Finally updating the central information system for VAT control
IT system to support combating VAT frauds German Bundesrechnungshof demanded to update the IT system, which plays crucial role in the European system of fighting fraud related to the Value Added Tax (VAT). This BRH's case shows that reminding about appropriate follow-up can be as important as the very recommendation.
Full description

Analysis of Trends in SAI Japan’s Findings
Analysis of IT audit cases by Board of Audit of Japan in years 2004-12. ... Not used IT systems and overpaid 'ghost' services ... Wrap-up of almost a decade of SAI of Japan's IT related audits results in a form of list of most often found problems. On the top of the list are unwanted or overpaid IT systems and too expensive ... maintanance. It makes you thinking: if one of the world technology leaders could find this, what could we find in our country...
Full description

Effectiveness of the Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia in the execution of modernisation projects of the Slovenian duty information system and decreasing the number of duty sub-accounts
The Tax Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (hereinafter: the Tax Administration) is responsible for collecting taxes, fees and other compulsory levies (hereinafter: duties ... ). These are the revenue of the state budget, municipal budgets, the Health Insurance Institute of Slovenia, the Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance of Slovenia (hereinafter: duties recipients) and indirectly ... of the European Union budget. In order to improve its operations, the Tax Authority decided to modernise the Slovenian duties’ collection information system. It used this opportunity to implement also a second ... ... Shaky coordination of investments in important systems ... Slovenian SAI traced a series of problems in management of crucial IT investments in tax administration. Apart from promising goals, unclear business case gave a start to many problems at next stages ... of the project, involving additional spendings, delays and errors in data processing.
Full description

Report on the problems connected with the development and implementation of the digitally based Shared Medication Record
The purpose of the examination was to assess whether the department of the Danish Ministry of Health, the Danish National eHealth Authority (NHA) and the five regions that are responsible ... for the hospitals have made an adequate effort to develop and implement the Shared Medication Record (SMR). With the SMR, data on the citizens’ medication can be shared across hospitals, general practitioners, etc ... . and relevant health staff and the patients have direct digital access to updated medical data round the clock. The report answers the following questions: 1) Has the Ministry of Health and the NHA provided ... ... Involvement of key participants necessary from the very beginning ... Digitally based Shared Medication Record is basis of the complex healthcare system. Rigsrevisionen analysed unsolved issues related to unclear business case, insufficient analysis of work flows ... and processes leading to implementation problems, governance not involving key players, and IT security organisation.
Full description

Auditing the National Rationing System
The audit was to investigate the data quality, validity and reliability of two sub-systems (Ration Card and Ration Distribution) of a National Rationing System (Ration System) with the comparison ... to the rules and regulations in order to make an assessment of soundness of the Ration system and its related operations. ... Unreliable databases trigger all kinds of possible problems ... Ministry responsible for functioning of the National Rationing System developed to automate and optimize the delivery of essential subsidized commodities to eligible beneficiaries and providing state ... with reliable information fails its job.
Full description

Cyber Attacks: Securing Agencies’ICT Systems
Cyber crime is an international problem, and it is estimated that in 2012, 5.4 million Australians fell victim to such crimes, with an estimated cost to the economy of $1.65 billion ... . In the government sector, the Australian Signals Directorate (ASD)3 has estimated that between January and December 2012, there were over 1790 security incidents against Australian Government agencies. Of these, 685 ... were considered serious enough to warrant a Cyber Security Operations Centre response. <br/> The protection of Australian Government systems and information from unauthorised access and use is a key ... ... Cyber-security strategy needs consistent implementation and periodic reviews ... List of 35 mitigation controls against cyber intrusions are a basic tool of information security strategy of the Australian Government. Top four are: 1. application whitelisting, 2. patching ... application, 3. patching operating systems, 4. minimising administrative privileges. Analysis by the ANAO helps to fill gaps and to direct next steps.
Full description