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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... Another wolf makes its way into Southern Oregon ... Our View: Let Medford voters decide on marijuana sales ... Reopening of the Siskiyou Line means trucking companies will take a hit ... SALEM Audit pans security efforts at Oregon's state data center Facility holds confidential personal information on Oregonians Comment By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Social News SALEM — Oregon technology managers never resolved known security vulnerabilities at a state data warehouse that stores a trove of sensitive information about Oregonians, state auditors concluded in a report released Tuesday. The audit by the secretary of state's office says the state data center has only recently begun addressing concerns outlined in at least 11 security audits or letters since 2006, some public and others confidential. Most of the weaknesses remain unresolved, it says. The data center provides centralized computer support to much of state government, combining functions that were formerly handled separately by each agency. Servers in Salem store a variety of routine government information — such as employee emails and files — along with more sensitive information about the public, including tax returns, Social Security numbers and confidential medical records. "Over the last nine years, security weaknesses at the state data center have put confidential information at risk," auditors wrote in their 14-page report. "These weaknesses continued because the state abandoned initial security plans, did not assign security roles and responsibilities, or provide sufficient security staff." In a written response, Chief Information Officer Alex Pettit says the staff is taking steps to resolve the issues identified. It says legislation enacted earlier this year will help by giving him more authority and responsibility to police security matters. A written security plan is in the works and should be complete by the first quarter of next year, he wrote. The audit says the data center got a strong start in 2005 with a strong security plan before it was launched, but many of the initial plans were never fully executed. Auditors said the state has not followed standard security practices that require closely monitoring people with special access privileges that allow them full access to computer systems. The auditors also said network-monitoring equipment is not up to date and isn't fully functional, and obsolete software isn't always updated. The data center has also not had a security manager with enough authority or staff to resolve vulnerabilities, the auditors said. By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press MailTribune.com By Jonathan J. Cooper The Associated Press Posted Aug. 26, 2015 at 2:00 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501