The study of statewide security policies and standards is part of a two-phase analysis. The second phase will include an agency-by-agency security review.
"We must be just as vigilant in protecting our information technology as we are in guarding state government buildings," said Gov. Mike Easley. "This study is a major component of our efforts."
Legislation signed by Easley requires the state's chief information officer, who reports to the governor, to assess the ability of each agency to comply with current information security standards. The study will estimate the cost for agency compliance and for sustaining a secure operating environment.
Bakolia is coordinating the study with the Information Protection and Privacy Committee of the Information Resources Management Commission. Major supporters include Lt. Gov. Beverly Perdue, Sec. of Revenue Norris Tolson and Brian Beatty, the secretary of Crime Control and Public Safety. Beatty coordinates the state's homeland security efforts.
"Keeping the state's information technology secure is an ongoing job," Bakolia said. "This study will tell us?and lawmakers?what we must do to make North Carolina's information technology as safe as possible from attack."
Sen. Eric Reeves of Raleigh and Rep. Joe Tolson of Pinetops sponsored the legislation and won its approval in the General Assembly. The measure calls for a report on the study's findings to the General Assembly's Joint Legislative Commission on Governmental Operations by May 2004.
In the first phase of the study, a consultant compared the state's security policies and procedures with the best that are used in government and private industry. Ciber Inc. was awarded a contract for the first phase of the study.
Ann Garrett, the state's chief information security officer and the project manager, this week began briefing information technology leaders from state agencies on the findings of the study's first phase.
"This gives us an excellent view of where we stand and provides a blueprint for making North Carolina's information technology less vulnerable to intruders," Garrett said.
