Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI warn of social engineering-based ransomware

Federal agencies are revealing more information on the Scattered Spider cybercriminal group in a bid to both prevent breaches and encourage victims to offer more detail on such attacks.

People

Biden’s cyber director nominee clears Senate committee

As Biden’s pick for national cyber director — Harry Coker — makes his way through the Senate, the current acting director nears her last day.

Cybersecurity

CISA turns 5 and looks to the future

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency is growing up as its mission to protect against cyber threats becomes ever more complex.

Ideas

No, you’re not that good at detecting fake videos

COMMENTARY | 2 misinformation experts explain why and how you can develop the power to resist these deceptions.

Modernization

There’s a ‘big disconnect’ between users and developers of VA’s new EHR, lawmaker says

A 2023 survey of VA employees using the Oracle Cerner electronic health record system found that just 26% did not have issues with system availability.

Policy

Congress averts shutdown after Senate approves stopgap funding bill

President Biden is expected to sign the measure to keep agencies funded past Friday.

Ideas

Getting better deals for the government

COMMENTARY | Steve Kelman explains that common sense has often had a tough time getting accepted in debates about procurement policy.

Artificial Intelligence

State plans to lead by example in tech diplomacy politics

Between following a new executive order and modernizing agency operations, the State Department is building its policy on artificial intelligence through promoting U.S. innovation.

Acquisition

Civilian IT budgets to dive in 2024, PSC forecasts

Expect a return to pre-pandemic IT spending levels in the coming years, the trade group warned.

Digital Government

Login-dot-gov is 'fraudulent,' says House Republican gunning to defund 18F

Texas Republican Pete Sessions said 18F “misled and lied to the government” about the credentialing service’s capabilities .

People

VA's tech training program will soon expire — lawmakers hope to save it by year's end

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chair Jon Tester, D-Mont., said he is working with lawmakers to reauthorize VA’s VET-TEC pilot before the end of the year.

Ideas

The government’s FOIA policy changes are adding to work levels and requests — but e-Discovery can help

Federal agencies received a record-high number of requests in fiscal year 2022, and FOIA backlogs are growing.

Artificial Intelligence

CISA releases roadmap to guide its AI efforts

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released plans to pursue five lines of effort in support of the administration’s AI objectives.

Digital Government

Labor Department calls on states to reevaluate unemployment benefit accessibility

Access to unemployment has been declining and differs drastically across demographic groups. The Labor Department is urging states and territories to do something about it in new guidance.

Artificial Intelligence

Pentagon initiative shows AI helps leaders decide in a ‘data-driven way,’ official says

The deputy chief of the Pentagon’s AI office said the adoption of new tools and technologies is helping the department’s combatant commanders “access information and make better decisions.”

Digital Government

Customer satisfaction with government jumps again

Citizen satisfaction increased almost 3% in 2023, according to the latest data from the American Customer Satisfaction Index.

People

House punts effort to impeach Biden cabinet secretary

Some Republicans joined Democrats to postpone the exceedingly rare effort.

Digital Government

White House spectrum strategy leans into sharing, tech standards

The Biden administration is targeting 2,786 MHz of spectrum to study for possible sharing or reallocation to commercial users.

Emerging Tech

House proposal prohibits agencies’ use of blockchain tech tied to China

The bipartisan bill would limit the government’s ability to acquire or enter into contracts with firms that use “covered distributed ledger technology and blockchain equipment or services.”