NASA needs to up cybersecurity efforts, report says
Cyberattacks against NASA's are increasing in both number and complexity and the space agency needs to better protect its computer networks, according to a new report from NASA's inspector general.
NASA leadership concurred with the IG findings and have begun to implement the report's recommendations.
Though such reports take months to produce, the release of this one coincides with increased awareness of cyber threats following a recent ransomware attack that shut down a major East Coast fuel pipeline for days.
Given its high-profile mission and broad computer connections with the public, educational institutions, and outside research facilities, NASA presents cybercriminals a larger potential target than most government agencies, the report said. NASA's vast online presence of approximately 3,000 websites and more than 42,000 publicly accessible datasets also makes it highly vulnerable to intrusions.
NASA spent about $74 million on cybersecurity efforts in 2020, according to the IG report. Still, in the past four years alone, NASA experienced more than 6,000 cyber-attacks, including phishing scams and introduction of malware into agency systems.
Gloss