Internal Control Weaknesses in Army Safeguarding of Computer Equipment

GAO reviewed internal control weaknesses in safeguarding computer equipment at the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District. GAO found that: (1) the district's Information Management Office (IMO) used an unsecured hallway as the receiving area for computer equipment; (2) Corps regulations require that all property in a receiving area be secured to prevent loss or damage; (3) the district's Logistics Management Office has a secured receiving area, but it is not large enough to store IMO computer equipment; (4) IMO stores the computer equipment in the hallway pending assembly and completion of diagnostic checks; (5) staff advised that they have stored up to $400,000 of equipment in the hallway at one time; and (6) the risk of losing or sustaining damage to Corps property increases when IMO stores computer equipment in the unsecured hallway.