Quick Hits

*** Three former U.S. government intelligence officers agreed to pay more than $1.6 million in fines as part of a plea agreement with the Department of Justice to settle charges of violating export controls for supplying the United Arab Emirates with sophisticated hacking tools that allowed the government to compromise targeted phones and devices.

"Hackers-for-hire and those who otherwise support such activities in violation of U.S. law should fully expect to be prosecuted for their criminal conduct," acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Department’s National Security Division said in a statement.

*** The General Services Administration named Waldo Jaquith as senior advisor to agency administrator Robin Carnahan. Jaquith will coordinate GSA's push to help state, local, tribal and other U.S. government entities with technology procurement, according to an agency press release. Jaquith previously worked at GSA in the 18F innovation shop and in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy.

*** Sage Communications co-founder and CEO Larry Rosenfeld is retiring after 17 years at the firm. Washington Technology has more on this story.