Cybersecurity
Third-Party Software Was Entry Point for Background-Check System Hack
Intruders piggybacked on a vulnerability in an enterprise resource planning application.
Digital Government
Here’s What the New Tesla Battery Means for the Military
Elon Musk’s big announcement could revolutionize energy use for U.S. consumers—and that could be its biggest effect on national security.
Digital Government
The Air Force Wants You To Build Its Next Drone Engine
The Pentagon hopes the next Predator is in someone's garage.
Emerging Tech
Scientists Measure Nepal Earthquake by Bouncing Radar Beams off Kathmandu From Space
The ground has shifted beneath Nepal’s feet, and space agencies around the globe are rushing to measure it.
Cybersecurity
Healthy Living Natural Foods Store Probing Possible Payment System Hack
Food and Beverage // United States
Digital Government
Lawmakers Prod Agencies to Retool Energy-Guzzling Data Centers
The Energy Efficiency Government Technology Act would require federal data centers to run on more energy-efficient technologies.
Cybersecurity
Hackers Rig Ratings of Pro-Putin Videos and Spy on Iranian Expat Living in the US
Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.
Digital Government
OMB Releases Guidelines for Government Spending Data
The DATA Act requires federal agencies to report how much congressional funding they receive, or how much money they're spending on specific projects, and post it to USAspending.gov.
Digital Government
Republicans Make Dubious Claims in Defense of NSA Surveillance
Mitch McConnell and his cohort of security hawks are stopping at nothing to renew the spy agency’s phone dragnet. But how fair is their defense?
Digital Government
This Startup Wants Mothers and Daughters to Hack Together
General Assembly, which offers coding classes to entrepreneurs, is hosting a Mother-Daughter Hack day at its office in Washington on Saturday.
Digital Government
US Army Is Serious About Developing Invisibility Cloaks
Previous attempts at achieving invisibility have involved everything from the use of funky lenses to hidden projectors paired with cameras.
Emerging Tech
Smarter Driver: Will Self-Driving Cars Ever Be Legal?
The technology is still in the testing phase, but it has many governments worried.
Digital Government
Outside techies clean up at Hackathon
Before teams from academia and the private sector could build apps and searchable databases at GSA's Hackathon, they had to do some housecleaning.
Cybersecurity
Pentagon frets over China's cyber capabilities
The annual report to Congress comes not long after the Chinese defense ministry objected to what it said was the offensive nature of the Pentagon's cyber strategy.
Modernization
Help wanted with 7 million lines of COBOL
The Railroad Retirement Board is looking to update its legacy IT systems.
Cybersecurity
Why insider threats keep succeeding
Outdated security models rarely address insider threats, argues John Sellers, and perimeter defense and background checks are not going to keep attackers out.
Ideas
DATA Act at Year 1: In Need of a Growth Hormone
For the first time, the DATA Act has made it someone's job to define, and later enforce, common standards that will allow users to match and search across financial, budget and award reports.
People
Rep. Connolly wants you to tell him a story
The Virginia Democrat is soliciting success stories about federal employees who go above and beyond the call of duty.
Modernization
HealthCare.gov flaws, DARPA drones, OSTP prizes and the Datanauts' debut
News and notes from around the federal IT community.
Cybersecurity