Former World’s Most Wanted Hacker Calls Healthcare.gov “Shameful”

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Once, he topped the world’s most wanted list as a ‘hacking cyber criminal’, now turned security expert, Kevin Mitnick submitted a scathing criticism to a House panel Thursday of ObamaCare’s healthcare.gov website calling the protections built into the site “shameful” and “minimal.”

Mitnick submitted a letter in testimony to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee which stated: “It’s shameful the team that built the Healthcare.gov site implemented minimal, if any, security best practices to mitigate the significant risk of a system compromise.” His letter, submitted to panel Chairman Lamar Smith, R-Tx, and ranking member Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Tx, held comments from several leading security experts.

Mitnick concluded that, “After reading the documents provided by David Kennedy that detailed numerous security vulnerabilities associated with the Healthcare.gov Website, it’s clear that the management team did not consider security as a priority.” His comments were backed up by testimony by Kennedy, who is CEO and founder of TrustedSec LLC and a self-described “white hat hacker,” meaning someone who hacks in order to fix security flaws but does not commit cyber crime.

Kennedy previously testified before the same panel back in November concerning the sites security issues. In his testimony Thursday, Kennedy stated most of the flaws they identified at that time still exist on the site and said, “indeed, it’s getting worse,” telling the panel that he and other experts have seen little improvement in the past two months. “Nothing has really changed since our November 19 testimony,” Kennedy said. Only half of a vulnerability has been found and plugged since then, he told the committee. “They did a little bit of work on it and it’s still vulnerable today.”

Also speaking at the panel were Michael Gregg, chief executive officer of Superior Solutions, Waylon Krush, co-founder and CEO of Lunarline, and Dr. Lawrence Ponemon, chairman and founder of the Ponemon Institute.

There have been no confirmed security breaches or hacks of the site yet, despite the alarming current and past testimony from the panel, however, at the November panel, Kennedy said the website “may have already been hacked.” The flaws that have been found are mere speculation, pointed out Krush whose firm has done security work for the Department of Health and Human Services.

“Nobody here at this table can tell you there is a vulnerability,” he said during testimony. To actually test the flaws would require hacking the website itself, which would mean breaking the law, he noted.

During his testimony, Kennedy stated that the vulnerabilities could have long-term damaging results and the website is a literal “Gold Mine,” which could have far more serious consequences than the loss of credit card data such as the recent incidents involving several major retail chain stores where millions of customers data was compromised.

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Rick Stambaugh
After serving in the United States Navy for 22 years I retired from the service late in 1991. Having always loved the southwest, shortly after retiring, I moved to the Albuquerque area where I have resided since. Initially I worked as a contractor for approximately 6 years doing cable construction work. That becoming a little dangerous, at an elevated age, I moved into the retail store management environment managing convenience stores for roughly 16 years. With several disabilities, I am now fully retired and am getting more involved with helping Pastor Dewey & Pastor Paul with their operations at FGGAM which pleases my heart greatly as it truly is - "For God's Glory Alone". I met my precious wife Sandy here in Albuquerque and we have been extremely happily married for 18 years and I am the very proud father to Sandy's wonderful children, Tiana, our daughter, Ryan & Ross, our two sons, and proud grandparents to 5 wonderful grandchildren. We attend Christ Full Deliverance Ministries in Rio Rancho which is lead by Pastor's Marty & Paulette Cooper along with Elder Mable Lopez as regular members. Most of my time is now spent split between my family, my church & helping the Pastors by writing here on the FGGAM website and doing everything I can to support this fantastic ministry in the service of our Lord. Praise to GOD & GOD Bless to ALL! UPDATED 2021: Rick and Sandy moved to Florida a few years ago. We adore them and we pray for Rick as he misses Sandy so very, very much!

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