Nova Scotia’s auditor general is once again calling attention to inadequate computer security across provincial departments and agencies.
In a report released Wednesday, auditor general Jacques Lapointe found certain employees in the Department of Finance’s taxation and fiscal policy division had “inappropriate” access to information.
The report warns inappropriate access “increases the possibility of fraud and inaccurate financial reporting.”
But the problem isn’t limited to the finance department.
“It’s so pervasive,” Lapointe said Thursday. “In fact, we report on finding this kind of thing every time we look at (computer) systems, and it comes up year after year.”
In some cases, staffers who have left departments, changed jobs, or even left government still have access to sensitive files.
“It can be anything from a general ledger or, say, to driver licence or birth certificate programs,” Lapointe said. “It could be sensitive information or it could be something really mundane that doesn’t matter too much. But, generally speaking … for computer systems in this government, there’s a very common problem of inadequate access security.”
Lapointe said the problem is so widespread he’s not sure how best to address it. But he said that, because it’s essentially an IT issue, the Chief Information Office should perhaps address it.
“I know (the issues are with) individual departments and agencies, but it may be something the CIO should be looking at,” he said.
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