Revenue’s Cyber Security Job Vacant for Last Year

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) _ The chairman of a Senate panel investigating the exposure of taxpayers’ personal data says he’s upset to learn that a $25,000 purchase could have prevented the hacking. Anderson Sen. Kevin Bryant also thinks the agency’s lack of a computer security officer is partially to blame for the breach. Revenue Director Jim Etter told the panel Wednesday the position was vacant from September 2011 through August. That’s the month a hacker gained access to the agency’s system. Etter says the former chief information officer could not find anyone willing to accept the job for $100,000. The agency is spending $25,000 on devices that add another security step for someone trying to log into the system remotely. Officials say the devices providing temporary passwords could have prevented the incident.