Government cybersecurity problems worry companies doing government business

The latest congressional scorecard once again flunked key national security agencies on their cybersecurity efforts. This is not good news for companies willing — or required — to share security data with DHS or other government agencies. Thus, in addition to the issues having to do with vulnerability to terrorism, the low cybersecurity grades in key government security agencies may lead many in the private sector to think twice about sharing information with DHS. John Sabo, director of security and privacy initiatives for Islandia, New York-based CA Inc., said IT companies met as recently as three weeks ago with DHS officials about specific data security measures the department must implement before the industry would be willing to share proprietary corporate IT infrastructure information. “It is less likely that any significant volume of sensitive IT information sharing will go on if we believe that information cannot be protected,” Sabo said.

-read more in Stephen Barlas’s SearchSecurity report

MORE: Speaking of Sabo: CA two days ago announced that John Sabo, the company’s Federal director of security and privacy initiatives, has been named president of the Information Technology-Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IT-ISAC), effective immediately. The IT-ISAC is a non-profit organization of leading IT companies focused on providing a mechanism for the trusted exchange of information on cyber incidents, vulnerabilities, attacks, solutions and countermeasures. Sabo’s term runs through February 2007. Report