Auditor: State needs to better guard against cyberattacks

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — State auditors say that tests done earlier this year at five agencies show the state needs to improve compliance with security standards to guard against future cyberattacks.

An audit released Monday by state Auditor Troy Kelley showed that of 1,035 components tested over several months earlier this year, investigators found close to 350 instances in which the agencies were not in full compliance with security protocols.

The auditor's office said the areas that had the highest noncompliance risk involved application security, data security and operations management.

All of the agencies have either fixed, or are working to working to fix the issues, the auditor's report said.

The agencies tested were not disclosed, nor were detailed findings, due to concern that hackers could use the information to attack the state.