Concerned about the security of computer systems for the federal agency responsible for handling the financial records of millions of elderly Americans, a lawmaker Tuesday recommended a network safety program be adopted.
An investigation ordered by the agency's inspector general and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers last year concluded that the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation's (PBGC) information systems were vulnerable to hacker attempts, possibly resulting in the illegal transfer of funds or the creation of phony accounts. In response to the findings, Sen. Christopher Bond, R-Mo., sent a letter to the agency calling for an "Intrusion Management Program" designed to protect pension records and safeguard against tampering.
"It is clear through the investigation ordered by the inspector general that computer systems within the agency are inadequate to guard against high-tech computer hackers," said Craig Orfield, spokesman for the Senate Committee on Small Business.
What is not clear is whether the safety of the records has been compromised in the past.
"It is clear that so-called theft could come into play," Orfield said. "But the other side of the coin is that we don't know of any. No court cases have occurred. . . . There are far too many questions here and not enough answers."
Bond called on PBGC Executive Director David Strauss to take the necessary steps to improve the agency's computer systems by drawing up a plan that addresses each point raised in the inspector general's report by Feb. 15. Bond also plans to hold joint hearings as part of the investigation later this year, where he will examine the agencies' operations more closely, Orfield said.
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