Government digital strategy under fire over costs and security concerns

[Matt]

The government’s 'digital by default' strategy has come under fire for lacking clear insights into the supposed cost savings it is delivering, and there are major security concerns it could open up networks to attack and put public data at risk.

The issues were raised by the Science and Technology Committee in response to answers given by Cabinet Officer minister Francis Maude on 17 June. In response to his statements, and those of other witnesses, the chair of the Science and Technology Committee Andrew Miller raised several issues.

The most worrying issue was raised around security. Miller wrote that evidence given by the vice president of the Royal Academy of Engineering, Martyn Thomas, concerned the committee the government was leaving itself open to attack due to the policy it is pursuing.

“We are concerned that inadequacies in government software may lead to security vulnerabilities. The committee would like to know whether the government is confident that software developed meets the highest engineering standards,” he wrote in the letter to Maude.

Miller added that Martyn had also raised the point that the government could be “importing the security vulnerabilities of authorised ID assurance providers into their online services”. He added that “sensitive personally identifiable data could be compromised” as a result, and he urged the government to do more to ensure citizens trust the government with their personal data.

“It appears that the public are unable to ascertain whether online government services are developed adequately to withstand cyber attacks. The committee suggests that the government should be clearer with the public about this," he said.

Secondly, on the issue of cost savings, Miller said it was “surprising” that Maude had said it was hard to ascertain exactly how much was being saved by moving government transactions online, given the fact savings had been a key part of the strategy outlined by government.

“A key justification of the strategy is savings to the taxpayer. It is not evident to the committee that the Government has a handle on measuring these savings,” he wrote in a letter to Maude.

“We welcome your message that savings are being made but urge the government to be clearer about the detail of both savings being made as services become digital by default, as well as the costs of designing, or redesigning, the services.”

A Cabinet Office spokesperson told V3 it would respond formally to the concerns in due course but was confident the project was both delivering value for money and was secure.

“We have ensured that privacy and security are designed in to our Identity Assurance programme by working with experts, industry and government departments to develop the service,” the spokesperson said.

“It will be based on published standards of security and information assurance, and identity providers will have to be certified as meeting these standards.”

The Cabinet Office has said in the past that it has saved £10bn from cutbacks including reducing its IT estate and renegotiating contracts.

Sursa V3.co.uk