NASA OIG Final Report: [A NASA] Center’s Security Program Needed Improvement

(IG-08-025, September 19, 2008)

Online version at NASA

The Office of Inspector General conducted this audit in response to a request from the Chairman of the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, to investigate allegations received by his office of serious security concerns at a NASA Center.

Our overall objective was to determine whether security services provided at the Center complied with NASA Security Program requirements, policies, and procedures. Our audit validated the overarching premise of the allegations. We found that the Center’s security program was not in compliance with NASA Security Program requirements and that NASA Headquarters was not inspecting the Center’s program, as required by NASA policy.

As a result, NASA had no assurance that it was devoting the appropriate level of resources to protect the Center’s personnel, facilities, and equipment. Management officials agreed with all but one of our recommendations.

The corrective actions described by management for seven of our recommendations were responsive, and the completion of these actions will meet the intent of the eighth recommendation. The report contains Infrastructure/Security Vulnerabilities Information that is exempt from public release under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

For information concerning FOIA requests, see the online guide.