❓ A WA parliamentary question reveals the status of Microsoft software usage across several government departments and agencies, highlighting efforts to upgrade to supported versions and mitigate security risks associated with outdated software.
AnsweredQoN 5974Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
I refer to ICT
compatibility in relation to the Digital WA strategy, and ask for each
department and agency under your control: (a) are all computers currently utilising Microsoft
software that is supported by Microsoft (only versions since 2014); (b) how many computers are currently using Windows
XP; (c) how many computers are currently using Internet
Explorer version 10 (IE10) or older; (d) what is the privacy risk for your departments
and agencies for using software that is no longer supported by Microsoft; and (e) have you been made aware of the potential for
information to be externally accessed by your departments using software no
longer supported by Microsoft?
compatibility in relation to the Digital WA strategy, and ask for each
department and agency under your control: (a) are all computers currently utilising Microsoft
software that is supported by Microsoft (only versions since 2014); (b) how many computers are currently using Windows
XP; (c) how many computers are currently using Internet
Explorer version 10 (IE10) or older; (d) what is the privacy risk for your departments
and agencies for using software that is no longer supported by Microsoft; and (e) have you been made aware of the potential for
information to be externally accessed by your departments using software no
longer supported by Microsoft?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
9 November 2016
Responded by
Minister representing the Minister for Education; Aboriginal Affairs; Electoral Affairs
Response time
22 days
Department of Aboriginal Affairs
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. 50 computers are currently using Internet Explorer version 10; however, these are being replaced with Internet Explorer version 11 in the coming months.
d. Not applicable. The Department utilises Microsoft software that is supported by Microsoft.
e. No
Department of Education Services
a. No
b. Nil.
c. Currently there are 3 computers which are using Internet Explorer 10 or older. One is scheduled for replacement in the coming week. The other two exist in an ICT virtual environment and are used purely for testing legacy web services.
d. A recent security audit found that there is a moderate privacy risk due to legacy systems running on unsupported software by Microsoft. A number of actions have been taken to mitigate this risk while the transition to Microsoft supported infrastructure occurs.
e. Yes. A recent security audit has highlighted avenues for potential security breaches related to the use of software no longer supported by Microsoft. As a result, the Department of Education Services has commenced a technical upgrade project to transition one of its legacy systems to software which is currently supported by Microsoft. The technical upgrade is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.
Department of Education
a. As at 26 October 2016, the Department of Education had a total of 143,405 computer workstation devices that were being centrally managed. Of this group, all of those devices running Microsoft software were using product versions that are currently supported by Microsoft. However, some schools may have a small number of devices that are locally managed and using versions of Microsoft software that are not currently supported.
b. Windows XP has been phased out of the Department of Education’s Standard Operating Environment (SOE) and all centrally managed computer workstations are now using only currently supported versions of Microsoft operating system software. It is not possible to determine if, or how many, computers in non-SOE environments may be using Windows XP.
c. There are currently 103,099 computers in the Department of Education’s managed SOE using Internet Explorer 10 (IE10). All centrally managed computer workstations using older versions of Internet Explorer are automatically upgraded to IE10 as they are connected to the Department’s centrally managed network.
The Department is in the process of deploying IE11 to computer workstations in its SOE and to-date 8,768 computers have been upgraded to IE11. All managed computers in our SOE are scheduled to be upgraded to IE11 before the end of 2016.
d. The Department has a range of systems and strategies in place to prevent unauthorised access and to mitigate external and internal threats. These protective mechanisms include continuous event monitoring and correlation, intrusion prevention, security software update strategies and malware protection, at the perimeter of the network, on edge devices and within the network core. This array of protective mechanisms mitigates and manages both external and internal threats to information privacy and security across the agency.
e. The Department is aware that using unsupported Microsoft software can lead to an increased risk of unauthorised access to agency information.
Country High School Hostels Authority
a. All residential colleges and centrally-managed computer workstations running Microsoft software are using currently supported product versions.
b. There are no computers using Windows XP.
c. There are currently a total of four computers at residential colleges using Internet Explorer 10, but these will be upgraded to Internet Explorer 11 in the near future.
d. The Authority has a range of systems and strategies in place, including intrusion protection, security patching and virus protection, which mitigates and manages both external and internal threats to information privacy and security across the agency.
e. The Authority is aware that using unsupported Microsoft software can lead to an increased risk of unauthorised access to agency information.
School Curriculum and Standards Authority
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. Nil. Internet Explorer version 10 (IE10) is not part of the Authority’s standard operating environment.
d. Not applicable.
e. No
Western Australian Electoral Commission
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. Nil
d. Not applicable
e. Yes
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. 50 computers are currently using Internet Explorer version 10; however, these are being replaced with Internet Explorer version 11 in the coming months.
d. Not applicable. The Department utilises Microsoft software that is supported by Microsoft.
e. No
Department of Education Services
a. No
b. Nil.
c. Currently there are 3 computers which are using Internet Explorer 10 or older. One is scheduled for replacement in the coming week. The other two exist in an ICT virtual environment and are used purely for testing legacy web services.
d. A recent security audit found that there is a moderate privacy risk due to legacy systems running on unsupported software by Microsoft. A number of actions have been taken to mitigate this risk while the transition to Microsoft supported infrastructure occurs.
e. Yes. A recent security audit has highlighted avenues for potential security breaches related to the use of software no longer supported by Microsoft. As a result, the Department of Education Services has commenced a technical upgrade project to transition one of its legacy systems to software which is currently supported by Microsoft. The technical upgrade is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016.
Department of Education
a. As at 26 October 2016, the Department of Education had a total of 143,405 computer workstation devices that were being centrally managed. Of this group, all of those devices running Microsoft software were using product versions that are currently supported by Microsoft. However, some schools may have a small number of devices that are locally managed and using versions of Microsoft software that are not currently supported.
b. Windows XP has been phased out of the Department of Education’s Standard Operating Environment (SOE) and all centrally managed computer workstations are now using only currently supported versions of Microsoft operating system software. It is not possible to determine if, or how many, computers in non-SOE environments may be using Windows XP.
c. There are currently 103,099 computers in the Department of Education’s managed SOE using Internet Explorer 10 (IE10). All centrally managed computer workstations using older versions of Internet Explorer are automatically upgraded to IE10 as they are connected to the Department’s centrally managed network.
The Department is in the process of deploying IE11 to computer workstations in its SOE and to-date 8,768 computers have been upgraded to IE11. All managed computers in our SOE are scheduled to be upgraded to IE11 before the end of 2016.
d. The Department has a range of systems and strategies in place to prevent unauthorised access and to mitigate external and internal threats. These protective mechanisms include continuous event monitoring and correlation, intrusion prevention, security software update strategies and malware protection, at the perimeter of the network, on edge devices and within the network core. This array of protective mechanisms mitigates and manages both external and internal threats to information privacy and security across the agency.
e. The Department is aware that using unsupported Microsoft software can lead to an increased risk of unauthorised access to agency information.
Country High School Hostels Authority
a. All residential colleges and centrally-managed computer workstations running Microsoft software are using currently supported product versions.
b. There are no computers using Windows XP.
c. There are currently a total of four computers at residential colleges using Internet Explorer 10, but these will be upgraded to Internet Explorer 11 in the near future.
d. The Authority has a range of systems and strategies in place, including intrusion protection, security patching and virus protection, which mitigates and manages both external and internal threats to information privacy and security across the agency.
e. The Authority is aware that using unsupported Microsoft software can lead to an increased risk of unauthorised access to agency information.
School Curriculum and Standards Authority
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. Nil. Internet Explorer version 10 (IE10) is not part of the Authority’s standard operating environment.
d. Not applicable.
e. No
Western Australian Electoral Commission
a. Yes
b. Nil
c. Nil
d. Not applicable
e. Yes
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