The OIG evaluated the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Office of Housing’s (Housing) progress in applying zero trust security principles to protect personally identifiable information (PII) within the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Catalyst system.HUD was in the beginning stages of implementing zero trust requirements for the data and identity pillars. HUD Office of Housing systems, including FHA Catalyst,…

The Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) directs Inspectors General to conduct an annual evaluation of the agency information security program. FISMA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) establish information technology (IT) security guidance and standards for Federal agencies. We conducted this evaluation to…

The Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) directs Inspectors General to conduct an annual evaluation of the agency information security program. FISMA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) establish information technology (IT) security guidance and standards for Federal agencies. We conducted this evaluation to…

We conducted this evaluation to assess the maturity of HUD’s Robotic process automation (RPA) activities and determine whether HUD had implemented related controls to address technology and program management risks.  RPA is a software technology used to emulate human actions on a computer.  RPA software programs, referred to as “bots,” can complete repetitive tasks quickly and consistently, freeing up employees to work on…

We audited the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) information technology (IT) infrastructure to support mandatory telework. During mandatory telework, more employees simultaneously needed remote access to HUD’s network and agency resources for an extended period, which presented unique risks and security requirements. While HUD is no longer operating under mandatory telework, understanding the challenges it faced…

The Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (FISMA) directs Inspectors General to conduct an annual evaluation of the agency information security program.  FISMA, Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) establish information technology (IT) security guidance and standards for Federal agencies. We conducted this evaluation…

We reviewed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) ability to effectively complete information technology (IT) acquisitions.  HUD’s IT systems and its modernization plans depend heavily on contractors, yet HUD has historically faced significant challenges with implementing effective acquisition processes. Therefore, HUD’s acquisition capacity represents a key potential risk within HUD’s IT environment. We…