Porn in The Department of Homeland Security

WASHINGTON — Employees at the Department of Homeland Security may be doing more than purporting to protect the country from terrorism. According to a report by DHS Inspector General Richard Skinner, a lot of them also may be looking at porn while on the clock.

Skinner filed a report Friday outlining a recent internal computer network test that uncovered 65 million security alerts on DHS computers, 6.5 million of which could have been caused by employees seeking out pornographic content on DHS computers.

According to the report, most of the “detect.misuse.porn” alerts returned in the test came from 16 computers on the department’s network, though Skinner said he could not pinpoint the specific machines that triggered the alerts, a fact he attributes to a flaw in the existing system.

As such, Skinner’s report called for the DHS to more effectively use its internal security tools, saying the current alert system was too broad. An additional problem he discovered with the porn alerts, for example, was that the system would automatically trigger if questionable words appeared inside a harmless search string, such that keying in the term “behavioral” would set off the porn alert that targets the world “oral.”

The report also concluded that the number of alerts at the DHS had risen considerably in recent years, jumping from about 5.4 million alerts each month to more than 21.5 million in early 2005, the time period studied in the report.

Skinner provided no analysis as to what may have caused the increase.

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Age Verification Watch: Patching the Holes

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Pineapple Support to Host Autism Spectrum Support Group

Pineapple Support is hosting a free online support group for performers and creators who are, or suspect they may be, on the autism spectrum.

ImLive Launches Revamped Member Loyalty Program

Cam platform ImLive has revamped its member loyalty program.

GoFundMe Set Up for Danny Ferretti's Medical Expenses

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up for Fangear founder Danny Ferretti, who requires extensive lung surgery.

Byborg Acquires Cuties AI

Byborg Enterprises has acquired adult artificial intelligence startup Cuties AI.

Irish Government Releases Report on Sex Work Decriminalization Legislation

The Irish government has released a report reviewing a 2017 law that decriminalized sex work across the country.

Texas Bill Would Require Age Verification for Online Sex Toy Sales

A new bill in the Texas state legislature would require online retailers to implement age verification of purchasers before selling “obscene devices” to anyone in that state.

New York Assemblyman Proposes Banning the Term 'Sex Work'

Republican New York Assembly Member Brian Maher has introduced a bill to prohibit the use of the term "sex work" in government documents.

Age Verification Watch: Michigan Joins the AV Club, Some Laws Just Make No Sense

This roundup provides an update on the latest news and developments on the age verification front as it impacts the adult industry.

Free Speech Groups Back SCOTUS Appeal of Georgia Strip Club Tax

Two civil liberties organizations filed an amicus brief Tuesday supporting a petition asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an appeal in a case involving whether a tax specifically aimed at adult entertainment establishments violates the First Amendment.

Show More