THE US DEAPARTMENT of Homeland Insecurity, the outfit which tells other people how to make themselves safe, has suffered more than 800 hacker break-ins, virus outbreaks and other computer security problems over two years.

Red-faced departmental managers admitted to the US congress that hacker tools for stealing passwords and other files were found on two internal Homeland Security computer systems.

Coast Guard and the Transportation Security Administration workstations were infected with malicious software which spent a lot of time talking to outsiders. DHS staff had also lost a few laptops and its website has been turned over several times.

The Homeland Security Department's chief information officer, Scott Charbo, assured the senators his outfit was working to prevent such problems.

It may not be doing much, but it is still working.

More here.