"Among them was the apparent assumption that a computer mouse can carry a virus."<p>Hypothetically, this is true -- if you disassemble the right kind of mouse, put in a USB hub and a USB flash drive with malware. But surely you could simply test the hardware with a known good installation (say, off a Live CD) to figure out if that was the case?
This doesn't surprise me. Government agencies tend to hire people based primarily on the fact the individual has a top secret clearance. This drastically cuts the talent pool and allows people that have gamed the system to get the job. Sometimes legitimate experience is cast aside for the mere fact a person has a clearance. I know so many people that because they have a clearance have a cushy 6 figure job with a great title. I've talked to people that are System Admins and Analysts and I can tell they have no idea what they are doing. They got the job because they knew somebody, embellished their resume, and have a clearance.
These are the people that take the money out of your paycheck each week. Don't know whether it's gross incompetence or cronyism to buy new equipment from a contractor.
Is this for real? Man, $823,000 + $688,000 for a cybersecurity contractor to do 6 months work. I'm in the wrong industry.<p>The report: <a href="http://www.oig.doc.gov/OIGPublications/OIG-13-027-A.pdf" rel="nofollow">http://www.oig.doc.gov/OIGPublications/OIG-13-027-A.pdf</a>