A phishing attack in January 2016 gave hackers illegal access to the Department of Interior network through remote logins on at least eight Gmail accounts, according to a report released May 24 by the Office of the Investigator General at DOI. […]
A fleet of 16 mannequins is joining the groups of TSA officers who are training for pat-down procedures. The Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate partnered with Design Interactive last fall to create the Pat-down Accuracy Training Tool. This tool, nicknamed PATT, is a mannequin endowed with a layer of sensors that can detect the amount of pressure a trainee is applying. […]
The investigation into the culprit behind the WannaCry ransomware attack is ongoing, according to a Department of Homeland Security official. […]
MeriTalk compiles a weekly roundup of contracts and other industry activity. Here’s what happened this week in the Federal Information Technology community. […]
Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, is the administration’s not-so-secret technology whiz. Kushner went from running Trump’s secret campaign data analytics operation to taking on the more public role of leading the White House Office of American Innovation. […]
One of the biggest problems in the Federal acquisitions process is the time it takes to process and grant a contract, according to government officials. […]
Only two Federal agencies, the departments of Commerce and Education, have created plans that address all four elements outlined by the Office of Management and Budget’s 10 year-old memorandum requiring agencies to reduce exposure of Social Security numbers. […]
President Donald Trump’s proposed 2018 budget, released on May 23, provides for $228 million of IT modernization funding through the General Services Administration, as laid out in the Modernizing Government Technology Act that passed the House last week. […]
A bipartisan group of senators proposed a bill that would require the National Security Agency to notify a board of experts whenever the agency finds security flaws in a company’s networks. […]
The White House on May 23 released an updated version of its proposed budget for fiscal year 2018, which gives a slightly more detailed look at the president’s budget priorities, including defense, border security measures, law enforcement, veterans services, school choice, and a nationwide parental leave plan. […]
Recent government initiatives and executive orders have left Avi Bender, director of the National Technical Information Service, and Michael Whitaker, vice president of emerging solutions at ICF, optimistic about the future of Federal innovation and partnership with the private sector. […]
Mick Mulvaney, director of the Office of Management and Budget, gave an overview of President Donald Trump’s budget proposal for fiscal year 2018, which focuses more on the taxpayer than the recipients of Federal programs. […]
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MeriTalk recently spoke with Bob Stevens, vice president of Federal systems for Lookout, about the unique mobile security risks facing the Federal government, where agencies are making progress, where they need to improve, and what they can do to get started. Lookout takes a mobile-first approach to security, creating mobile-first, cloud-first products for IT administrators, CISOs, and individuals. […]
MeriTalk checked in with 25 Federal agencies to find out who is CIO (or acting CIO) and which of the four position categories their jobs fall into. The 25 agencies MeriTalk researched consist of the 24 that are scored through FITARA and the Office of Management and Budget, which contains the office of the Federal CIO. […]
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
The MeriTalk “Industry Insider” column, offers a weekly news roundup of contracts and other activity in the Federal IT industry. Check with MeriTalk daily for the government technology news you need to know, or subscribe to get the latest stories delivered directly to your inbox. You’ll stay up to date with interesting and timely Federal IT stories on cybersecurity, big data, data center modernization, cloud, mobile, and other developments in your community – from what’s next for the MGT Act to the highly anticipated Federal IT revolving capital fund, MeriTalk brings you the trends and breaking IT news to help you modernize, innovate, and transform public sector technology and the missions you support.