Smarter Gov Tech, Stronger MerITocracy
Internet of Things IoT sensors devices internet-connected smart city

Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Ill., will introduce new legislation this week to “address cyber vulnerabilities created by the adoption of Internet-connected devices,” and specifically cyber threats of internet of things (IoT) devices owned and used by the Federal government. […]

The National Security Agency and Central Security Service inducted five new individuals to the NSA/CSS Hall of Honor on Nov. 28, according to a Dec. 7 NSA/CSS press release. […]

Cloud computing

A growing challenge for development and security operation teams (DevSecOps) as they move workloads to cloud infrastructures is how to ensure that functions in the cloud adhere to their agency’s compliance and security policies. Cloud infrastructures are flexible and offer opportunities for settings to be changed or misconfigured, opening more access points for data breaches, system downtime, and costly compliant violations. […]

World globe trade
elections, voting, election security, midterms

The House Energy and Commerce Committee’s Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations today released a report identifying core strategies to address and prevent cybersecurity incidents. After gathering input through hearings, briefings, reports, and roundtables, the subcommittee developed six specific priorities to create stronger protections against cyberattacks. […]

cloud computing concept -min

IT security provider Zscaler said this week it is one of four cloud service providers selected to pursue Joint Authorization Board (JAB) FedRAMP certification, at the High Impact level, through the FedRAMP Connect program. […]

The General Services Administration announced that Anil Cheriyan will be the new director of the agency’s Technology and Transformation Services unit and deputy commissioner of the Federal Acquisition Service, replacing acting director Kelly Olson in early January. […]

Machine learning AI modernization

A panel of Federal leaders agreed today they aren’t worried that artificial intelligence (AI) and robotic process automation (RPA) technologies will leave Federal employees out of work, rather, they see the technologies as an opportunity to help an overloaded workforce further agency missions. […]

elections, election security, voting

Rod Turk, the Commerce Department’s acting CIO who will be retiring next month, said in a wide-ranging discussion today that the Federal government is approaching the “tipping point” in its IT modernization efforts, and that requirements put in place in recent years to strengthen the hand of Federal CIOs in pushing modernization are resulting in less “rogue” tech projects at agencies. […]

Trump
Blockchain link

Blockchain technology’s popularity has grown in recent years to full buzzword status, but government agencies are fine-tuning their use cases for the technology and picking their blockchain projects wisely, said Mark Fisk, partner in IBM Digital for Global Business Services. […]

Quora, a popular Q&A website, announced Monday that it was the victim of a data breach which exposed 100 million users’ data, including account information and private messages. […]

ACLU

Jon Callas has left his post as a senior security expert at Apple to become a technology fellow at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), according to a report from Reuters. […]

Robotic Process Automation

When it comes to robotic process automation (RPA), Federal and industry experts with experience find business units driving the push instead of IT departments, and find the need for quality work is a major factor alongside the highly touted efficiency gains. […]

Military AI DoD Defense

Further development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies has the potential to tip the scales in cybersecurity in favor of the defender, said Air Force Lt. Gen. Bradford Shwedo, director for Command, Control, Communications and Computers/Cyber, and CIO for Joint Chiefs of Staff, today at an event organized by the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association (AFCEA). […]

Microsoft HQ
Cybersecurity cyber
World globe trade

The Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace–a global cyber pact introduced last month at the Paris Peace Forum by French President Emmanuel Macron–now has more than 420 signatories, including countries, companies, and non-profit organizations and advocacy groups. […]

Congress Capitol Senate House

The Senate is expected to take action on H.R. 5759, the 21st Century Integrated Digital Experience Act (IDEA Act), via a “hotline” procedure before the end of the current session of Congress, a knowledgeable Capitol Hill source told MeriTalk. […]

President Trump said over the weekend that he and Chinese President Xi Jinping plan to discuss cybersecurity and intellectual property issues during the 90-period in which President Trump said he will not institute further tariff increases on Chinese goods entering the United States. […]

White House flag at half mast

Sens. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., and Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska, on Friday introduced the Global Electoral Exchange Act, which would task the State Department with creating an international election security information sharing program. […]

Rod Rosenstein

U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein voiced a forceful argument on Thursday for tech device and service makers to build into their products the means for law enforcement to legally access decrypted content, but offered little that was new in the way of solutions to the problem which the Federal government has complained about for years. […]

Capital, House of Representatives, Congress, Senate

The House has voted to approve bills that would two bills–one that would elevate and reauthorize the role of the Federal CIO, and another that would establish minimum standards for Federal agency website functionality and performance. […]

Cybersecurity flag

Today is Joshua Moses’ last day with the Office of Management and Budget. Moses, who is the chief of cybersecurity for the Office of the Federal CIO, has been with OMB since July 2015. […]

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