Report Contents
Summary of Review
In connection with a recent criminal investigation and felony prosecution, the Office of Inspector General (OIG) reviewed the warning banners displayed by computers issued to employees of the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM). This banner fails to meet applicable guidelines set forth by the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Computer Crimes and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) and by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). This deficiency creates the risk that law enforcement officers seeking to access information regarding use of USAGM computers and systems will be compelled to obtain a warrant to do so, thereby risking unnecessary delays and possible destruction or exclusion of evidence in criminal investigations. It may also limit USAGM’s ability to administratively monitor the system usage of USAGM employees (or others on the USAGM network). OIG recommends that USAGM revise its banner in accordance with applicable CCIPS guidance and/or one of the models provided by CCIPS.
Report Terms
Report Recommendations
The U.S. Agency for Global Media should adopt a network warning banner consistent with the guidance issued by the Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section.