The Department of Defense inspector general office has recommended that DoD enforce the use of multi-factor authentication methods to secure classified systems that store, process and transmit technical information about the country’s Ballistic Missile Defense System.
The OIG issued the recommendation after it found during an audit that department officials lack consistency in efforts to implement BMDS data security processes and controls, the office said in a Dec. 10 report.
The report called on DoD to craft and adopt a plan to mitigate known system vulnerabilities, encrypt technical data on removable media and install security cameras at facilities where personnel manage the information.
Authorized government or contractor personnel manage BMDS data that include military or space research, engineering drawings, source codes and specifications.
Disclosure of such details may increase the country’s risk to adversarial long-range missile attacks, the OIG noted.