Emerging Tech

NSA, Army Research Aim for More Advanced—And Less Noisy—Quantum Systems

Through a new broad agency announcement, the two solicit proposals to help identify the strength and type of errors affecting quantum computation.

Cybersecurity

Watchdog: OPM is At Risk of Not Being Able to Restore IT Systems Post-Disaster

The massive 2015 data breaches that exposed personal information of current and former federal employees are the subject of an ongoing lawsuit. 

Modernization

Microsoft Gets Temporary Authority to Host Secret Classified Defense Data

A Defense agency has granted Microsoft a temporary provisional authority to host data at Impact Level 6 for the next 90 days.

Ideas

Data Evangelists Spread the Word on Boosting Government Performance

A recent gathering of state and local officials had the feel of an old time revival.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers Demand Answers on Facial Recognition Deployments in Public Housing

In a letter to HUD Secretary Ben Carson, democrats from both chambers raised concerns about threats to residents’ privacy.

Modernization

A More Automated FedRAMP is One Step Closer

The program office seeks public comments on updates to its automation plans.

Emerging Tech

Argonne’s Advanced X-Rays Are Beaming the Way to Smarter Helmets

An ongoing collaboration with scientists from the Army Research Laboratory and Northwestern University could improve the protection of human skulls.

Artificial Intelligence

New York Just Set a ‘Dangerous Precedent’ on Algorithms, Experts Warn

NYC’s task force on algorithms was supposed to be a beacon of transparent government. It couldn’t even gain access to basic information.

Cybersecurity

Kansas Abandons Technology Trumpeted by Kris Kobach, Trump’s Onetime Voter Fraud Czar

The computer program, known as CrossCheck, matched various state voter rolls against each other to identify duplicate voters.

Emerging Tech

Senate Advances Legislation to Preserve T-Band Spectrum for Emergency Personnel

Experts agree that Congress must reverse a rule to protect the crucial band set aside specifically for first responders in dense cities.

Artificial Intelligence

Special Operations Command Made a Mind-Reading Kit For Elite Troops

The experimental tool is among several that aim to combine sensors and AI to give U.S. operators a new edge.

Emerging Tech

'Dark Patterns' Trick You into Spending More Online

There's a reason a website tells you how many other shoppers are looking at the same item you are.

Modernization

Agencies Turn In ‘Best FITARA Scorecard Ever’

Collectively, the federal government improved its oversight grades in IT modernization.

Cybersecurity

Survey: Ransomware Will Continue to Threaten Public Sector Organizations in 2020

About one-third of the state and federal IT officials who responded said they faced a ransomware attack in the last three years. 

Modernization

Microsoft and Pentagon to Kick Off JEDI Cloud Prep 

Microsoft and Defense Department officials will meet for three days to discuss the cloud project despite Amazon lawsuit.

Ideas

Sensitive Data Must Be Protected. That Doesn’t Mean It Can’t Also Be Used.

Two promising tools may allow agencies to share data while maintaining privacy and security requirements.

Emerging Tech

Bill Would Constrain Some Police Use of Facial-Recognition Tools

A 72-hour limit on tracking individuals would become the first, and somewhat arbitrary, federal line in the sand.