Secretary Powell has acknowledged using a personal email account from a commercial Internet provider, which he accessed on “private line” in his Department office. He further stated that he had two computers at his desk: “a secure State Department machine ... used for secure material, and...a laptop [used] for email."
when he arrived at the Department, the email system in place only permitted communication among Department staff. He herefore requested that information technology staff install the private line so that he could use his personal account to communicate with people outside the Department.
they were aware of Secretary Powell’s use of a personal email account and also noted the Secretary’s goal was to provide every Department employee with similar Internet and email capabilities at their desktops.
By 2002, the Department had established the requirement to connect to the Internet only on OpenNet... these issues were addressed, either by installing a firewall to protect the Secretary’s Internet connection or providing the Secretary with a Department laptop.
current DS and IRM officials who worked at the Department during Secretary Powell’s tenure are unsure about the exact configuration of Secretary Powell’s systems and whether staff addressed applicable restrictions with the Secretary. However, they reported to OIG that the Department’s technology and information security policies were very fluid during Secretary Powell’s tenure and that he Department was not aware at the time of the magnitude of the security risks associated with information technology.
From the OIG Report p38-39. It then goes on to explain how Clinton was a different case.