Information Security

The following is the text of a letter that was sent to Sens. Ben Cardin and Barbara Milkulski. A copy was also sent to Rep. Chris VanHollen: As I watched the reporting of the interaction between House Oversight and Reform Committee and OPM Director Katherine Archuleta and OPM CIO Donna Seymour, I realized that no matter how many times government officials are scolded by members of congress, there will remain no consequences for the OPM’s issues.

Over the last few years, the stories about retailers have been falling and being ignored like rain on a hot tin roof. There have been so many failures of security that the public is getting numb to yet another announcement.

Many years ago in a place far, far away was a computer science student who could command an IBM S/370 to do anything. He learned PL/I, the main language of the computer after learning FORTRAN IV, COBOL, and the assembly language. He even learned how to write JCL and CLISTs without a manual! This was the beast of a computer of its day.

Target has to be the most cyber security blind company of those that have recently been hacked. In a move that can only be written in pulp mysteries, Target hired Jacqueline Hourigan Rice to be chief risk and compliance officer. Prior to being hired by Target…