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Coordinated Audit on Information Technology Governance
IT governance needs awareness and SAIs' support The OLACEFS auditors found that the greatest challenge for the SAIs is to raise the awareness of the audit institutions about the importance of IT governance and the benefits that could be obtained by improving its degree of maturity. The audit was conducted by 11 SAIs and coordinated by TCU of Brasil. They concluded: 'It is important, even urgent, to invest resources to implement or enhance: the IT committees; the IT planning process; strategic IT planning; monitoring the IT contracting process; the business continuity plan; the designation of a responsible person or unit to manage security information; a risk management process; an asset inventory process; an information security committee; and a policy for access control.'
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IT governance needs awareness and SAIs' support The OLACEFS auditors found that the greatest challenge for the SAIs is to raise the awareness of the audit institutions about the importance of IT governance and the benefits that could be obtained by improving its degree of maturity. The audit was conducted by 11 SAIs and coordinated by TCU of Brasil. They concluded: 'It is important, even urgent, to invest resources to implement or enhance: the IT committees; the IT planning process; strategic IT planning; monitoring the IT contracting process; the business continuity plan; the designation of a responsible person or unit to manage security information; a risk management process; an asset inventory process; an information security committee; and a policy for access control.'
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Risk cases: 5
Higher education institutions' provision of premises- room for improvement
How to pay for higher education institutions' premises Higher education institutions' rental costs constitute a significant part of central government rental expenses. Swedish NAO analysed results of reform, which aimed at more effective use of resources at central government agencies and more effective management of real property and assets for the State as a whole. Apart from the positive results as a whole, substantial room for improvement still exists: especially in identifying targets of costs, looking for incentives and in mitigating commercial approach to education institutions.
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How to pay for higher education institutions' premises Higher education institutions' rental costs constitute a significant part of central government rental expenses. Swedish NAO analysed results of reform, which aimed at more effective use of resources at central government agencies and more effective management of real property and assets for the State as a whole. Apart from the positive results as a whole, substantial room for improvement still exists: especially in identifying targets of costs, looking for incentives and in mitigating commercial approach to education institutions.
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Swedish National Audit Office
, issued in 2018
Risk cases: 2
Australian Taxation Office: Administration of Australian Business Number Registrations
More elligibility and data integrity needed The Australian Business Number (ABN) and Australian Business Register initiatives were implemented as part of theGovernment's comprehensive reform of the taxation system in 2000. Their introduction involved challenging issues of technology and governance , including the imperative to process and register significant numbers of applications in a short time. Overall, the Australian SAI concluded that the ABN registration process is operating effectively. However, matters relating to the eligibility of some ABN applicants need to be reviewed. Further, some data integrity issues remain outstanding.
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More elligibility and data integrity needed The Australian Business Number (ABN) and Australian Business Register initiatives were implemented as part of theGovernment's comprehensive reform of the taxation system in 2000. Their introduction involved challenging issues of technology and governance , including the imperative to process and register significant numbers of applications in a short time. Overall, the Australian SAI concluded that the ABN registration process is operating effectively. However, matters relating to the eligibility of some ABN applicants need to be reviewed. Further, some data integrity issues remain outstanding.
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The Australian National Audit Office
, issued in 2003
Risk cases: 3
Centralisation of support services of state authorities
Most goals of centralisation of support services were achived Centralisation of support services of state authorities has generally been successful, the quality of accounting has improved, and accounting has become more effective. The objective of saving on costs was not achieved. It would be beneficial to analyse the implementation of a similar model in local governments, i.e. concentrating the accounting services to central units in order to improve the quality of accounting and make work more effective. It would allow saving working time on doing routine accounting procedures and use this time more for financial management, which helps to use public funds better and more expediently.
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Most goals of centralisation of support services were achived Centralisation of support services of state authorities has generally been successful, the quality of accounting has improved, and accounting has become more effective. The objective of saving on costs was not achieved. It would be beneficial to analyse the implementation of a similar model in local governments, i.e. concentrating the accounting services to central units in order to improve the quality of accounting and make work more effective. It would allow saving working time on doing routine accounting procedures and use this time more for financial management, which helps to use public funds better and more expediently.
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National Audit Office of Estonia
, issued in 2018
Risk cases: 2
The protection of research data at the Danish universities
The protection of research data at the Danish universities It is Rigsrevisionen’s assessment that the five largest universities are not adequately protecting their research data against unknown IT equipment. As a result, foreign actors may relatively easy gain unauthorized access to the universities’ research data.This is not considered satisfactory by Rigsrevisionen. The study shows that the five largest universities have defined guidelines for researchers’ use of software and hardware centrally, but that they have failed to centralise efforts to maintain a satisfactory level of security for research data. This is due mainly to the fact that, at some universities, researchers are allowed to bring their own devices,and at all the universities, researchers are allowed to have local administrator privileges, which gives them access to install software. Additionally, all five universities know of incidents where unknown hardware has been connected to their network.
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The protection of research data at the Danish universities It is Rigsrevisionen’s assessment that the five largest universities are not adequately protecting their research data against unknown IT equipment. As a result, foreign actors may relatively easy gain unauthorized access to the universities’ research data.This is not considered satisfactory by Rigsrevisionen. The study shows that the five largest universities have defined guidelines for researchers’ use of software and hardware centrally, but that they have failed to centralise efforts to maintain a satisfactory level of security for research data. This is due mainly to the fact that, at some universities, researchers are allowed to bring their own devices,and at all the universities, researchers are allowed to have local administrator privileges, which gives them access to install software. Additionally, all five universities know of incidents where unknown hardware has been connected to their network.
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National Audit Office of Denmark
, issued in 2018
Risk cases: 3
The Shared Services Centre
The necessary environment for the efficient management of the Shared Service Center is lacking The department's administration of the Shared Services Centre (SSC) has been effective for sharing resources between the departments and delivering selected back-office services to a small client base. However, the governance arrangements established to oversight the SSC have not positioned it well for the future and the departments have not yet determined if the arrangement is efficient and resulting in savings. ANAO found instances where the advisory board of SSC was not consulted or involved in decisions relating to the strategic direction, financial arrangements and expenditure priorities. Information reported to the board did not focus on areas of strategic importance and the quality and completeness of this information could be improved. The mechanisms established for setting out responsibilities and obligations and ensuring transparency for services delivered by the SSC was weak. Service standards and levels were not fixed and can change. The delineation of responsibilities between the SSC and its clients was not clear and there was no commitment by the SSC to certify the quality of its control framework.
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The necessary environment for the efficient management of the Shared Service Center is lacking The department's administration of the Shared Services Centre (SSC) has been effective for sharing resources between the departments and delivering selected back-office services to a small client base. However, the governance arrangements established to oversight the SSC have not positioned it well for the future and the departments have not yet determined if the arrangement is efficient and resulting in savings. ANAO found instances where the advisory board of SSC was not consulted or involved in decisions relating to the strategic direction, financial arrangements and expenditure priorities. Information reported to the board did not focus on areas of strategic importance and the quality and completeness of this information could be improved. The mechanisms established for setting out responsibilities and obligations and ensuring transparency for services delivered by the SSC was weak. Service standards and levels were not fixed and can change. The delineation of responsibilities between the SSC and its clients was not clear and there was no commitment by the SSC to certify the quality of its control framework.
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The Australian National Audit Office
, issued in 2016
Risk cases: 2
Information security work at nine agencies
Difficulties in achieving appropriate IT security Together with the Swedish NAO we assume that the picture that emerges at the agencies audited applies also to most of the other agencies in the public administration. The information security work is not given high enough priority in relation to the risks that exist. This applies to both the Government, which should have been clearer in its directions to agencies on this matter, and to agency managements, which did not give priority to the work of information security to the extent required. Much indicates that it is difficult for many agencies to achieve an appropriate level of information security work.
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Difficulties in achieving appropriate IT security Together with the Swedish NAO we assume that the picture that emerges at the agencies audited applies also to most of the other agencies in the public administration. The information security work is not given high enough priority in relation to the risks that exist. This applies to both the Government, which should have been clearer in its directions to agencies on this matter, and to agency managements, which did not give priority to the work of information security to the extent required. Much indicates that it is difficult for many agencies to achieve an appropriate level of information security work.
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Swedish National Audit Office
, issued in 2016
Risk cases: 4
Digital transformation in government
Support exemplars, provide consistent guidance... and do not lose focus As the NAO states: Government faces significant challenges in providing public services. While many government services are now available online, public administration is struggling to manage more complicated programmes and to improve the complex systems and processes that support public services.
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Support exemplars, provide consistent guidance... and do not lose focus As the NAO states: Government faces significant challenges in providing public services. While many government services are now available online, public administration is struggling to manage more complicated programmes and to improve the complex systems and processes that support public services.
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National Audit Office
, issued in 2017
Risk cases: 4
WannaCry Cyber Attack and the NHS
Why the British NHS became a victim of WannaCry The NAO's investigation points at the problem of insufficient powers of the cybersecurity coordinator across the health organisation. As a result no remedial actions were taken, and the cyber attack succeeded thanks to neglected precautions.
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Why the British NHS became a victim of WannaCry The NAO's investigation points at the problem of insufficient powers of the cybersecurity coordinator across the health organisation. As a result no remedial actions were taken, and the cyber attack succeeded thanks to neglected precautions.
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National Audit Office
, issued in 2017
Risk cases: 3
Conflicts of interest
First, recognise the conflicts of interest are a real risk the British NAO gathered a significant amount of intelligence on conflicts, particularly in the health and education sectors. These are areas of government where services are increasingly commissioned and delivered by parties at arm’s-length to departments. Conflicts of interest can occur naturally as a product of the way a system is designed and most often arise from operational situations.
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First, recognise the conflicts of interest are a real risk the British NAO gathered a significant amount of intelligence on conflicts, particularly in the health and education sectors. These are areas of government where services are increasingly commissioned and delivered by parties at arm’s-length to departments. Conflicts of interest can occur naturally as a product of the way a system is designed and most often arise from operational situations.
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National Audit Office
, issued in 2015
Risk cases: 8