"security risks."
"We decided . . . that writing down some of the things - specifics of contingency plans and risk assessments - and letting them become public documents might create vulnerabilities."
Maine Y2K study kept secret

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), September 30, 1999

Answers

so let's see now- the Maine taxpayer- who paid for this study in the first place, won't be allowed access to the findings of the study.......

-- farmer (hillsidefarm@drbs.net), September 30, 1999.

From http://janus.state.me.us/bis/y2k/y2kjul99.htm

Reproduced for educational purposes only.

State of Maine's July 1999 Year 2000 Status Report

The Department of Administration and Financial Services (DAFS) surveyed 38 state agencies, quasi agencies, boards and commissions to assess the status of the Year 2000 project for July. Each agency received a memo from Commissioner Janet Waldron and a Year 2000 spreadsheet reflecting data from June.

The Bureau of Budget, Department of Human Services and the Medical Board are now 100% compliant. Notable increases towards percentage complete were for General Services from 61% to 81%, Human Resources from 88% to 93%, Executive Department from 88% to 93%, Legislative Council and Legislature from 20% to 98%, Maine State Retirement System from 67% to 89% and the Turnpike Authority from 60% to 96%.

The total agency percentage complete is 89% an increase of 6% since June 1999.

Any questions ?

-- Just the FACTS (agent@mulder.com), September 30, 1999.

Why should this be any different than anything ELSE the PTB do? As far as "vulnerability" goes, I think the state of Maine just told the bad guys all they need to know.

-- I'm Here, I'm There (I'm Everywhere@so.beware), September 30, 1999.

[Fair Use: For Educational/Research Purposes Only]

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/272/region/State_studies_Y2K_readiness _do:.shtml

State studies Y2K readiness, doesn't write down findings

By Associated Press, 09/29/99 13:00

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) State officials told a consulting firm not to release a written report on agencies' Y2K readiness, fearing that the public would have access to the document, Maine's chief information officer said.

Robert Mayer said verbal briefings were given to top officials behind closed doors instead, since Maine's Right to Know law could have forced the disclosure of some information if that information was written down.

''We decided ... letting (Y2K plans) become public documents might create vulnerabilities,'' he said.

Criminals might get information about police staffing plans or the stockpiling of valuable items if the report was made public, he said.

Consultants with Pricewaterhouse Coopers presented the results of their monthlong study to Gov. Angus King and his department heads, cabinet and commissioners in August. They had spent a month culling data from workers throughout state government, finishing in July.

Maine has spent $18 million over four years to eliminate the ''millennium bug,'' a term for malfunctions that could occur if computers misread the digits ''00'' as the year 1900.

The $600,000 study praised state agencies for their awareness of the problem, but contained many criticisms, according to Mayer and documents used in the presentations.

It faulted state government for not giving departments' top executives more power in correcting potential problems, he said.

The firm criticized Maine for not creating a central Y2K task force to reduce redundant efforts between departments. It also found poor documentation of some departments' preparation efforts.

State lawmakers who oversee Y2K concerns were not briefed. Company officials declined to give an interview about their findings. There is no written summary.

Sen. Phil Harriman, R-Yarmouth and ranking minority member of the Legislature's Joint Select Committee on the Year 2000 Computer Problem, said he had never heard of the study.

''It's a little disturbing that it was not put in writing,'' he said. ''I can see where sensitive portions might be (withheld). But the rest of the information should be known and made available to the public.''

Sen. Marge Kilkelly, D-Wiscasset, who co-chairs the committee, noted that a written report is needed to pass the firm's findings on to future lawmakers and government officials.

''When you have staff that turn over, commissioners that turn over, how is that information being carried forward?'' Kilkelly said.

Gordon Scott, an Augusta lawyer who represents the Maine Press Association, said a report on at least some of the findings could have been released.

''Why didn't they ask their consultants to withhold certain parts of the report?'' he asked.

King defended the decision not to prepare a written report.

''There's nothing sinister here,'' King said. ''There was nothing in their presentation that was alarming or terribly negative.''

He said called the results ''mixed,'' saying that ''if you hire somebody to tell you what is wrong, they'll tell you what is wrong.''

He said he is convinced Maine has done all it can to prepare.

State officials could try to arrange for Pricewaterhouse to present its findings to lawmakers as well, he said.

Mayer plans to post summaries of some of the findings on the state's Web site at www.state.me.us.

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-- Linkmeister (link@librarian.edu), September 30, 1999.

In business, not writing reports has to do with liability.

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), September 30, 1999.

Right you are, Mara. Liability is also called responsibility. No one wants this monkey. Folks, when it has gotten so bad in our nation that Maine acts like Washington, DC then we are indeed rotten to the core. Grim times ahead.

-- ..- (dit@dot.dash), September 30, 1999.

Also see this thread from yesterday: <:)=

State keeps Y2K report secret

-- Sysman (y2kboard@yahoo.com), September 30, 1999.

"This paper trail thing can be a damn nuisance, Beckley. You know what needs to be done. We never had this meeting. Remember that."

-- Tom Carey (tomcarey@mindspring.com), October 01, 1999.

In the first place, if there were TRUE security risks, the report would be written but the risk sources would appear ONLY in a "MGT SUMMARY" which would be SHARED with the management, but would NOT leave the room in the CONSULTANTS' office (or a neutral site). That is how it is handled normally.

At leasst in some COUNTY level shops.

BEEN THERE, DONE THAT, didn't like the scenery AT ALL.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 01, 1999.

After a certaiin amount of consideration, perhaps what I described above is EXACTLY what happened and the vulnerabilities are SO endemic and So pervasive that there really ISN'T anything that they could afford to have written down, except, perhaps the breakfast order: French Toast, with Rye, Raisin, and Whole Wheat, brown, not black.

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), October 01, 1999.