Cybersecurity

‘Continuing Significant Deficiencies’ Hamper VA’s Information Security Controls, Audit Finds

An audit released by the VA Office of Inspector General found that the department “needs to implement improved controls” to address persistent gaps in its information security program.

Digital Government

OSTP Only Tackled 1 of 8 High Risk Recommendations in Past Year, Watchdog Finds

The Office of Science and Technology Policy has seven high-risk open recommendations to address, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

Cybersecurity

Transportation Needs to Improve Cyber Policy Implementation, Watchdog Finds

The Department of Transportation should better implement its policies for established cyber roles, including improving training and role expectations, according to a recent GAO report.

Modernization

2 Agencies Still Behind on Years-Old Legacy IT Recommendations, Watchdog Finds 

Despite some agencies making significant progress, the Transportation Department and the Office of Personnel Management have not fully implemented the watchdog’s prior recommendations.

Artificial Intelligence

NASA Still Lacks a Unified Definition of AI, Watchdog Finds

The agency has made progress on artificial intelligence management, but still has work to do to meet governmentwide requirements.

Digital Government

GSA’s Pilot Transactional Data is ‘Inaccurate and Unusable’, Watchdog Says

According to the agency’s Inspector General, GSA performed an inaccurate evaluation of the program when it deemed TDR a success, but in actuality, the data is unusable.

Cybersecurity

DHS Procurement Cyber Reporting Requirement Needs Clarifying, Watchdog Finds

The Government Accountability Office noted that several major acquisition programs at DHS didn’t think the requirement applied to them.

Emerging Tech

Senator Calls for Cybersecurity Audit of Law Enforcement Wireless Network

FirstNet is a cellular network built for first responders around the country, but at least one federal official told the senator’s office they had “no confidence” in the network’s security.

Digital Government

Space Force Has a Major Satellite Oversight Problem, GAO Says

The government’s network of land-based satellite antennas is facing growing usage demands, but Space Force has not updated the system’s support operations plan since it took over control of the program in 2019.

Modernization

VHA's $8.5M Emergency Comms System Largely Inoperable, OIG Finds

An audit conducted by VA’s Office of Inspector General found that an estimated 80% of the emergency communications systems deployed at 184 VA medical facilities are “not fully operational.”

Defense

Pentagon lags on software buying reforms, GAO says

A GAO report has found that DOD has yet to implement several recommendations from advisory boards towards achieving its modernization goals.

Emerging Tech

Labor Dept. Watchdog Urges 'Extreme Caution' on Facial Recognition

Since the start of the pandemic and an upswing in fraudulent claims in the jobless aid systems, the use of facial recognition in identity checks has spread across states, raising OIG concerns about access and privacy.

Modernization

OMB failing to set cross-agency IT management goals, report says

Administration officials disputed some of GAO's conclusions, noting that IT goals were embedded in other management agenda targets.

Modernization

IRS system doesn’t meet all cloud security requirements, watchdog says

The tax agency did not meet requirements like malicious code protection and timely risk mitigation, the department's internal watchdog reported.

Cybersecurity

IRS System Doesn’t Meet All Cloud Security Requirements, Watchdog Says

Treasury’s Inspector General found the IRS did not meet requirements like malicious code protection and timely risk mitigation.

Modernization

IG: Social Security isn't moving fast enough on agile development

An Inspector General report published this month said the Social Security Administration is still struggling to mature its agile development processes and not yet transitioning away from costly outdated technology.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmakers, DOD Officials Note Benefits of AI to Department’s Information Networks

During a hearing on securing the Defense Department’s information networks, senators and officials described how artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities could strengthen the department’s cyber resilience.

Digital Government

Senators Try Again to Advance Software License Bill

Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.) have brought back the Strengthening Agency Management and Oversight of Software Assets Act with a few new changes after the proposal came up short last fall.

Digital Government

Lawmakers Need to Enhance VA’s Oversight of Oracle EHR Rollout or ‘Move On,’ Top Republican Says

House Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Mike Bost, R-Ill., said Republicans and Democrats in both chambers of Congress are largely aligned “on what we know we want to fix and the problems that we’re seeing” with the deployment of VA’s new EHR system.

Cybersecurity

Acting National Cyber Director Explains New Cybersecurity Strategy to Congress

Acting National Cyber Director Kemba Walden highlighted some the strategy's key elements in testimony Thursday.