The report found thousands of instances of unapproved apps including TikTok and Telegram Messenger, dating and sports betting apps - and VPN apps. Image: Koshiro K/Shutterstock.com
By: FEDweek StaffAn inspector general audit has called on the USPS to tighten the controls over the smart phones and other mobile devices it has issued to its employees, after finding that employees had installed applications not related to business purposes and/or that cause security related concerns.
There were nearly 12,000 unapproved applications across some 27,000 devices as of late 2023, a report said, including TikTok and Telegram Messenger, dating and sports betting apps and those “such as those originating from countries that are considered foreign adversaries or that allow users to create virtual private networks.”
Further, the USPS did not always require updating operating systems to the latest version and quarantining those using outdated systems containing security vulnerabilities, it said. As of early this year, the USPS had not forced updates to nearly 1,500 of the devices and had not quarantined about a fifth of those.
Unauthorized applications “could allow access to personal information – such as email contacts, calendar information, call logs, and location data from the device. Additionally, smartphones running outdated operating systems could potentially allow bad actors to exploit vulnerabilities to attack the Postal Service’s network and gain access to sensitive information,” it said.
The report was the latest in a series of warnings from agency IGs—including three just last year involving the Postal Service—raising similar concerns.
It said management agreed with recommendations to use its device management system to prevent employees from downloading unauthorized apps and remove such apps, and to force updating of operating systems and enforce quarantine of devices not updated.
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