Oz govt agencies risk data loss

security measures being implemented by four major government agencies, reports International Business Times.

The Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet vowed to block access to public cloud-based e-mail Web sites on work computers it administers after the auditor-general found Gmail and Hotmail accounts used by staff is risking leakage of internal information, states CIO.

In its report, the audit office recommends that public accounts be blocked on agency ICT systems to prevent external attacks and information leaks. The department agreed it would block the services from 1 July in response to the report.

The Sydney Morning Herald indicates that ANAO has called for third-party software applications to be regularly updated, while administrator and service accounts need to have more complex passwords to stop hacking attempts.

A test conducted during the audit revealed that 20% of passwords across all agencies were unable to sustain a 'brute force' attempt to crack them.

"Of more concern was that in three of the four agencies audited, the test compromised some administrator and/or service account passwords," the ANAO's report reveals.