IG: Energy Department Vulnerable to Cyberattacks.

An unorganized patchwork approach to information security leaves the Energy Department vulnerable to cyberattacks on its networks, according to a report released this week by Energy's inspector general.

As many as eight organizations within Energy were involved in cybersecurity intrusion and analysis, according to the report. The organizations' "missions and functions were found to be, at least partially, duplicative and not well coordinated," the inspector general concluded, adding that Energy has no common format to follow when reporting a security incident.

"Energy is a high-value target," said James Lewis, a senior fellow who specializes in information security issues at the Center for Strategic and International Studies. "Foreign entities would love to steal, and probably have stolen, sensitive information from Energy. If they were [the Housing and Urban Development Department], for example, they wouldn't have three or four of the most skilled foreign governments trying to break into their systems every day.

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