FBI

Bureaucratic bungling is pandemic in Washington, D.C., but when it comes to information security enforcement, the FBI is setting new levels of razworthy incompetence. A scathing General Accounting Office report recently found that the FBIs National Infrastructure Protection Center is falling far short in its mission — its working poorly with other federal agencies and the private sector, and regularly warns of cyberattacks only after the fact. Many breathed an audible sigh of relief when former NIPC Director Michael Vatis moved on in January; he was deeply disliked by government agencies for his legendary megalomania. Incoming Director Ron Dick appears to be more even-handed, but he has inherited a sick organization that clearly needs to learn how to better serve its constituents. The FBI is accustomed to calling the shots and getting the glory. That approach clearly isnt working with cybercrime enforcement, which depends more on finessing relationships than on kicking butt.