The entire Federal government is feeling the pains of cyber workforce shortages. But the Department of Homeland Security, which is tasked with protecting national security without the cool factor of the FBI and National Security Agency, hurts more than most, according to testimony at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing on Sept. 7. […]
The Government Accountability Office found that the Federal Aviation Administration’s NextGen program was successful in enhancing surface traffic operations at 39 of the 40 busiest airports in the United States. […]
The State Department led a STEAM camp in Malawi in August to enhance high school girls’ skills in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. The State Department began the WiSci or Women in Science STEAM Camp in Rwanda in 2015 following the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit. This year’s program was the third iteration of the WiSci camps. […]
The General Services Administration (GSA) is experimenting with applying blockchain technology to its Schedule 70 Acquisitions, a move that keeps the agency on the cutting edge of technological advances that will ultimately best serve government agencies, according to Jose Arrieta, director of IT 70 Schedule Operations within GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service. […]
TechNet, a network of innovation economy CEOs, recently sent a letter to the Federal Communications Commission advocating for increased investment in broadband connectivity. The letter emphasizes the importance of broadband for the success of commercial industries such as businesses, hospitals, libraries, and educational institutions. […]
Acting Office of Personnel Management Director Kathy McGettigan announced that Rob Leahy will serve as OPM’s acting CIO. OPM CIO David DeVries departs Sept. 2 for a new role. […]
The National Institute of Standards and Technology and the Department of Homeland Security announced the next phase of the “Smart and Secure Cities and Communities Challenge,” a partnership to bring together Smart City initiatives and DHS’s security expertise and resources, at the Global City Teams Challenge Expo. […]
The Government Accountability Office found that the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration needs to clarify its policies for ensuring the privacy of drivers of connected vehicles. Thirteen of the 16 selected automakers in GAO’s study sell connected vehicles, and those 13 reported collecting, using, and sharing data on the cars’ locations and operations. […]
Successful smart city initiatives rely on cities collaborating with each other, the Federal government, the private sector, and citizens, according to city mayors and Federal experts who spoke at the Global City Teams Challenge Expo on Aug. 28. […]
Justice officials arrested Yu Pingan of Shanghai on Monday for supplying malware that has been connected to the 2015 Office of Personnel Management (OPM) breach in 2015. […]
The Federal Transit Administration’s Mobility on Demand Sandbox program will fund 11 projects that allow transit providers to try Internet of Things (IoT) enabled services. […]
A draft of the National Infrastructure Advisory Council (NIAC) Cyber Working Group report on securing the nation’s critical infrastructure has found that while the U.S. has the capabilities to defend against cyber attacks, it lacks the coordination to do so effectively. […]
Federal Communications Commission CIO David Bray will not be taking up the role of National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency chief ventures officer, as reported June 5, and will instead be moving to the private sector as senior fellow and executive-in-residence at People-Centered Internet, Bray confirmed to MeriTalk. […]
The United States needs to invest more resources in the security of election systems, Cook County (Ill.) Director of Elections Noah Praetz told the Election Assistance Commission. […]
The United States Patent and Trademark Office and the National Inventors Hall of Fame held a STEM camp this month to teach children to develop questions, collect data, draw conclusions, and apply new knowledge while tackling hands-on challenges. […]
DHS S&T announced Aug. 14 that it was awarding Metronome Software nearly $750,000 to strengthen the security of first responder sensor systems. Metronome Software, a software research and development company focused on working for the U.S. government, is developing a technology to improve the security of first responders’ mobile device-based sensor systems. […]
The Federal Communications Commission announced that it will begin an auction in 2018 that will provide nearly $2 billion over 10 years to expand high-speed Internet access in rural areas that are currently underserved by fixed broadband. […]
The National Institute of Standards and Technology’s National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education recently released a Cybersecurity Workforce Framework that establishes a consistent vocabulary for recruiting and hiring cybersecurity talent. […]
Office of Personnel Management CIO Dave Devries will be leaving his position effective Sept. 2 due to family considerations, an OPM spokesperson confirmed to MeriTalk. DeVries joined OPM in August 2016. […]
Following the Cybersecurity Executive Order, security professionals are focusing on risk management frameworks, and some agencies are turning to the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation Program. “Security is not something that you buy, it’s something that you do,” said Matt Conner of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. […]
The Government Accountability Office found that the Office of Personnel Management’s cybersecurity posture is still lacking after the major hack of the agency in 2015. […]
The designation of the nation’s election systems as critical infrastructure will not infringe upon state and local authority to run elections. In a recent memo to Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Members, Ranking Member Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., relayed communications from the Department of Homeland Security that reiterated that fact. […]
The Federal Communications Commission announced Aug. 3 that it’s exploring ways to improve the quality of the data it collects on broadband service. The FCC released a Further Notice of Proposed Rulemaking to seek comment on proposals to collect better data. The FCC in 2000 established its deployment data collection program, which requires Internet providers to file the information with the FCC twice a year. […]
Richard Staropoli, the Department of Homeland Security’s chief information officer, resigned Aug. 3, after about three months in the role. […]
The White House on Aug. 3 unveiled new telehealth features for veterans, including a smartphone application that veterans can use to make doctor’s appointments. The telehealth effort will offer services to help veterans seeking care whether they are at home or overseas. […]
The IEEE Standards Association recently announced that it will be teaming up with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to develop principles for cloud interoperability or federation. […]
Christopher Painter made the case for cyber diplomacy after stepping down as cyber coordinator for the State Department in July. Painter wrote a blog post saying that cyber issues continue to grow, which increases the need for global discussions on cybersecurity. Yet Politico reported that the State Department is considering getting rid of its cybersecurity department. […]
The General Services Administration on Aug. 1 awarded a maximum 15-year, $50 billion Enterprise Infrastructure Solutions (EIS) contract to 10 telecommunications companies. The awardees include AT&T, BT Federal, Qwest Government Services (doing business as Centurylink QGS), Granite Telecommunications, Level 3 Communications, Manhattan Telecommunications, and Verizon. […]
The Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology First Responders Group is working with the Lower Colorado River Authority in Texas to develop Internet of Things sensors and geo-targeting alerts that will enable faster reporting of flood conditions so that first responders can better respond to problem areas. […]
Incorporating automation into the U.S. electric grid can both improve recovery capabilities in the event of an outage and present new cybersecurity dangers, according to a recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine report. […]