DHS Flagged for IT Control Weaknesses in Outside Audit Nov 20, 2019 | 2:45 pm A required outside audit of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) yielded a “clean” opinion of the agency’s financial statements for Fiscal Years 2018 and 2019, but also a finding of “material weaknesses” in the areas of financial controls, and IT controls and financial systems. […]
FCC Sets Broadband Precision Agriculture Task Force Nov 20, 2019 | 2:41 pm The Federal Communications Commission announced appointments to its Precision Ag Connectivity Task Force that will work on strategies to advance broadband communications deployment on agricultural land and promote precision agriculture. […]
FCC Taps USDA’s Francisco Salguero to Fill CIO Role Nov 20, 2019 | 1:41 pm The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has hired Francisco Salguero – now deputy CIO at the Department of Agriculture (USDA) – as the FCC’s next CIO, Salguero confirmed on Nov. 20 at ATARC’s Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) event. […]
Feds Advancing AI R&D, OSTP Report Finds Nov 20, 2019 | 1:02 pm The Federal government is making strides on its goal to support and advance the research and development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, according to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy’s (OSTP’s) 2016-2019 Progress Report on Advancing Artificial Intelligence R&D, released today. […]
White-Collar Jobs Most Susceptible to AI Disruption, Brookings Says Nov 20, 2019 | 12:25 pm White-collar jobs are the most susceptible to disruption by the growing influence of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the U.S. economy, a new report says. […]
House Panel Zeroes in on Election Security Ahead of 2020 Nov 20, 2019 | 12:03 pm With election security firmly in place as the popular policy de jour on Capitol Hill in the ramp-up to the 2020 election cycle, House members from both sides of the aisle voiced support at a Nov. 19 hearing for more focus on cyberattacks targeting election infrastructure, with a particular focus on ransomware exploits. […]
Senate Leaders Urge White House to Appoint 5G Policy Chief Nov 20, 2019 | 11:52 am Leaders of several Senate committees with national security jurisdiction are urging Robert O’Brien, President Trump’s National Security Adviser, to appoint a single Federal policy coordinator for telecommunications policy with a particular focus on 5G wireless technologies. […]
DoD Seeks Alternate Cloud Security Gateway Nov 20, 2019 | 10:24 am The Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Innovation Unit is currently seeking solution briefs on methods to increase operational efficiency by utilizing cloud-based systems delivered through Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) through an alternate cloud security gateway. […]
FedRAMP Director Discusses FY2020 Priorities Nov 20, 2019 | 8:55 am The General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) will focus on administering simplicity, automation, marketplace growth, and learning opportunities in Fiscal Year 2020, according to Director Ashley Mahan. […]
House Approves CR With Military Pay Raise; Next Stop is Senate Nov 19, 2019 | 3:47 pm The House voted today by a margin of 230-194 to approve a continuing budget (CR) resolution that will fund Federal government operations through Dec. 20. […]
DHS OIG Annual Report Flags Leadership, Cyber Issues Nov 19, 2019 | 3:08 pm An annual report issued by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Inspector General (OIG) flags leadership stability and cybersecurity issues among the “most serious management and performance challenges” facing the agency currently. […]
Senators Speak Out About ISAC Budget Pitfalls Nov 19, 2019 | 3:01 pm Sens. Margaret Wood Hassan, D-N.H., Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Gary Peters, D-Mich., signed a letter requesting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provide full funding to two key Information Sharing and Analysis Centers (ISAC). […]
Fed Employees Must Improve ‘Basic’ Cybersecurity Measures Nov 19, 2019 | 2:43 pm To improve the future of cybersecurity posture for the United States, experts agree that improving on basic security measures and shifting culture to compete with industry in the workforce are essential elements. […]
DoD Audit Identifies IT As Material Weakness Yet Again Nov 19, 2019 | 1:56 pm The Defense Department’s (DoD) Fiscal Year 2019 audit identified IT and DoD’s business systems as a material weakness, amid the report’s 1,300 findings and recommendations, according to documents released by DoD on November 15. […]
DoD and Cloud? Yeah, milCloud® 2.0’s Got That Covered Nov 19, 2019 | 10:20 am There’s been a lot in the news lately about what the Defense Department (DoD) wants to do with cloud services down the road, but a whole lot less about who’s already getting the cloud services job done today for America’s warfighters. […]
House Sets Vote On CR Funding Military Pay Raise, Census Operations Nov 19, 2019 | 10:09 am The House will vote today on a continuing budget (CR) resolution that will fund Federal government operations through Dec. 20, pay for a 3.1 percent annual pay raise for military personnel, and provide funding to the Department of Commerce for 2020 Census work. […]
SBA Audit Highlights Cybersecurity, Controls Issues Nov 19, 2019 | 10:08 am An audit of the finances of the Small Business Administration highlighted the need for improved cybersecurity and internal controls over IT systems. […]
HUD Looking for Cloud-Based Talent Management App Nov 19, 2019 | 10:05 am The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is looking to replace its existing Enterprise Talent Management System and implement a cloud-based application to meet the department’s needs, according to a solicitation released November 15. The solicitation is open until December 9. […]
Nation-State, Supply Chain Cyberattacks Are Top Concerns, CrowdStrike Says Nov 19, 2019 | 8:16 am Attacks by nation-state actors and exploits targeting supply chains are among top cybersecurity concerns of IT officials, a report by CrowdStrike released on Nov. 19 reported. […]
House Bill Would Digitize FARA Records Nov 19, 2019 | 8:16 am Reps. Ken Buck, R-Colo., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., introduced a bill on Nov. 15 that would require all Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) files to be submitted to the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a digital, searchable electronic format. […]
NTIA Targets HBCUs for its Minority Broadband Initiative Nov 18, 2019 | 1:39 pm The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched a new broadband initiative dubbed the Minority Broadband Initiative (MBI), that will focus on “solving broadband deployment challenges in vulnerable communities.” […]
FAS Proposes new Records System Nov 18, 2019 | 11:55 am The Animal and Plant Health Service (APHIS) within the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to add a new system of records notice to its current inventory of records systems. […]
DHS Reveals Small Business Innovation Research Topics Nov 18, 2019 | 11:22 am The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released its list of Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) topics for FY20. […]
DISA Selected as the Single Service Provider for Fourth Estate Optimization Nov 18, 2019 | 11:21 am Deputy Secretary of Defense David Norquist designated the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) as the single service provider of common use IT services. […]
VA Cyber Falls Under the Microscope in Congress Nov 18, 2019 | 10:14 am The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is making progress on improving cybersecurity, but with past weaknesses and upcoming modernization efforts, the department needs to address outstanding issues and set a solid security foundation, witnesses testified to the House Veterans Affairs Subcommittee on Technology Modernization on November 14. […]
GSA’s 18F Begins Executive Director Search Nov 18, 2019 | 9:27 am The General Services Administration’s 18F organization will begin seeking applications for a new GS-15-Executive Director on Nov. 18. 18F is a Federal office that works with other agencies to “fix technical problems, build products, and improve how government serves the public through technology.” […]
House Science Committee Clears Bill to Establish Election Security CoE Nov 18, 2019 | 9:21 am The House Science Committee voted to approve H.R. 4990, the Election Technology Research Act of 2019, on Nov. 14. […]
Taming the Data Beast – Find Out How at Veritas Public Sector Vision Day Nov 18, 2019 | 8:17 am Data may be the new oil, or even gold – but only if agencies can capture, structure and put it to use. So, what can government agencies do to take back control and unlock their data potential? And, how are they applying data regulations like the Federal Data Strategy and Evidence-Based Policymaking Act to abstract data complexity while also increasing privacy? […]
DHS CIO John Zangardi Resigns Nov 15, 2019 | 4:01 pm John Zangardi, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) CIO since 2017, resigned from the agency effective Nov. 15, according to an internal email obtained by Federal News Network. […]
Senators Introduce Bill Requiring Court Order for Facial Recognition Police Surveillance Nov 15, 2019 | 1:22 pm Sens. Chris Coons, D-Del., and Mike Lee, R-Utah, introduced a bill that would require Federal law enforcement to obtain a court-ordered warrant before using facial recognition to surveil the public on Nov. 14. […]