Justice lifts applet ban

 

Connecting state and local government leaders

In a continuing effort to give users access to information via the Web while protecting government systems from cyberthreats, the Justice Department has set a new applet use policy that has the approval of the National Security Agency. Four months after instituting a departmentwide ban on applets because of security concerns, Justice has lifted the moratorium on most of the script codes. The details of the new policy were included







In a continuing effort to give users access to information via the Web while
protecting government systems from cyberthreats, the Justice Department has set a new
applet use policy that has the approval of the National Security Agency.


Four months after instituting a departmentwide ban on applets because of security
concerns, Justice has lifted the moratorium on most of the script codes. The details of
the new policy were included in a memo from Stephen R. Colgate, assistant attorney general
for administration and Justice’s chief information officer.


The action is part of an effort to control applet security risks and retain the script
codes’ benefits, Colgate said.


The department is launching a campaign to educate users about the dangers associated
with applets. Information technology executives are also requiring a standardized browser
throughout the department.


The department had conducted its own analysis of the business requirements for applets,
and that resulted in the security recommendation, said Linda Burek, Justice’s dep-uty
CIO. At the same time, the department asked NSA to do an independent analysis.


“For the most part, they agree with our approach,” she said.


In a report released last week, NSA of-fered recommendations for tailoring browser
settings for additional protection. The recommendations will likely result in additional
guidance, Burek said.


“I think we’ll keep looking at it,” she said.


The department late last year decided to block script codes such as Java, JavaScript
and ActiveX from download via the Internet or e-mail messages [GCN, Jan. 11, Page 1].


The moratorium was part of an overall security campaign. But Justice officials said
users required applets to do their work.


“We had a lot of very valid business requirements to access Java and
JavaScript,” Burek said. “The world is changing out there. Our business needs
are changing as well as the technology. It’s just an ongoing issue.”


One of the most difficult aspects of IT security is finding the proper balance between
functionality and safety, Burek said. The new policy is the result of a re-examination of
that equation.


In the memo, Colgate outlined five steps the department will take to control risk:


“I consider ActiveX to be particularly dangerous,” Colgate said. “Do not
use ActiveX until the IRM Office provides more specific policy and guidance on how to
protect your systems.”


Burek acknowledged that there is no technical way to block only ActiveX scripts, so the
policy will be carried out by educating users. Script codes are security risks because
they may execute on a user’s computer without the user’s knowledge or
intervention, she said.


“It is theoretically possible for [applets] to be launched by unscrupulous
programmers in an attempt to gain access to the information on a computer, collect
information about the user and their Internet habits, or even deny users the use of the
computers by rendering them unavailable,” Colgate said.


Justice officials said there have been no such incidents at the department and that the
ban was proactive.


Former Justice deputy CIO Mark A. Boster recommended the applet ban after the
government-sponsored Computer Emergency Response Team posted an advisory about a security
gap that would let a hacker invade JavaScript to monitor a Web-browsing session remotely.


X
This website uses cookies to enhance user experience and to analyze performance and traffic on our website. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media, advertising and analytics partners. Learn More / Do Not Sell My Personal Information
Accept Cookies
X
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Do Not Sell My Personal Information

When you visit our website, we store cookies on your browser to collect information. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences or your device, and is mostly used to make the site work as you expect it to and to provide a more personalized web experience. However, you can choose not to allow certain types of cookies, which may impact your experience of the site and the services we are able to offer. Click on the different category headings to find out more and change our default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of our First Party Strictly Necessary Cookies as they are deployed in order to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting the cookie banner and remembering your settings, to log into your account, to redirect you when you log out, etc.). For more information about the First and Third Party Cookies used please follow this link.

Allow All Cookies

Manage Consent Preferences

Strictly Necessary Cookies - Always Active

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data, Targeting & Social Media Cookies

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. These cookies collect information for analytics and to personalize your experience with targeted ads. You may exercise your right to opt out of the sale of personal information by using this toggle switch. If you opt out we will not be able to offer you personalised ads and will not hand over your personal information to any third parties. Additionally, you may contact our legal department for further clarification about your rights as a California consumer by using this Exercise My Rights link

If you have enabled privacy controls on your browser (such as a plugin), we have to take that as a valid request to opt-out. Therefore we would not be able to track your activity through the web. This may affect our ability to personalize ads according to your preferences.

Targeting cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.

Social media cookies are set by a range of social media services that we have added to the site to enable you to share our content with your friends and networks. They are capable of tracking your browser across other sites and building up a profile of your interests. This may impact the content and messages you see on other websites you visit. If you do not allow these cookies you may not be able to use or see these sharing tools.

If you want to opt out of all of our lead reports and lists, please submit a privacy request at our Do Not Sell page.

Save Settings
Cookie Preferences Cookie List

Cookie List

A cookie is a small piece of data (text file) that a website – when visited by a user – asks your browser to store on your device in order to remember information about you, such as your language preference or login information. Those cookies are set by us and called first-party cookies. We also use third-party cookies – which are cookies from a domain different than the domain of the website you are visiting – for our advertising and marketing efforts. More specifically, we use cookies and other tracking technologies for the following purposes:

Strictly Necessary Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Functional Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Performance Cookies

We do not allow you to opt-out of our certain cookies, as they are necessary to ensure the proper functioning of our website (such as prompting our cookie banner and remembering your privacy choices) and/or to monitor site performance. These cookies are not used in a way that constitutes a “sale” of your data under the CCPA. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not work as intended if you do so. You can usually find these settings in the Options or Preferences menu of your browser. Visit www.allaboutcookies.org to learn more.

Sale of Personal Data

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Social Media Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.

Targeting Cookies

We also use cookies to personalize your experience on our websites, including by determining the most relevant content and advertisements to show you, and to monitor site traffic and performance, so that we may improve our websites and your experience. You may opt out of our use of such cookies (and the associated “sale” of your Personal Information) by using this toggle switch. You will still see some advertising, regardless of your selection. Because we do not track you across different devices, browsers and GEMG properties, your selection will take effect only on this browser, this device and this website.