Digital Government
Hacking into EHRs is too easy, group says
Hackers can access many electronic health records and modify them without the knowledge of the software’s legitimate users, according to a new study by an organization concerned about EHR vulnerabilities.
Digital Government
News briefs
EDS to run data center for DHSEDS will run the second of two large data centers for the Homeland Security Department under an $800 million, eight-year contract the department awarded the company last week, according to EDS and industry sources. "It's a very important contract to us," EDS spokesman Brad Bass said, adding that neither the company nor the department had yet announced the award. "We would like to talk about it, but we are restricted…
Digital Government
Marrying data and security
Partial solutions exist for providing persistent protection, but getting all of them to work together will be the next challenge
Digital Government
Health IT panel seeks feedback on interoperability specs
HITSP is seeking public comment on draft standards for ensuring quality and consumer access to medical information.
Digital Government
Note to readers: FCW's new IP address
Because of a switch in servers taking place the evening of Sept. 21, FCW.com will have a new IP address: 216.70.54.85. To ensure you have seamless access to our Web site, please let your IT staff know of this change.
Digital Government
House passes FAA funding bill
But a veto threat from the White House and a different approach from the Senate mean the agency's budget is still up in the air.
Digital Government
Evans: Desktop standards will make networks safer
Office of Management and Budget officials believe a standard computer desktop configuration will dramatically improve security governmentwide, said Karen Evans, OMB's administrator for e-government and information technology.
Digital Government
Group calls for modernizing public health IT infrastructure
AHIC gets recommendations on how to strengthen systems that would be needed in a public health emergency.
Digital Government
Letter: Security rules are only as good as those who obey them
"Gadgets that don’t play by the rules" is a good article on the challenges of adapting to agency responses to the rapidly changing technology landscape, but I have to ask about your comment in the sidebar that states, "Information technology managers...can buy some time by using common sense rules until they can develop a broader strategy." With all due respect, the alarm went off at the announcement of the Veterans Affairs Department breach.
Digital Government
Letter: Voting systems get short shrift
The article titled "Voting under a cloud of suspicion" does not go far enough to detail the clear benefits of electronic voting systems or the technological evolution of voting systems in the past 100-plus years. The simple fact is that electronic voting systems provide the same or greater level of auditability. Rather than simply getting rid of the new technology, the question should be: How do we build the regulatory and administrative procedures around this new technology?
Digital Government
Circuit
'Firefly' fan clubChief information officers are a somewhat geeky crowd. Transportation Department CIO Dan Mintz is a big fan of the Fox TV show "Firefly," a science fiction program created by writer and director Joss Whedon, who also created the popular programs "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel." "Firefly," which only had 14 episodes before it was canceled, had an incredible cult following. Mintz hosted a regular lunchtime gathering for "Firefly" fans to watch the…
Digital Government
Agencies urged to use EA to safeguard data
Mike Castagna, the Commerce Department’s chief information security officer, preaches about the close relationship that should exist between an agency’s enterprise architecture and its information assets.
Digital Government
Letter: It makes sense to ban use of private PCs for government work
Governmental computers (at least at my facility) are so locked down that it takes longer to do your work, assuming you can access the resources or perform the computing task required.
Digital Government
E-prescribing PDAs save millions for Mississippi Medicaid
The program provides 225 doctors with handheld devices, reaping $1.2 million per month in medication savings.
Digital Government