Digital Government
Agencies Get IT Reform Marching Orders, but Don't Expect Congress To Sit Idle
The Office of Management and Budget is holding agencies’ feet to the fire to fully implement the new CIO job responsibilities.
Digital Government
Microsoft Is Using Drones to Predict Disease Outbreaks
By catching mosquitoes, these drones could help scientists learn about—and react to—the way diseases become epidemics.
Digital Government
Senate Dems to McConnell: Tying Hacking Measure With Defense Bill Is 'Ridiculous'
“This is a pure political ploy that does nothing to advance America’s national security.”
Emerging Tech
The Internet in Space? Slow as Dial-Up
Astronauts gripe that connectivity is “very slow,” but that could change with laser-based data transmission NASA has already tested.
Cybersecurity
Mobile pushes changes in biometric identifiers
Evolving biometrics should be more difficult to spoof, but they present challenges for accuracy and privacy.
Digital Government
Going big on Data Act implementation
Senior leadership's message is clear that a half-hearted effort at tracking government spending data just won't cut it.
People
Event touts D.C. women in tech
"Celebrating DC Women in Technology" was sparked by a list of top 100 D.C. techies that was overwhelmingly male.
Digital Government
Nader and Norquist deconstruct the Data Act
If terabytes of data are released in the forest and no one is around to read them, do they make a difference?
Modernization
Interoperable radio issues still hound DHS
Almost 14 years after the September 11 attacks, radio interoperability remains a dream deferred.
Digital Government
Can universal security controls prevent the next big breach?
Never let a good crisis go to waste -- now is the time to push data security standards for more than just federal agencies.
Emerging Tech
Video: These High-Tech Kiosks Can Speed You Through Customs in Minutes
Good news for frequent travelers.
Cybersecurity
McCain touts DOD/Silicon Valley ties, RAND ponders cyber reputations, and more
News and notes from around the federal IT community.
Emerging Tech
Tattoo Algorithms Could Soon Help Identify Criminals
A newer system might use image recognition, instead of verbal descriptions of tattoo designs, to identify individuals or find patterns.
People
How flexible should FITARA be?
The federal CIO told House watchdogs that IT reform would be implemented with strict oversight, but there are already rumblings inside agencies about possible exceptions.
Digital Government
US Will Delay Plan to Give Up Internet Powers
The head of ICANN says his group needs more time to free itself from U.S. control.
Modernization
Agencies Spend Big on Cloud This Year
Federal cloud contract awards have already surpassed last year, according to a recently released study by market research firm Deltek.
Digital Government
Oversight ‘Urgently Needed’ as Agencies Implement IT Reform Law, Watchdog Says
The former DHS CIO will tell Congress some agencies will likely struggle to fully implement the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act, known as FITARA.
Cybersecurity
Senators: End sequester to pay for cybersecurity
OPM's fiscal 2016 request of $272 million includes $21 million for finishing network upgrades begun in fiscal 2014.
Ideas
OPM Hack: Why Email Notification Makes a Bad Situation Even Worse
By using a third party to manage data breach communication, OPM has now, in essence, provided phishers with a blueprint for creating an attack.
Modernization