Porn activity detected at DHS (maybe)

[quaoar]

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/1_1/daily_news/27869-1.html

By Alice Lipowicz
Staff Writer

The Homeland Security Department’s internal computer network generated 65 million security alerts during a three-month period and 6.5 million of those may be linked to employees accessing pornographic words or materials, according to a report today from DHS inspector general Richard Skinner.

Nearly three-quarters of the automated “security event messages” and “detect.misuse.porn” alerts originated from 16 devices on the department’s wide area network, according to the report. However, DHS could not identify the specific workstations that had generated the messages, the inspector general found.

Under DHS policy, employees are forbidden to access pornographic materials from workstations. However, the “detect.misuse.porn” message may not necessarily indicate pornography, the IG report explains in a footnote.

DHS’ automated network security tools—which create warnings when detecting a possible breach of IT security—are programmed to look for pornographic keywords such as “oral.” But sometimes alerts are generated when the keywords are embedded in other words, such as in “behavioral,” the report said.

[Poll_Blind]

1. Pornographic words like "constitution", "bill of rights" and....

...."whistleblower", no doubt.

PB

[rzemanfl]

4. Ooh! Ooh! he said blower! Ooh! Ooh! n/t

[Zorro]

6. Well...

The word is Cons"tit"ution, after all...

[rzemanfl]

2. They must have to do everything in writing there, no "oral"

communications. These fuckwads are in charge of our safety?

[cdsilv]

3. As a former network admin I can assure you all that they CAN determine...

...which users looked at what, if they use the right software. Even if they don't, its just alot more work but it CAN be done. I have done it on corporate networks. Repeatedly. And had people get fired, and made it through the subsequent lawsuits.

Don't let anyone tell you it can't be done. It can, and I have done it. Not willingly, but when compelled and told "it's your job or his/hers". Well, I and my kids have to eat, too.

[Fridays Child]

14. I'm no expert but that part didn't have the ring of truth to it.

Thanks for confirming it.

[tocqueville]

5. this is preposterous

why couldn't a Homeland security expert (in a normal world) look at porn, if the tape, for example an amateur video could give a clue during an investigation ?

The text above implies that those guys are watching porn instead of doing their job. Which gives you an idea of those "patriots". But the general prohibition is preposterous. How could they track if Gannon is a security risk ?

[rodeodance]

7. DHS is not using those tools effectively, the audit found.--says it all.

DHS is not using those tools effectively, the audit found.

“DHS had not finalized procedures for identifying the source of those messages, or for coordinating appropriate actions with other technical and security organizations,” the IG wrote. “DHS systems and data are at increased risk of service disruptions and security-related events if automated network security tools are not utilized effectively.”

.......

In addition, the DHS network did not have its security accreditations and certifications, the report added. DHS officials agreed with the findings and recommendations.

The inspector general also released a report on security risks for selected sensitive but unclassified mission-critical databases at DHS, and another on security vulnerabilities to the U.S. Visit visitor screening program.

[dysfunctional press]

8. so what? there was a gay male prostitute with a white house press pass-

nobody seemed to care about that...why should they be concerned with this?

[Skip Intro]

9. The term "pornographic" needs to be defined. "pornographic words"...?

Porno is:

[rooboy]

10. Just doing a security clearance on Jeff Gannon, I'm sure... n/t

[jberryhill]

11. Oh that's intelligent

So, let me see if I understand this.

Our Department of Homeland Security arranged its computer system so that if Al Qaeda wanted to conduct their planning operations on an open blog, then if they put a link to the Paris Hilton Sex Video on the page, DHS couldn't see it?

Bra-vo morons.

[RedSock]

12. puh-leeze

However, DHS could not identify the specific workstations that had generated the messages, the inspector general found.

**********

They must think we have IQs of about 26.

[orleans]

13. they can spy on us but they can't figure out which workstation

this was coming out of?

and they can't have the monitors tagged to differentiate between oral and behavioral

give me a friggin break!

no wonder osama is still chasing around somewhere and they've got to spy on all of america just to dig up some dirt on a few.

homeland insecurity alright...

it would be rather funny if it didn't make me SCREAMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!

[CJCRANE]

15. My office firewall sometimes blocks DU forum pages as "porn" ! nt

[xchrom]

17. lol -- smart firewall.

oh that cracked me up.

it's probably because of those lounge wenches steaming all the boys up.

[Up2Late]

16. Oral!?!?! Have they never heard of ORAL Arguments at the SCOTUS?

God, what idiots we have there at DHS.

[Ian David]

18. So, their fear of porn is slowing the process of protecting us and...

their employees are so untrustworthy that they surf for porn at work, we're supposed to feel secure that they're not spying on ordinary citizens for their own personal titillation?

"If you're having phone-sex with Al Queda, we want to know about it."

[madmom]

19. Yes but your missing the big picture here....

they're using this as a cover for an excuse for when they are tapping the American people and a word pops up say like bombastic,bombard,bombardier,bombshell. They now have a perfectly ligament reason to wiretap us.

[Miss Chybil]

20. Probably the words DICK Cheney set it off. nt

[BR_Parkway]

21. 4 Million hits from 16 devices? Some horndogs at DHS