Cybersecurity

House panel looks at ditching the SSN

In light of multiple large-scale data breaches in recent years, some on Capitol Hill are looking at accelerating the move away from widespread reliance on social security numbers in government systems.

Cybersecurity

DHS releases cyber strategy

The five-year policy plan articulates the Department of Homeland Security's cyber role as almost entirely defensive.

Cybersecurity

White House Cuts Cyber Coordinator Role But Lawmakers Say Not So Fast

House Democrats charged National Security Adviser John Bolton’s move lowers the White House’s cyber expertise as threats are increasing.

Cybersecurity

House Dems look to salvage cyber coordinator post

Amid reports that the White House has junked its cyber coordinator position, a dozen lawmakers in the House have introduced legislation to restore the role.

Cybersecurity

Homeland Security Flexes Muscles with New Cybersecurity Strategy

The strategy envisions clearer consequences for agencies that don’t meet their cyber responsibilities.

Cybersecurity

Agency That Vets Pentagon Contractors’ Security Isn’t Keeping Up With the Threat, Audit Finds

The Defense Security Service plans to shift to a risk-based approach, but needs to reach out to stakeholders, GAO says.

Cybersecurity

Georgia’s National Guard Unit Wants Some Help Prepping for a Big Cyber Test

The Georgia Army National Guard has a cyber readiness inspection coming up and wants a contractor to spend the summer helping it get ready.

Cybersecurity

FEMA CIO Adrian Gardner reassigned

Gardner, who took over FEMA's IT office in 2013, accepted a new position as the Executive Director of Recovery Communications Technology in the Caribbean Area Division.

Cybersecurity

Qualcomm and Other Pawns of the U.S.-China Tech Spat See Hope After a Weird Trump Tweet

Policymakers on both sides appear to be on their way to making tit-for-tat concessions in the computer-chip industry.

Digital Government

Stringrays, Blocked Nominations and a Ton of Tech Bills

Congress is on a roll of tech-focused bills, including one that adds cyber positions to an agency.

Cybersecurity

NIST seeks 'lightweight' encryption standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology wants public input on the best way to design evaluation criteria dictating new encryption standards for small computing devices.

Cybersecurity

Senator freezes DHS cyber nominee over Stingray info

Sen. Ron Wyden wants info on use of rogue cell-tracking Stingray devices in the nation's capital before he'll confirm a new cybersecurity leader at the Department of Homeland Security.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Bar Government Encryption Backdoors

The move comes as Attorney General Jeff Sessions is pushing for legislation to allow access to encrypted communications.

Cybersecurity

Cyber deterrence is about more than punching back

Politicians and experts routinely call for a strategy that imposes costs on nation states for cyberattacks, but going on offense isn't always the answer.