Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity
    • IT Management
    • Networking

    NASA Discarding Computers Still Containing Space Shuttle Data: Audit

    By
    Fahmida Y. Rashid
    -
    December 9, 2010
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      Personnel at NASA failed to remove data from obsolete computers before selling or discarding them, according to a NASA Office of Inspector General audit report released Dec. 8.

      Titled “Preparing for the Space Shuttle Program‘s Retirement,” the audit focused on the disposal procedures for shuttle-related processing and information technology equipment that contain sensitive information about space shuttle operations and maintenance.

      The audit looked at four NASA facilities-Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Johnson Space Center in Texas, Ames Research Center in California and Langley Research Center in Virginia. Breaches were found at all four facilities, according the report.

      During the course of the audit, inspectors found 14 computers still containing data out of a sample of 730 pieces of IT equipment that NASA was disposing. The auditors also found one computer being prepared for sale that still contained shuttle technology data that were subject to export controls under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

      “Our review found serious breaches in NASA’s IT security practices that could lead to the improper release of sensitive information related to the Space Shuttle and other NASA programs,” NASA Inspector General Paul Martin said in a statement.

      Any electronic storage device that has ever contained NASA information must be “sanitized” before being reassigned, transferred or discarded, according to NASA’s Procedural Requirements. Sanitation requires removing data from the device by overwriting, degaussing and/or destroying the device so that it is impossible (or nearly so) to recover the data. After sanitizing, the devices have to pass a validation test to confirm the process was successful, according to the requirements.

      While many hard drives passed the sanitation verification test prior to being sold, auditors found several instances of drives being sold despite failing the tests, according to the report. In one case, 10 computers from the Kennedy Center were put up for sale even though they’d failed sanitation verification testing. Also at Kennedy, there were four computers being prepared for sale, despite clearly being marked that they’d failed. It was one of these computers that still contained shuttle technology data, according to the report.

      Although the hard drives were being removed and destroyed at Langley Center before the computers were released to the public, personnel neglected to properly account for the removed drives, the auditors found. “Most concerning” was the fact that at Kennedy Center the removed drives were kept in “an unsecured dumpster accessible to the public,” said the report.

      Johnson Space Center and Ames Research Center were not conducting any verification tests to ensure the drives were sanitized, according to the audit. At the Kennedy Space Center, the drives were tested by a third-party contractor, but appropriate managers were not being notified properly when devices failed verification tests. The third-party testing company labeled the failed drives before returning them, but “despite clear markings indicating that the computers had failed verification testing, no one took action to remove the remaining data from the computers or to prevent their sale,” according to the report.

      The Kennedy, Johnson and Ames centers were all using unapproved sanitizing software, according to the report.

      “During our audit, we discovered significant weaknesses in the sanitisation and disposal processes for IT equipment,” the auditors wrote in the report.

      The audit also found that NASA was selling computers on which their IP addresses were prominently displayed. While the addresses themselves are not considered sensitive information, it does provide hackers with clues on what to target when attacking a NASA network.

      Noting that many of the IT and property management personnel were not familiar with the sanitization policy, the inspector general’s office was “troubled” that the NASA chief information officer did “not reflect the sense of urgency we believe is required,” according to the report.

      In response to recommendations about reviewing and correcting existing procedures, Linda Cureton, NASA’s CIO, said NASA’s information disposal policy will be updated and new guidance produced by the third quarter of the fiscal year of 2011, according to the report. The auditors said the deadline for this action is not timely enough and the promised actions insufficient to address the issues.

      Fahmida Y. Rashid

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      IGEL CEO Jed Ayres on Edge and...

      James Maguire - June 14, 2022 0
      I spoke with Jed Ayres, CEO of IGEL, about the endpoint sector, and an open source OS for the cloud; we also spoke about...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2022 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×