NASA made history earlier this week by releasing up-close pictures of Pluto. Here on Earth, however, it's the space agency's IT systems and security practices that need a closer look.

That's the conclusion of testimony (PDF) offered to the U.S. House of Representatives Wednesday by Cristina Chaplain, director of acquisition and sourcing management at the Government Accountability Office.

The GAO, which upbraided NASA for security weaknesses in a report back in October, says the space agency still hasn't brought its security programs into line with previous recommendations.

NASA's shortfalls in IT security, which are partly the result of budgeting issues, increase "the risk of unauthorized access to NASA's sensitive information, as well as inadvertent or deliberate disruption of its system operations," Chaplain says.

NASA officials say the department is initiating a broad program to improve IT security, incorporating many of the auditors' recommendations. The space agency is conducting physical risk assessments and comprehensive security testing, as well as deploying a better incident detection program, they say.

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