Critical missile-defense report yanked from Web

The Pentagon has pulled from its Web site a February report that faulted the Missile Defense Agency and its primary contractor, Boeing, for serious cybersecurity risks in several components of its ground-based defense systems.

A recent story in Government Computer Week reported on the document and its findings. Among the obsevations noted by the Defense Department's Office of Inspector General, which conducted the audit, were the agency's failure to require individual passwords for access to its communications network, make use of a real-time, automated audit log, and establish a formal contingency plan in the event of a disaster.

Shortly after the story appeared, the report vanished from the inspector general's Web site. An accompanying note said the Missile Defense Agency had requested the removal "pending a security review."

Now it can only be obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request--or, apparently, though FCW, which saved a version (click for PDF).

Agency officials didn't respond to interview requests from CNET News.com on Thursday. According to the report, it has until Friday to respond to the inspector general's findings.