GAO: DHS Needs to Improve How it Identifies Its Cyber Position and Critical Skill Requirements

The Government Accountability Office has issued a report on Homeland Security’s efforts to fulfill the Homeland Security Cybersecurity Workforce Assessment Act of 2014. GAO found that DHS has taken actions to identify, categorize, and assign employment codes to its cybersecurity positions but that its actions have not been timely and complete. For example, although DHS reported in August that it had coded 95 percent of the department’s identified cybersecurity positions, GAO found it had done so for only 79 percent, because it had left out vacant positions. GAO recommends that DHS take six actions, including ensuring that its cybersecurity workforce procedures identify position vacancies and responsibilities; reported workforce data are complete and accurate; and plans for reporting on critical needs are developed.