Digital Government

White House Promotes Tech Meetups

Under federal CTO Megan Smith, the White House hosted its first tech meetup, encouraging technologists from across the U.S. to network with each other.

Cybersecurity

Hackers Publicize US Authorities’ Home Addresses and Freeze Cops’ Computers

Just another week in ThreatWatch, our regularly updated index of noteworthy data breaches.

Acquisition

SEWP switchover, more GSA hallways and a Commerce industry day

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Cybersecurity

Debating the Iranian cyber threat

A new industry report attributes a surge in cyberattacks on Western infrastructure to Iran, but at least one security expert is disputing the findings.

Digital Government

How Secure is an Email Tip Line for Federal Employees?

Congressman Mark Meadows announced on Thursday the launch of an email account for federal employees to send anonymous complaints about their working conditions, according to his website.

Emerging Tech

These 3 Steps Could Prevent 85 Percent of All Data Breaches

A great many cyber calamities are preventable through basic cybersecurity hygiene.

Digital Government

Trade Bill Takes Aim at Foreign Governments' Data Protections

Tech companies and trade groups come out in support of the Trade Priorities Act.

Digital Government

Federal Employees, Don’t Do This on Social Media

Ethics officials say they’ve been inundated with questions from agencies about how their employees’ Twitter and Facebook habits conform with govermentwide ethics rules.

Emerging Tech

The Latest Disruptive Space Technology Is a Battery-Powered Rocket Engine

The Electron battery will be focused on lifting the new generation of miniature satellites weighing as little as 2 kg that some entrepreneurs say they will use to create the infrastructure for a global internet network.

Digital Government

Congress to Introduce Last-Ditch Bill to Reform NSA Spying

With the clock winding down, lawmakers in both chambers are staging one last attempt to rein in the government’s surveillance powers.

Digital Government

GSA's proposed pricing data rule questioned

Industry representatives voice concerns about compliance costs and protection of pricing information.

Cybersecurity

Why is the Army Handing Its Cyber Stars to Fox Entertainment?

It’s just one strategy U.S. organizations are trying out to deal with a workforce challenge as persistent as the cyber threat.

People

What program management really means

The failure of massive federal IT projects can usually be traced to poor management. The solution is as multilayered as the projects themselves.

Modernization

Test your IT portfolio IQ

By answering the questions in five core areas, IT leaders can see whether they are on the right path with their IT portfolio management practices

Cybersecurity

The price of poor program management

Here are 1.8 billion reminders of why PM matters.

Digital Government

Agencies Botch IT Savings Estimates by $3.8 Billion

Drastic revisions by the departments of Defense and Homeland Security accounted for most of the savings discrepancy.

Emerging Tech

Consumer Electronics Show Sets up Shop in Least Tech-Savvy Place on Earth: US Congress

Tech companies, from startups to heavyweights such as Google and LG, came to the Rayburn House Office to pitch their products to lawmakers.

Digital Government

Shortage of IT Security Professionals not Unique to Government

The information security workforce gap isn’t a federal government problem; it’s a worldwide problem.

Digital Government

SEC Reveals It Doesn’t Use Email Snooping Power It Defends

Chairwoman Mary Jo White said the commission isn’t using subpoenas to acquire emails from ISPs, despite a long-running defense of the practice.