Audits Found Missed Security Checks In Minnesota SNAP System: Report

ST. PAUL, MN — The state agency that previously oversaw Minnesota’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) failed to perform required security reviews of a computer system central to running the program, according to federal audits reviewed by KSTP.

Audits in 2020 and 2023 found that the Minnesota Department of Human Services "did not complete a recent information system security review" of the system used to determine who qualifies for SNAP benefits.

The audits noted that skipping these mandatory checks "could allow security gaps or vulnerabilities of the system to go undetected, which can increase the risk of a security breach or fraud."

In both audits, DHS told reviewers that a lack of internal resources prevented the agency from completing the required security reviews.

The overseeing of SNAP shifted to the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families in 2024. Commissioner Tikki Brown told KSTP the security reviews are now current.

"Our security plan was reviewed and certified in March of 2024, and our team is currently undergoing the process right now to secure and certify for 2025," Brown said.

Read more at KSTP.