Federal agencies improving data-leak prevention standards

Contributed by Roumiana Deltcheva (Vendredi, 03 septembre 2010) | Category : Email security

A study recently conducted by the National Archives and Records Association found federal agencies must improve records management and data-leak prevention to comply with government regulations.

In September of last year, NARA conducted a study that found found 36 percent of federal agencies are at high risk of suffering a data loss. While the data is now more than one year old, results from the second such study will soon be released. NARA initially expected the numbers to improve, but it's difficult for NARA to reach any conclusions until it aggregates the final data.

Despite the fact that NARA recommended that companies appoint record
managers as part of their internal staff, it's unlikely that many have
implemented the recommendation.

"There should be a designated records officer," Laurence Brewer, director of NARA's life cycle management division, said. "But perhaps that person is doing three or four different jobs. It is ultimately the agency's responsibility to ensure they have a formal records management program."

The federal government has struggled with data management and retention issues for most of the last decade. In fact, Citizens for Reform and Ethics in Washington has raised concerns regarding the data retention practices of the Obama administration. The complaint, which resulted in a letter to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, stemmed from meetings among White House staff that took place at a coffee shop near the White House. The information discussed at the meetings was likely not archived, according to CREW.