GSA left sensitive Google Drive files open to staff, contractors
Auditors have flagged similar security failures since 2014
The General Services Administration (GSA), responsible for federal contracting and operations, has repeatedly left sensitive information in its Google Drive accessible to unauthorized staff and contractors. This issue has been a concern since at least 2014, according to a recent report from the GSA's Office of Inspector General (OIG).
The CUI, which includes building security details, employee PII, and proprietary business data, was found in approximately 2.5 million documents stored in GSA's Google Drive. The OIG highlighted that the agency is failing to manage the third-party tool designed to prevent data loss and detect CUI exposures. Notable exposed information includes building site plans for Washington, DC government buildings, defense vulnerabilities, and government employees' personal details.
This lapse in data protection could allow contractors to view sensitive information from competing vendors, giving them an unfair advantage. The OIG recommends seven corrective actions to improve GSA's data security, but it's unclear if these recommendations have been implemented.
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