Digital Government

As Biden Signs On, Trump Appointees Share Social Media Sign-Offs

Posts highlighting the former and present administrations’ moves spanned online platforms Wednesday.

Emerging Tech

Trump Takes Executive Action on Drones in Final White House Days

The executive order encourages federal agencies to divest from unmanned aerial systems manufactured by China, Russia and Iran.

Ideas

A New Administration Offers an Ideal Time to Prevent Entitlement Creep

Here’s what you need to know to protect federal employees and secure classified data.

Artificial Intelligence

Defense Secretary Nominee Says Hack Perpetrators ‘Should be Held Accountable’

Gen. Lloyd Austin committed to conducting a review of defense cyber operations, if confirmed.

Digital Government

DHS Nominee Pledges Review of Agency’s Core Cybersecurity Programs

Sen. Josh Hawley blocked quick confirmation of Alejandro Mayorkas.

Cybersecurity

Haines looks to restore IC workforce morale

If confirmed, Avril Haines says that one of her top priorities as the Director of National Intelligence will be "institutional" issues, like renewing public trust in the intelligence community and improving workforce morale.

Digital Government

GAO: DOD Needs Permanent Group to Protect Critical Technologies

The task force currently running these efforts is set to dissolve in the coming months.

Cybersecurity

SolarWinds hack blights the Trump administration's cybersecurity record

The consequences of the SolarWinds Orion hack are far from clear, but analysts and lawmakers say that officials at CISA and NSA made notable strides to improve the government's cybersecurity posture.

Cybersecurity

Mayorkas calls for review of Einstein, CDM

The president-elect's nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security said he will review the government's two major cybersecurity programs in the wake of the SolarWinds hack.

Emerging Tech

Roper Makes His Pitch To Biden Team: ‘I Want to Be Part of the China Fight’

The Air Force acquisition chief says he keeps politics out of his work at the Pentagon — and that the U.S. will lose against China without agility.

Modernization

Biden-Harris Admin Proposes $10B in New IT and Cyber Funding for Federal Agencies

The administration wants to add $9 billion to the Technology Modernization Fund and give CISA a boost.

Cybersecurity

Highway Safety Agency Wants Car Makers to Know What’s in Their Software

The agency is seeking comment on a software-heavy update of its cybersecurity best practices.

Cybersecurity

Rob Joyce to lead NSA cyber office

Joyce's predecessor, Anne Neuberger, is joining President-elect Joe Biden's administration as a deputy national security advisor.

Cybersecurity

SolarWinds fallout makes secure communications a critical first line of defense

Crisis situations like this one can induce the fog-of-war and lead to tradeoffs during remediation. While we may not know the full extent of the damage for some time, as is always the case in an event like this, we need to stop the bleeding. We must not afford the adversary an easy path to more information.

Digital Government

DOD Launches ‘Speed Dating App’ Connecting Vetted Capital With Tech Companies

The digital marketplace for the Defense Department’s Trusted Capital initiative went live shortly before the holidays.

Digital Government

Synthetic Data Engine to Support NIH’s COVID-19 Research-Driving Effort

It’s all part of a new partnership the agency is embarking on with Syntegra, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Cybersecurity

Biden floats $9B boost to TMF as part of funding surge

The incoming Biden-Harris administration announced a $1.9 trillion "rescue" package to help Americans whose incomes have taken a hit from the pandemic, which includes a major uptick in technology spending to secure government systems and spur modernization.

Cybersecurity

FireEye not ready to ascribe SolarWinds hack to Russia

The cybersecurity firm credited with discovering the compromise of SolarWinds Orion isn't saying that Russia didn't do it, but that more evidence is needed to make a definitive attribution.

Cybersecurity

OPM urges D.C.-area feds to telework through inauguration week

The move comes as downtown Washington, D.C. is being transformed into a high security zone for the inauguration of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris.