Digital Government

Hackathon, policy moves designed to apply tech to foster care programs

The White House launched a two-day hackathon to develop better data tools for foster care providers and social workers and announced a host of policy initiatives to back up the effort.

Modernization

This iPhone Factory in China Is Replacing 60,000 Workers With Robots

The next time you buy a new iPhone, it’s possible it will have been made by a robot.

Cybersecurity

Cummings nixes theory that contractor discovered OPM breach

More than a year after the massive hack, a senior lawmaker has determined that the OPM breach was not, in fact, detected by a small business doing a product demonstration.

Digital Government

IG: OPM still lacking in planning for IT overhaul

The report is the latest in a series of scathing assessments of the Office of Personnel Management's IT practices from the agency's inspector general.

Cybersecurity

Is Social Security concealing IT risk?

The agency charged with maintaining some of the nation's most sensitive information is vulnerable because of its antiquated IT, and lawmakers say its leaders are downplaying the danger and sidestepping their inspector general.

Digital Government

Senate Committee Advances Measure Letting Agencies Crack Down on Personal Email

The bill allows agency heads to bypass federal rules requiring them to consult with unions about workplace matters in order to block access to certain websites.

People

HR chiefs: President Trump won't cause government exodus

Federal chief human capital officers are keeping their noses to the grindstone -- and trying to keep their employees doing the same -- in preparation for the impending presidential transition.

Cybersecurity

Obama's cyber 'state of emergency' yields no quick sanctions

Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew wrote to Congress in the fall that no adversaries had been targeted under new cyber sanctioning powers.

Cybersecurity

State plans departmentwide phishing trip

The State Department has selected a vendor to provide a "phishing as a service" solution to improve employee cyber hygiene worldwide.

Acquisition

Feds seek contractor emissions data

A proposed new Federal Acquisitions Regulation rule would require federal suppliers to supply yearly greenhouse gas emissions data.

Modernization

Hardware first up in NGEN re-compete

Navy officials are interested in carving out a separate contract for hardware-as-a-service in the re-compete of the Next Generation Enterprise Network.

Cybersecurity

This Is the Real Threat Posed By Hacked Medical Devices at VA

Most medical device manufacturers do not have the know-how or tools to patch vulnerabilities in devices quickly.

Digital Government

Federal CIO on IT Upgrade Fund: ‘The Bigger Risk is Not Doing Anything’

There is bipartisan dismay at the age of some critical IT systems that house everything from taxpayer data to benefits claims.

Emerging Tech

Border Agency Has Rolled Out Lots of New Tech. But Is It Working?

New technology could help border patrol keep intruders out, but DHS’ acquisition process is too slow, lawmakers say.