Cybersecurity

Battle lines forming over surveillance authority

Advocates for eliminating or curtailing one of the government's main Patriot Act surveillance authorities are gearing up for battle, but questions remain whether Congress will be receptive to the message.

Emerging Tech

DISA, HHS Brainstorming Behavioral-Based Identity Pilot

The end goal would be a device that recognizes the user based on hundreds of behaviors.

Cybersecurity

Energy is Updating Its Cyber Posture Assessment Tool  

The Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model helps organizations in government and industry assess how their cyber defenses stack up against established standards.

Cybersecurity

HHS updates on blockchain application

The Department of Health and Human Services will test its blockchain-based acquisition system in the coming months, as it works on other ideas to harness the electronic ledger technology.

Cybersecurity

New Tool Reveals Big Vulnerabilities In Mobile Apps That Use Multiple Clouds

The remote servers that power thousands of popular apps harbor a rats’ nest of vulnerabilities.

Cybersecurity

Fewer Than Half of States Take These Two Election Security Precautions

The Brennan Center for Justice found only 24 states will both have voting systems that create a paper trail and require audits of the 2020 election results.

Ideas

Better Collaboration Tools Need Better Security

Building new technology on a faulty foundation can be a recipe for disaster.

Cybersecurity

DHS Funds Research to Improve Software Security Analysis

The Science and Technology Directorate awarded a contract to standardize the process for evaluating static analysis tools, which agencies use to hunt for bugs in their IT systems.

Policy

Federal Ban on Chinese Telecom Equipment Takes Effect

Contracting officers will have new disclosure provisions to include in contracts issued after Aug. 13.

Cybersecurity

Energy Department Never Blacklists Risky Nuclear Tech Vendors, GAO Says

The process is too time-consuming and narrow to be effective, according to officials at the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Cybersecurity

Here’s What Foreign Interference Will Look Like in 2020

The incentives for foreign countries to meddle are much greater than in 2016, and the tactics could look dramatically different.

Cybersecurity

Sue Gordon resigns as ODNI deputy

The second highest ranking intelligence official in the federal government resigned, leaving the top two positions at ODNI without permanent leadership. The move coincides with the departure of ODNI chief Dan Coats, as President Trump looks to reshape the intelligence community.

Cybersecurity

DHS supply chain risk assessment set for White House review

The chair of the Supply Chain Task Force told a government advisory panel that a taxonomy of IT and communications sector risks is in the final stages of approval.

Cybersecurity

GSA Cyber Expert Offers Tips on Cloud Security

Dan Jacobs says agencies should treat security like a team sport and avoid falling in love with the latest cyber products.

Cybersecurity

DHS Is Building A Contract To Manage All Its Cybersecurity Operations Centers

The single contract will likely have multiple awardees, each capable of managing the entirety of operations at each of the department’s 17 security centers.

Cybersecurity

USAF pays out $123K in 3-month bug bounty contest

The Air Force found 54 vulnerabilities following its first assessment focusing on continuous monitoring of the cloud-based Common Computing Environment.

Cybersecurity

Postal Service Watchdog Finds New Vulnerability During Security Audit

The inspector general warned exposure could “have a serious negative impact to the Postal Service brand.”