Technical debt is taking a loan from the quality of long-term software development. It happens when an agency applies a temporary solution as a shortcut to a permanent fix that may require more time and resources than what the organization can afford immediately. These shortcuts accumulate over the years and cause more issues, which become compounded and expensive to correct. In federal IT systems, technical debt is manifested in old applications, legacy systems, and processes that are still in use since it is cheaper or easier in the short term to patch smaller fixes than to replace or upgrade them.
Like any other kind of debt, technical debt simply grows through time, leading to higher costs, duplications, and in many cases, security risks. This can mean debts of existing operating systems, or systems that are not designed to deal with current levels of cybersecurity risks. What remains clear is that the greater the debt load, the greater the risk to federal agencies’ ability to not achieve their mission and comply with shifting requirements. A report by GAO showed that only 20% of the $100 billion that is spent on federal IT annually goes to constructing new technologies while the rest goes to support this old system[i]. This allocation is not very flexible and makes federal systems more vulnerable to breaches and system breakdowns. This rising debt cannot be overlooked by Federal agencies anymore. If not well managed, technical debt will grow and at some point, it becomes a nightmare for the government and the taxpayers.
Technical Debt Introduces Risks
Technical debt not only hinders the speed of IT systems, but it may also cause severe compliance problems. Regulations like the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) among others are enacted to protect government systems and evolve to guide government assets’ efficiency and relevance in the modern world. This means that new technologies are designed with alignment to the latest standards and legacy technologies must be maintained and brought to compliance. To achieve the latter, agencies may struggle to apply short-term fixes or complex workarounds as outdated systems may not have the capabilities to meet the latest standards or current user demands.
These short-term fixes incur technical debt because the changes often lack the time and attention towards proper integration, incorporation of best practices, and risk mitigation of scalability and security problems. These temporary solutions introduce downstream and interdependent issues and compound over time – making it increasingly difficult for agencies to meet standards and requirements. Proper remediation becomes seemingly insurmountable and, in many cases, introduces threats to government data and impactful consequences and penalties for not following standard protocols.
The time and effort required to meet federal standards can be daunting if an agency is still relying on legacy systems, which distracts from more important work. The costs of maintaining compliance in antiquated systems rise with the technical debt, overwhelming development teams’ capacities and putting additional pressure on limited federal IT budgets.
Integrated tools such as DX360°® TechDebt Guardian facilities agencies’ adherence to compliance and standards.
Technical Debt Creates Security Gaps
Apart from compliance, the largest threat that technical debt presents is that of cybersecurity. When federal IT systems are anchored in outdated technologies they become easy targets for a cyber-attack. Think of an old lock on a door: over time it becomes rusty and unreliable, making it easy for anyone to break into the house. The same can be said for legacy systems – these systems do not have the necessary modern security features that would help them resist today’s advanced cyber threats.
There are severe implications for federal systems when subjected to cyber-attacks. Citizens’ personal data, national security, and other classified government operations are at risk of being leaked. About the end of 2022, the United States has been targeted by multiple cyberattacks, many of which took advantage of old systems. The 2020 SolarWinds attack[ii], which exposed up to 18,000 of its customers including federal agencies to malicious code, has made securing critical systems a top priority for federal IT teams.
Here are some of the key impacts of SolarWinds Attack:
- Widespread compromise of U.S. government networks, including the Treasury, Commerce, and Homeland Security departments
- Theft of sensitive data and information from affected organizations
- Significant costs and resources required for detection, investigation, and remediation
- Heightened awareness of supply chain vulnerabilities and the need for improved software security practices
This widespread compromise highlighted the need for proactive, adaptive cybersecurity solutions that can rapidly identify and mitigate evolving threats across the software supply chain.
Technical debt can also result from poor IT management practices that do not scale with the frequency and integration requirements of modern vulnerability mitigation. Such systems are more prone to contain unpatched vulnerabilities that the intruders can easily leverage. Ponemon Institute’s 2018 “Today’s State of Vulnerability Response: Patch Work Demands Attention” report found that 57% of cyberattack victims said that applying a patch would have prevented the attack[iii].
This type of technical debt undermines the agency’s ability to respond to threats in real time. Organizations that are trapped in legacy systems end up struggling with issue-solving more than product development, hampering essential security enhancements and bug fixes. On the other hand, agencies that have a well-managed approach to technical debt can adapt to agile and proactive security measures which puts them in a stronger position to mitigate, prevent, and deal with cyber threats.
Benefits of Integrated Technical Debt Management
Overcoming the challenges of managing technical debt can be quite overwhelming at times, but the pros outdo the cons, especially for federal agencies struggling with complex IT environments. In other words, integrated technical debt management is the process of recognizing and remediation of obsolete components in IT systems for optimization of operations, cost, and security.
When addressed in an orderly manner, technical debt has benefits in enhancing the IT functionality of federal agencies. Old systems equate to slow and ineffective systems that make the completion of tasks throughout the day that much more difficult. When agencies engage in such efforts to update these systems, they will find that processing time has improved, data handling is enhanced, and user experience is much better.
For instance, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) achieved $42.3 million in cost savings and avoidance by optimizing Enterprise Data Centers, and by consolidating and closing a total of 31 data centers[iv] – demonstrating the positive impact an emphasis on technical debt management and remediation can facilitate. Those funds can be redirected towards innovation rather than spending them on maintaining archaic technologies. That is one of the biggest advantages of technical debt – freeing up cash and other resources for future investment
In terms of security, this is quite a powerful argument as outdated and no longer supported software is a major security threat. Older systems are usually more susceptible to attacks as they are not updated regularly for security purposes. It is important to note that hacking is not a static activity and as technology evolves new techniques are developed. However, managing technical debt isn’t just about fixing old code – it’s about improving the entire IT ecosystem. Here’s how proper management can benefit federal agencies:
- Improved Efficiency
By addressing technical debt, agencies can streamline their processes, reducing the time spent on maintenance and freeing up resources for innovation. - Cost Reduction
While it might seem counterintuitive, spending money to address technical debt can lead to significant savings in the long run. The U.S. Government Accountability Office estimated that in 2019, about $337 million of the $90 billion federal IT budget was spent on operating outdated legacy systems[v]. - Enhanced Security
Older systems are often riddled with vulnerabilities that cybercriminals can exploit easily. By managing technical debt, agencies can improve their cybersecurity posture and better protect sensitive data. - Better Public Services
Ultimately, these improvements translate to better services for the public. From faster response times to more secure data handling, managing technical debt has a direct impact on how agencies serve citizens.
Tools and Solutions for Managing Technical Debt
To address technical debt, agencies require an integrated approach to identifying the issues, estimating remediation needs, and prioritizing the remediation actions. This is where modern solutions like DX360°® TechDebt Guardian (TDG) can facilitate an efficient and comprehensive process. DX360°® TechDebt Guardian is a versatile solution that can be used by federal agencies to address technical debt while adhering to compliance and industry standards as well as development best practices.
DX360°® TDG scans the system and applications as a part of the auto-discovery of technical debt issues and helps agencies quickly pinpoint weaknesses and trends. It offers criticality assessments, remediation recommendations, and enables the agencies to estimate the remediation level of effort (LOE). This allows the government to visualize which areas to address first for the highest impact and break out of a never-ending debt cycle.
Clean Code, Confidence Growth
Managing technical debt is not just an IT issue – it’s a strategic imperative for federal agencies. By understanding and addressing technical debt, agencies can improve their efficiency, reduce costs, enhance security, and ultimately provide better services to the public.
As we move forward, the ability to balance debt reduction with innovation will be key to the long-term success of federal IT. staying proactive and using the right tools and strategies, federal agencies can keep their IT infrastructure healthy, secure, and ready for the challenges of the future.
Take the first step towards a more efficient and secure IT infrastructure by booking a demo at demo@netimpactstrategies.com with us today. Our experts will guide you through our platform’s capabilities and show you how it can be customized to your agency’s specific needs. Don’t let technical debt hold your agency back – empower your team with the tools they need to drive innovation and excellence in federal IT. Book your demo now and join the growing number of federal agencies that are taking control of their technical debt and paving the way for a more agile, secure, and efficient government IT landscape.
