Office of Auditor General - Audit Buzz, November 2020 Issue

Fairfax County Public Schools sent this bulletin at 11/12/2020 03:15 PM EST
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Audit Buzz Newsletter

November 2020         

In this issue of Audit Buzz, we summarize the status of current engagements, including highlights from the November 11, 2020 Audit Committee meeting, provide information on steps you can take to stay cybersafe in the online world, and highlight National Fraud Awareness Week.

As always, we appreciate the cooperation and courtesies extended to our staff by FCPS management and staff during all past, current, and future audit engagements.

Engagement and Office Updates

Current Engagement Update

  • OAG is in the planning phase of both the Fidelity of Implementation of School Board Actions and the Hiring and Onboarding Practices audits.  These audits are being performed in accordance with the FY 2021 OAG Audit Plan.
  • At the November 11, 2020 Audit Committee meeting, OAG presented on the status of current engagements, discussed the results of a Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline inquiry, and had a discussion on the Fidelity of Implementation of School Board Actions audit as we move towards audit execution.
  • OAG serves as the project liaison for a comprehensive program review of FCPS’ special education. The engagement kicked off earlier this month, with the review being performed by American Institutes for Research (AIR). Click here to view the update OAG provided at the November 11, 2020 Audit Committee meeting, which includes background information and an overview of the review process and timeline.

Knowledge Hive

In this month's Knowledge Hive, as a follow-up to the Ransomware information provided in the October issue of Audit Buzz, we provide some tips to stay cybersafe in the online world, courtesy of Gautam Sethi, FCPS Chief Information Officer (CIO).  Mr. Sethi joined Fairfax County Public Schools on September 21st, 2020, as the CIO and oversees the Department of Information Technology. Previously, Mr. Sethi led technology teams for Douglas County School District (CO), Atlanta Public Schools, and New York City Department of Education.

  1. If you haven’t changed the password for important personal accounts such as email, banking, and social media in the past 6 months, consider changing to a new, complex password.
  2. Use different passwords for each account
  3. If you don't already use it, multi-factor authentication (MFA) is the simplest way to secure your email and other important accounts.  Even if your password is compromised, the 2nd factor limits a hacker from logging into your account.  Here are some instructions for popular email providers:
    1. Gmail instructions
    2. Yahoo instructions
    3. For other providers - Perform a web search of your provider name and "2 factor authentication setup"

A How-to-Guide for Multi-factor Authentication, courtesy of the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA), includes further information on why you need to be protecting yourself, and how MFA can assist you in doing so.

OAG would like to thank Mr. Sethi for contibuting to this month's Knowledge Hive and providing information to keep everyone cybersafe. 

Did you Know?

International Fraud Awareness Week

The week before Thanksgiving has been designated as International Fraud Awareness Week.  

According to the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners (ACFE) 2020 Report to the Nation, based on cases of occupational fraud reported in the 2019 Global Fraud Survey:

  • Men committed 72% of all occupational fraud, and also caused larger losses than women
  • 89% of fraud perpetrators had no prior fraud charges or convictions
  • A fraudster living beyond his or her means is the most common red flag of fraud by a sizable margin.  This red flag has ranged #1 in every ACFE study since 2008.
  • 12% of fraudsters made no attempt to conceal the scheme

As we've mentioned before in the Knowledge Hive, fraud-related internal controls can help an organization reduce the likelihood and/or severity of a fraud scheme.  

OAG provides FCPS employees and the general public a confidential means for reporting suspected wrongdoing involving fraud, waste, and abuse of school assets and resources.  Click here learn more about reporting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse at FCPS. 

Next Audit Committee Meeting

The next Audit Committee meeting is scheduled to occur virtually at 5:30 PM on December 9, 2020.

The agenda will be available on BoardDocs prior to the meeting.

Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline:
(571) 423-1333 (anonymous voicemail)
InternalAudit@fcps.edu (email is not anonymous)