Let me get this straight... The US Government connects a critical system to the internet and then protects it with a three character password? Sounds right.

This is like building a munitions depot, putting big signs on the highway (the setup near my house), and then protecting it with a single combination padlock. You are asking for someone to break in.

I can see what's going to come of it now: "In the interest of National Security, we need to have more internet monitoring". That's like saying that police on the streets is what you need after the munitions depot padlock gets smashed.