Personnel Security Clearances: Actions Needed to Address Significant Data Reliability Issues That Impact Oversight
Fast Facts
The government’s security clearance process helps ensure that federal employees who can access classified information are trustworthy. It has been on our High Risk List since 2018.
The Office of the Director of National Intelligence oversees the security clearance process and needs quality data to do so. But we found that the Office doesn't have accurate and complete data about different parts of the clearance process, including how long it takes to grant a clearance.
Of the security clearance data we reviewed from FY 2024, more than 60% was inaccurate or incomplete. We recommended addressing this and other issues to improve oversight.
Picture of paper with "Classified" information stamp.
Highlights
Why This Matters
Federal agencies must vet individuals who will need security clearances to access classified information. In 2018, we put this process on our High-Risk List partly due to delays and IT systems issues. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) oversees the efficiency and effectiveness of the process. ODNI has stated that consistent data are vital to meeting these responsibilities.
GAO Key Takeaways
In 2019, ODNI began requiring over 100 agencies that vet cleared personnel to submit data on timeliness, the number of investigations completed, and other key aspects of the personnel security clearance process. But more than 60 percent of the data we reviewed were not reliable across eight reporting requirements and seven agencies.
ODNI officials look closely at data measuring the time for agencies to complete the process. Of the timeliness data we analyzed, 86 percent were inaccurate—a third by 20 percent or more. Most of these inaccuracies were due to a calculation method inconsistent with ODNI guidance. This affected the timeliness measurement of 95 percent of the clearances completed across the government. Agency officials stated they revised their method to align with ODNI’s guidance for data collected starting in fiscal year (FY) 2025. However, much of the data reported to Congress and the public from 2020–2024 has underestimated the time to complete the clearance process.
ODNI reviews data it collects from agencies, but not in a way that aligns with data reliability principles. It also has not issued adequate guidance to agencies for assessing their data. Addressing these gaps will ensure ODNI and Congress have more reliable data to enable better oversight.
Personnel Security Clearance Data for Seven Selected Agencies, Third Quarter of Fiscal Year 2024
How GAO Did This Study
We analyzed FY 2024 data from ODNI and
- Departments of Defense, Energy, and the Treasury
- General Services Administration
- National Capital Planning Commission
- National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- U.S. Agency for International Development
We also compared ODNI’s oversight to key practices and interviewed officials.
Recommendations
We make four recommendations, including that ODNI implement a process to assess the reliability of agencies’ security clearance data and issue guidance to agencies on assessing data. ODNI did not explicitly agree or disagree with these but raised concerns, which we addressed.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Office of the Director of National Intelligence | The Director of National Intelligence should develop and implement a process that guides ODNI's efforts to assess agencies' security clearance data. This process should incorporate data reliability practices or principles, such as those found in our data reliability guide or those established by DAMA International. (Recommendation 1) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Office of the Director of National Intelligence | The Director of National Intelligence should issue and monitor agencies' adherence to guidance clarifying the agencies' role in assessing data to improve the reliability of the data they report to ODNI. The guidance should require agencies to assess the characteristics, quality controls, and limitations of their data, using data reliability practices or principles, and address any gaps. (Recommendation 2) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Office of the Director of National Intelligence | The Director of National Intelligence should define, at each relevant agency, the senior data official's role for assessing the reliability of the agency's data, and ensure agencies have identified these accountable officials. (Recommendation 3) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
|
| Office of the Director of National Intelligence | The Director of National Intelligence should analyze and update, to the maximum extent practicable, ODNI's personnel vetting policy framework to incorporate GAO's key practices for evidence-building and performance-management activities and apply those practices in its oversight of the clearance process. (Recommendation 4) |
When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information.
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