Open Recommendations

Work with ARC to resolve the questioned cost totaling $25,849 for ARC funded equipment costs.

Establish and implement policies and procedures for determining the allowability and allocability of costs, record retention, safeguarding of equipment, timekeeping, and procurement standards as required under the Uniform Guidance.

The IPA recommended that Departmental Offices (DO) management review DO-910 and FARS SSP password setting requirements to determine if they apply to all layers of system technologies (e.g., application, database, and operating system). If necessary, consider specifying distinct password setting requirements for the different layer.

The IPA recommended that DO management implement password authentication controls at the FARS database in accordance with the minimum requirements set by DO-910 and the FARS SSP, to include the number of failed login attempts allowed.

The IPA recommended that DO management: Develop policies and procedures for performing the quarterly review and reauthorization of privileged OS access, which specify: How to document the review of user access for continued appropriateness and the resulting determinations. Assignment of individual(s) responsible for performing the review(s) across the various privileged OS domains/groups/accounts, who are independent of the access they review and are of the appropriate authority. Identification/Inventory of the privileged OS domains/groups/accounts that are subject to review, to include any privileged OS service groups/accounts.

The IPA recommended that DO management disseminate said policies and procedures to control performers and re-perform a review and reauthorization of privileged OS access that enforces independence from an individual reviewing their own access, includes OS service groups/accounts, and is documented/retained, in accordance with the established policies and procedures.

The IPA recommended that Fiscal Service management reinforce policy requirements (through training or other means) for removing logical access of terminated and transferred Fiscal Service employees and contractors within 2 business days of their separation date.

The IPA recommended that Fiscal Service management perform ongoing monitoring to hold responsible control performers accountable for timely completion of such control activities.

The IPA recommended that Fiscal Service implement policies and controls for performing a user access review and recertification of AS Splunk Administrators supporting CAIA on a quarterly basis.

Fiscal Service management implement proper segregation of duties to ensure that an independent review of all user's access is performed as part of the semi-annual PAM Mainframe privileged user access review.

Fiscal Service management enforce accountability of individuals performing user access review control responsibilities in accordance with policies and procedures.

Fiscal Service finalize policies and procedures to review audit logs of production IBM Database 2 (DB2) servers.

Fiscal Service implement an oversight process to ensure that designated Fiscal Service management: (1) reviews the security logs for the UNIX and DB2 servers hosting the PIR, JFICS, and SPS applications on a pre-defined frequency, as indicated in the BLSR; (2) formally documents completion of their reviews and any escalations to the Information System Security Officer (ISS); and (3) retains the audit logs and documentation of its reviews for 18 months, as required by the BLSR.

Fiscal Service periodically review Fiscal Service management's implementation and operation of the review the security audit logs for the UNIX and DB2 servers hosting the PIR, JFICS, and SPS applications to determine that Fiscal Service management completes the reviews on a pre-defined basis, documents completion of the reviews and escalations, and maintains such documentation.

Fiscal Service establish an effective enforcement process or mechanism to ensure that (1) UNIX and DB2 events and monitoring controls are followed, and (2) Fiscal Service management has confidence it consistently reviews for potential unauthorized or inappropriate activity.

Fiscal Service develop and implement documentation to assign responsibility for ensuring adequacy of UNIX and database security and baseline settings.

Fiscal Service update existing UNIX and database configuration security baseline documents to ensure that these documents fully incorporate and enforce the components of the DISA STIGs. Management should document any deviations from the STIGs and note compensating controls that mitigate the security risk to an acceptable level.

Fiscal Service develop, document, and implement policies, procedures, and controls to conduct periodic reviews of actual UNIX and database settings against the security configuration baselines.

Fiscal Service provide logging and monitoring of security related events to include the retention of evidence of reviews performed.

Fiscal Service develop a baseline of essential security settings and specify that baseline as the standard to be observed.

Fiscal Service implement corrective actions to address all vulnerabilities associated with the baseline enforcement to include removing the three default user accounts on UNIX servers.

Fiscal Service perform a review of the current system environment against the CMDB.

Fiscal Service perform a risk assessment over the subject matter and determine the appropriate personnel to be responsible for monitoring and updating the CMDB.

Fiscal Service update policy and procedures related to the above recommendations and disseminate the documentation to enforce such policy and procedures.

We recommend the Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training to evaluate its authority to share data and develop fraud prevention resources and controls with other federal entities, including SBA, that include data sharing mechanisms to detect and mitigate fraud.