DoD is Reportedly in Technology Lockdown Mode

In NSA Takes First Steps to Heal Public Perception by Eliminating IT Jobs, I reported about the NSA's intent to rid itself of potential leaks by removing IT positions and automating many of the IT jobs. The NSA is reportedly in the process of erasing 90% of its 1,000 system administrators at a time when the White House is campaigning for renewed focus on jobs. That doesn't send a great message to an idle US workforce looking for opportunities.

Today, I was made aware of additional steps that are being taken within the Department of Defense to further lockdown the computing environment. Key IT folks in the organization are being limited in what they can access on the Internet, in an effort to minimize the potential for new leaks. The DoD is now in the process of implementing a proxy and a web filter intended to block access to nearly everything on the public Internet. Recent communications suggest that these are just initial steps and the situation will get much worse with even stricter access.

Employees are also wary of how much access they can expect even at home, which makes sense. To work for an organization like the DoD, employees are highly scrutinized and are required to obtain special clearance. A job with a government security organization often times requires employees to adhere to strict regulations even in their personal life to ensure National security. The PRISM scandal has only served to send the government into scramble mode due to a recent history of relaxed awareness and complacency.