contracted to maintain the network — is at fault for the security breaches and neglected telling inform department brass of the breach.
The FBI is now investigating the incidents and two members of Congress have asked the department's inspector general to also launch an investigation.
"The results of our [committee] investigation suggest that the department is the victim not only of cyber attacks initiated by foreign entities, but of incompetent and possibly illegal activity by the contractor charged with maintaining security on its networks," Democratic Reps. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and James Langevin of Rhode Island said in a written statement.
Unisys has a lucrative government contract with the agency worth $1.7 billion.
Thompson said the initial la investigation has turned up dozens of compromised computers, however it was months after the initially breach that the incidents were noticed.
The vital information, the nature of which was not disclosed by Thompson, was snatched from the department and moved to Chinese Internet sites, according to Thompson's findings.
"The department is the victim not only of cyber attacks initiated by foreign entities, but of incompetent and possibly illegal activity by the contractor charged with maintaining security on its networks," Thompson wrote in a Sept. 21 letter to the department's inspector general that was released on his Web site.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke would not comment on Thompson's allegations. But he said the Unisys contract is being subjected to a new round of competition that includes other contractors, according to a report in the Associated Press.
In a written statement, Unisys denied the report and rejected allegations it had neglected to install proper security safeguards on Homeland Security computer systems. "We believe that a proper investigation of this matter will conclude that Unisys acted in good faith to meet the customer's security requirements," the company said.
Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP
communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Tim Gray’s columnist page
Now, a top homeland security official is charging that Unisys Corp— the company contracted to maintain the network — is at fault for the security breaches and neglected telling inform department brass of the breach.
The FBI is now investigating the incidents and two members of Congress have asked the department's inspector general to also launch an investigation.
"The results of our [committee] investigation suggest that the department is the victim not only of cyber attacks initiated by foreign entities, but of incompetent and possibly illegal activity by the contractor charged with maintaining security on its networks," Democratic Reps. Bennie Thompson of Mississippi and James Langevin of Rhode Island said in a written statement.
Unisys has a lucrative government contract with the agency worth $1.7 billion.
Thompson said the initial la investigation has turned up dozens of compromised computers, however it was months after the initially breach that the incidents were noticed.
The vital information, the nature of which was not disclosed by Thompson, was snatched from the department and moved to Chinese Internet sites, according to Thompson's findings.
"The department is the victim not only of cyber attacks initiated by foreign entities, but of incompetent and possibly illegal activity by the contractor charged with maintaining security on its networks," Thompson wrote in a Sept. 21 letter to the department's inspector general that was released on his Web site.
Homeland Security spokesman Russ Knocke would not comment on Thompson's allegations. But he said the Unisys contract is being subjected to a new round of competition that includes other contractors, according to a report in the Associated Press.
In a written statement, Unisys denied the report and rejected allegations it had neglected to install proper security safeguards on Homeland Security computer systems. "We believe that a proper investigation of this matter will conclude that Unisys acted in good faith to meet the customer's security requirements," the company said.
Tim Gray is a Web Editor for TMCnet, covering news in the IP
communications, call center and customer relationship management industries. To see more of his articles, please visit Tim Gray’s columnist page
