WASHINGTON, DC - Today, the committee released a new report from the nonpartisan Government Accountability Office (GAO). The watchdog’s report, “Information Security: Significant Progress Made, but CDC Needs to Take Further Action to Resolve Control Deficiencies and Improve Its Program," is the result of a request initiated by previous committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and continued by Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR). Following significant investment by CDC and intensive collaboration with the committee and independent auditors, CDC’s cybersecurity posture and information security capabilities are much improved.
The audit reported today by the GAO is the third in a larger series of audits initially requested by the committee in 2013. It followed a previous, and equally successful, engagement between the committee, GAO, and FDA, in 2016.
As indicated in the report released today, GAO initially made 184 recommendations to “resolve the technical security control deficiencies in the information systems they reviewed," along with an additional 11 recommendations to “improve its information security program." Since that time, and following a closed-door hearing held by the committee in June 2018, CDC has worked tirelessly to respond to and address the GAO findings, and as noted by GAO, “has made significant progress in implementing the recommendations [GAO] made" to improve its cybersecurity posture and information security capabilities.
“Specifically, as of Aug. 3, 2018," the report highlights, “CDC had fully implemented 102 (55 percent) of the 184 recommendations." As part of its ongoing and robust collaboration with the agency, the committee is also aware that CDC has closed many additional recommendations since August.
“I appreciate and applaud the significant work undertaken by CDC and the GAO to address these important concerns. The open and collaborative approach taken by both organizations to work with each other, and with the committee was instrumental in leading to the greatly improved outcomes noted by GAO in their report today," said Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Greg Walden (R-OR).
