The Department of Justice announced today that it indicted six computer hackers – all of them Russian nationals and officers in Unit 74455 of the Russian Main Intelligence Directorate (GRU) – for their alleged roles in a wide range of government-sponsored cyber attacks. […]
The Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Security Agency (NSA) have launched a new initiative aimed at increasing diversity in their cybersecurity workforce. […]
A new paper from ACT-IAC – “Accelerating Agility in Government” – proposes that the Federal government adopt an “Agile First” policy so that it becomes more proactive and responsive to changes affecting the country. The new paper expands on ACT-IAC’s Agenda 2021 document released in July and entitled “Delivery Outcomes, Building Trust.” […]
Reps. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., and Doris Matsui, D-Calif., introduced a bill Oct. 16 to improve cybersecurity at K-12 schools. The Enhancing K-12 Cybersecurity Act would work to promote more access to security information, better track attack trends, and increase the number of cybersecurity experts in schools. […]
Amid a bevy of Defense Department (DoD) modernization efforts, Secretary of Defense Mark Esper is praising the Army Futures Command (AFC) for advancing the military’s efforts in cyberspace. […]
Industry professionals weighed in this week with their views on how the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 guidance also works to help enable adoption of zero trust security concepts. […]
Rajive Mathur is stepping down as CIO and Deputy Commissioner at the Social Security Administration (SSA) effective October 26, an agency spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk . […]
The U.S. Army has named David Markowitz as its new chief data officer (CDO). Markowitz, who started in the position this week, replaces Greg Garcia. […]
Thanks to an $8 million investment from the U.S. Army, a swarm of hundreds of unmanned air vehicles will soon descend on unmanned ground vehicles to autonomously recharge. […]
The White House has finalized adjustments to Federal employee disciplinary procedures that will assist agencies in carrying out Executive Order 13839 – signed in 2018 – and shrink the timeline under which managers can take disciplinary steps against employees. The final rule issued by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) updates current regulatory language commensurate […]
Cyber incidents at K-12 schools over the last few years have put the personally identifiable information (PII) of students at risk, with breaches primarily resulting from intentional actions by students and unintentional actions by staff, according to a recent Government Accountability Office (GAO) report. […]
Evaluating the promise of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) TIC 3.0 initiative might seem daunting given the fundamental changes in security thinking that it portends, but at least one Federal agency wrapped up that process in less than 90 days as part of a broader effort to consider the impact of IT modernization. […]
The General Services Administration (GSA) has named the winners of its recent challenge to develop an AI or machine learning (ML) solution for reviewing end-user license agreements (EULA) for terms and conditions that are unacceptable by the Federal government. […]
The White House released the National Strategy for Critical and Emerging Technologies (C&ET) today, identifying 20 technologies as priorities and highlighting the need to support and secure their research and development. […]
The Department of Energy (DoE) has executed a five-year agreement with Google Cloud for a range of services including the Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Google Workspace, Chrome browser support, and professional services. A dollar-value of the agreement was not disclosed. […]
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced that it completed transferring patient data for approximately 88,000 veterans to its new electronic health record (EHR) solution as the agency prepares for the system’s launch at Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center (VAMC) in Spokane, Wash. […]
With the benefit of increased flexibility and quick updates, Federal officials praised their ability to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic under the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 policy during a panel session at MeriTalk’s TIC Talks event today. […]
The head of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA’s) TIC Program Office emphasized that the Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) 3.0 initiative aims to create more flexible and efficient ways for Federal agencies to improve security, and said his office is considering a wide range of additional use cases to help agencies implement the framework. […]
The Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization (FEHRM) program office announced that the Departments of Defense (DoD), Veterans Affairs (VA), and Homeland Security’s U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) component have expanded their joint health information exchange (HIE) network after connecting with CommonWell Health Alliance. […]
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Deputy Chief Technology Officer Brian Campo said that DHS has finalized the final draft of a two-year roadmap for adoption of the zero trust security model. […]
The Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is awarding a firm-fixed price (FFP) delivery order to IBM without considering other awardees under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center (NITAAC), according to a justification for exception to fair opportunity (JEFO). […]
Communication, collaboration, and coordination are being touted as the keys to success for teleworking during the coronavirus pandemic, but the best frameworks for cyber defense in these modern times may end up coming from old teachings. […]
Michigan’s Ferris State University is using a $669,216 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to fund a new virtual reality (VR) initiative. […]
Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) Program Manager Kevin Cox said on Oct. 13 that the program office is making progress on one of its key goals for Fiscal Year 2021 – connecting Federal agencies to its second-generation Elasticsearch dashboard. […]
After an overhaul of the user interface, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has made progress on improving the USAJobs website by tracking metrics, providing more clarity for applicants, and offering guidance to agencies for job postings. […]
MeriTalk recently connected with ManTech’s Seana McMoil, Senior Executive Director, National Cybersecurity Programs, on how the coronavirus pandemic has impacted agencies’ cyber defense plans, and the importance of raising awareness of women in cybersecurity as October is National Cybersecurity Awareness month. […]
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has released results of a two-part survey that found most GPO employees were satisfied with IT support and top leadership’s communication in keeping them informed during the COVID-19 pandemic. […]
Leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee want the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to report on how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is handling cybersecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic, they said in an October 9 letter. […]
Even before its official launch, the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) program is generating additional interest in its applicability for non-defense sectors, panelists said at the CISQ Cyber Resilience Summit. […]
Bob Kolasky, Director of the National Risk Management Center (NRMC) at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), today pronounced state and local election authorities “well positioned” to conduct secure elections next month. […]