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A July 2010 survey found that many federal CIOs and CISOs had not used CyberScope, and many nonusers said they did not understand its purpose or reporting requirements. The findings capture early reactions to a new FISMA reporting process—not proof of its later security or cost impact, or a picture of federal practice today.
What was CyberScope?
CyberScope was an online system for federal agencies’ FISMA reporting. The 2010 SecurityWeek account described the Obama administration initiative as intended to streamline reporting and improve analysis. The article called the effort “FISMA 2.0,” but its subject was a change in reporting, not evidence that the underlying security problems had been solved.
SecurityWeek summarized a MeriTalk report titled “FISMA’s Facelift: In the Eye of the Beholder?” based on a survey conducted in July 2010 among 34 federal CIOs and CISOs. Its findings reflect the views of those respondents at that time.
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SecurityWeek reported that 85 percent of the surveyed security leaders had not used CyberScope by July 2010. Among respondents who had not used it, the reported perceptions were:
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- 72 percent did not clearly understand CyberScope’s mission and goals.
- 90 percent did not clearly understand its submission requirements.
- 55 percent were unsure the new process would improve security oversight.
- 69 percent were unsure it would make federal networks more secure.
- 55 percent thought the changes would increase submission costs.
These figures describe survey responses, not measured changes in network security, oversight effectiveness, or agency costs. The accessible account does not give the number of nonusers or the questionnaire wording, so the percentages should not be treated as agency-wide measurements.
How did users rate the system?
SecurityWeek said every respondent who had used CyberScope gave it an A or B. It characterized this as a small group but did not report its size. That positive rating is useful context alongside nonusers’ concerns, but the available account does not support a robust comparison between users and nonusers or establish how the system performed in practice.
What was the reporting deadline?
The article reported that the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) set November 15, 2010, as the deadline for agencies to submit FISMA reports through CyberScope. The deadline and reactions to it belong to the 2010 rollout; they should not be read as current reporting instructions.
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What did the article say OMB should do?
SecurityWeek’s account argued that OMB needed to communicate CyberScope’s goals more clearly, clarify submission requirements, train agencies for the protocol change, and use early adopters’ examples to show the system’s value. Those were recommendations in the article’s interpretation of the survey, not demonstrated remedies or evidence that the problems were later resolved.
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The article quoted Tom Conway, then McAfee’s director of Federal business development, urging agencies to embrace the tool ahead of the deadline. It also quoted MeriTalk founder Steve O’Keeffe, who criticized communication about the new approach and called for OMB to explain CyberScope’s goals, progress, value, and measurement framework. Both speakers had affiliations relevant to the story: Conway represented a technology vendor, while O’Keeffe led the company producing the report. The accessible coverage is a secondary news account rather than the original report or a transcript.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What can the survey establish—and what remains unknown?
The reported results show an early adoption and communication challenge among the people surveyed: most had not used CyberScope, and many nonusers reported uncertainty about its purpose and requirements. They also record doubts about security benefits and costs, alongside favorable grades from a small group of users.
The SecurityWeek account does not provide the survey’s sampling frame, response rate, exact number of users, full methodology, or questionnaire. It links to MeriTalk’s report at MeriTalk’s FISMA’s Facelift report, but the article alone cannot fill in those methodological details. The findings therefore cannot establish what all federal agencies thought, whether CyberScope improved security or reduced costs, or how federal FISMA reporting works today.
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