The Georgia Institute of Technology, also known as Georgia Tech, and its subsidiary Georgia Tech Research Corporation have been taken to court by the U.S. for allegedly failing to ensure the protection of unclassified information in accordance with the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity standards for government contractors, The Register reported.

The lawsuit also included allegations that Georgia Tech’s Astrolavos Lab, which was supposed to focus on cybersecurity issues affecting national security, failed to create and implement a cybersecurity plan consistent with the Department of Defense from May 2019 to February 2020, and that subsequent implementation was compromised by inadequate delineation. Aside from Astrolavos Lab allegedly failing to ensure deployment of an anti-malware system across its network and devices from May 2019 to December 2021, both Georgia Tech and GTRC were accused of providing a misleading cybersecurity assessment in December 2020. “Deficiencies in cybersecurity controls pose a significant threat not only to our national security, but also to the safety of the men and women of our armed forces who risk their lives every day. As force multipliers, we place great trust in our contractors and expect them to meet the rigorous standards our Soldiers deserve,” said Darrin Jones, special agent in charge of the DoD Office of the Inspector General Defense Criminal Investigative Service Southeast Field Office.