Digital Government

Mobile usage, a PTO nominee and NASA's data swap

News and notes from around the federal IT community.

Acquisition

Contract management vs. contract lawyering

Steve Kelman notes that agency managers have options that may not be covered in the legal letter of an agreement.

Cybersecurity

Tightening security on federal payment cards

Beginning next year, new payment processing terminals at federal agencies must have the necessary software to support new security features.

Digital Government

Dallas Hospital Had the Ebola Screening Machine That the Military Is Using in Africa

The Dallas hospital had an Ebola screening machine, but it was for research purposes only.

Acquisition

Respect the FAR

A new report from the Association of Proposal Management Professionals says the acquisition process is fine, but the way it’s used is not.

Cybersecurity

Do Not Click on That Ebola Vaccine Ad

DHS issues alert on contagion-inspired phishing schemes and online fraud.

Digital Government

New weapons in the fight against emerging biothreats

In the midst of the Ebola outbreak, progress is being made on other fronts against bacterial threats such as anthrax and MRSA.

Cybersecurity

Information sharing: Are we safer?

A decade after the 9/11 Commission identified agencies' reluctance to share information as a dangerous shortcoming, the government is moving in the right direction.

Modernization

GSA unveils 'FedRAMP Ready' systems

The latest offering is intended to help agencies speed the process of deploying authorized cloud solutions.

Cybersecurity

Anonymous Follows Through on Threat to Expose Chinese Files

Government (Foreign) // Beijing, China

Cybersecurity

Bhutto Family Scion Incites Hacktivism with Land Grab Remarks

Government (Foreign) // Transportation

Cybersecurity

JPMorgan Says Government Purchase Cards Not Affected by Hack

Expense cards and government customers were not affected by this summer’s bank hack.

Modernization

Your Smartphone Can Detect Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays. Here’s Why That Matters

When your smartphone detects a cosmic ray, it can share data with the researchers, allowing them to study the rays in more detail than ever before.

Digital Government

The FBI Wants Internet Wiretapping Powers

Despite privacy fears following the Snowden leaks, the FBI director says new spying powers are necessary to catch criminals.

Cybersecurity

Comey Says FBI Collects Some Digital Information Without a Warrant

The FBI director admitted on Thursday, “There are exceptions” to the agency’s warrant-first rule for surveillance.

Digital Government

Huge Bidder Pile-On for VA’s $22.3 Billion Tech Deal

If all these interested vendors actually submit a bid, the VA acquisition folks will have to go into overtime to weed through all the paper.

Cybersecurity

IT contracts' (gentle) squeeze, a new spending site, NSA ties and Pistole retires

News and notes from around the federal IT community.