Monday, March 2, 2009
The University of Kansas received poor marks Wednesday on a follow-up report to a 2005 computer security audit.
The report, conducted by the Kansas Legislative Division of Post Audit, said the University had implemented only five of 33 policy recommendations since 2005.
The report evaluated the progress made by the University of Kansas, Kansas State University and Emporia State University since 2005. Of the three, the University had implemented the fewest policy recommendations.
Computer security by the numbers:
The University of Kansas Implemented 5 of 33 recommendations
Kansas State University Implemented 7 of 33 recommendations
Emporia State University Implemented 28 of 41 recommendations
Rep. Virgil Peck (R-Tyro), chairman of the legislative post audit committee, said he was “disturbed” by the University’s lack of effort to correct the problems noted in the 2005 audit.
Peck said the problems had the potential to affect sensitive information of students and faculty members at the University.
“It’s like they didn’t take us seriously at all,” Peck said.
Scott Frank, audit manager for the Legislative Division of Post Audit, said most of the 33 recommendations were kept confidential for security reasons. Many recommendations were discussed in the committee’s executive session and sent to the universities privately.
Bill Myers, director of assessment and outreach for information services, said the University would meet all 33 recommendations by the legislative committee’s January 2010 deadline.
“We’ve made progress on them,” Myers said. “They’re just not complete.”
The University has 11 recommendations in draft form, according to the report. Myers said the size of the University made it a difficult and lengthy process to implement new policies.
Myers said the policy recommendations did not indicate compromised security or problems with students’ or faculty members’ records. He said information services had not had a security breach in more than five years.
“We’re continually enhancing our computer safety,” Myers said.
Frank said an example of a recommendation that the University hadn’t followed through with was increased security training for central and departmental technical staff. Frank said the University had drafted new computing policies, but had not implemented them yet.
“While drafts indicate progress, it’s been three years and these aren’t super controversial things we’re addressing here,” Frank said.
Frank said some the audit’s recommendations addressed potential computing problems with network access and hardware security. Although the recommendations are not binding, Peck said the University could face consequences if upcoming deadlines were not met.
“We can always do things when it comes to funding,” Peck said. “We can delay it or withhold it. So, we’ve got a hammer here.”
Peck said he was unsure as to whether the University was serious about correcting potential computing problems.
“They appear to be cooperating,” Peck said, “but we’re going to wait and see.”
— — Edited by Sonya English
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