US push to counter hackers draws industry deeper into offensive cyber debate
US push to counter hackers draws industry deeper into offensive cyber debate
Digital Government
Appeals court removes limits on DOGE access to SSA data despite ‘alarming’ revelations
The Friday decision follows a January court filing in which the government conceded that DOGE associates may have improperly accessed sensitive data at the agency.
Policy
DHS intelligence office restructuring would still keep it under ODNI oversight
A proposed FY27 overhaul would still leave DHS’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis answerable to the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, despite questions about its oversight.
Policy
Tech bills of the week: Boosting export controls; AI-focused workforce development; and more
During Congress’s final week in recess, new legislation and amendments that were proposed run the tech policy gamut.
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Ideas
Data is a strategic asset and a strategic vulnerability
COMMENTARY | Treating data a strategic asset and defending it accordingly isn't simply a matter of technology policy; it's a fundamental component of national resilience.
Policy
Judge renews procedures for 702 surveillance program that could soon lapse
The program still requires reauthorization from Congress, and the judge notably took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the program.
Cybersecurity
Treasury debuts effort to share cyber threat intel with crypto firms
The move signals that Treasury is increasingly treating cryptocurrency firms as part of the nation’s core financial infrastructure, making them a prime target for hackers.
Ideas
When the storm hits: What Hurricane Katrina still teaches federal leaders about continuity of operations
COMMENTARY | Make continuity planning an operational discipline rather than a compliance exercise.
Artificial Intelligence
CIA plans for ‘AI coworkers’, deputy director says
The spy agency managed a few hundred AI projects last year, and recently used AI to generate an intelligence report for the first time, deputy director Michael Ellis said.
Artificial Intelligence
OpenAI national security lead endorses ‘appropriate human judgment’ in AI
Sasha Baker, OpenAI’s head of national security policy, said a “workforce transformation” is needed to make sure that humans are making the final calls to keep people and systems safe.
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Digital Government
Treasury is creating a database with pandemic aid recipients’ sensitive information
Critics say the scope established in the agency’s systems of record notice “is an astonishing and dramatic departure from prior Treasury practice.”
Modernization
HHS replaces COBOL-based payroll system
The deployment of the new cloud-based system came after eight months of collaboration between HHS, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Finance and Accounting Service.
Cybersecurity
Anthropic’s Glasswing initiative raises questions for US cyber operations
Intelligence officials and industry are weighing how Claude Mythos Preview could reshape hacking and cyberdefense. The company has also briefed senior officials on the AI model it says has already uncovered thousands of cyber vulnerabilities.
Modernization
As aircraft losses mount, Pentagon wants a software fix to see through the fog of war
The Defense Department is looking to update how older planes see each other and absorb data.
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Policy
Former national security officials urge Congress to renew Section 702 before expiration
The surveillance program lapses April 19 unless renewed by Congress. The Trump administration is asking for a clean, 18-month extension.
Artificial Intelligence
VA’s FY27 budget proposal seeks funding for additional AI adoption
VA’s decision intelligence and automation activities would see a 10.9% increase over FY26 enacted levels, with the growth “driven primarily by the AI Infrastructure solution.”
Cybersecurity
Pro-Iran hackers are targeting US industrial control systems, advisory says
This latest cyber assessment released during the war with Iran mirrors similar cyber intrusions made by an Iran-aligned group that targeted Pennsylvania water systems in late 2023.
Artificial Intelligence
GSA to require agencies to pay for USAi after launching it as a free service
The platform was billed as a way to accelerate AI adoption across the government when GSA launched it last year.
Cybersecurity
Trump proposes cutting CISA election security program in FY27 budget
The move is part of $700 million in proposed program cuts, resulting in a net funding reduction of about $360 million. The budget also projects eliminating some 860 positions.
Modernization
The IRS wants to shrink its workforce by nearly 4,000 — and use technology to make up the difference
“Without modernization, the IRS would be unable to sustain performance with a reduced headcount,” the budget document says.
