On Feb. 4th, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental AffaIRS Committee’s minority staff released a 19-page assessment titled “The Federal Government’s Track Record on Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure.” Retiring Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., sponsored the assessment. The footnoted assessment draws on more than 40 agency audits and inspector general reviews.

Coburn’s short and readable document supports its high-tech horror story with vivid, near-slapstick examples of bonehead stupidity and reckless laziness magnified by supervisor irresponsibility and senior leader neglect.