Digital Government

Veteran Deaths Lead Lawmakers to Call for VA to Renegotiate Oracle EHR Contract

Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee Chairman Jon Tester said that VA should “negotiate an entirely new contract” with Oracle Cerner following the revelation that the EHR system has resulted in the deaths of four veterans.

Cybersecurity

White House Tech Council Launches Cyber-Physical Resilience Working Group

The President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology aims to use the initiative to improve resilience within the nation’s digital networks.

Acquisition

VA, Oracle are negotiating a five-year option on troubled health record software contract

Technology problems are being compounded by policy disputes over configuration of the new electronic health record between the Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense.

Cybersecurity

Biden Administration Seeks $26B in Cyber Funding for FY 2024

President Biden’s fiscal year 2024 budget aligns with the recently released national cybersecurity strategy by “investing in a whole-of-nation approach,” according to the acting national cyber director.

Cybersecurity

How International Acquisitions Can Become a Cybercrime Frontier

Public entities like the FBI and Department of Treasury are carefully monitoring international business transactions as potential backdoor threats to U.S. national security.

Emerging Tech

Pentagon Mobilized to Support Tech Startups After Bank Failure

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank presents the Defense Department with warnings—and opportunities.

Defense

How the Pentagon mobilized to support tech startups after bank failure

The failure of Silicon Valley Bank presents the Defense Department with warnings—and opportunities.

Cybersecurity

‘Multiple Threat Actors’ Used Old Exploit to Access Federal Agency Servers

At least two groups tried to exploit the vulnerability to get deeper into the agency’s networks, including a Vietnamese criminal gang.

Emerging Tech

Naval Research Lab Launches First In-Space Laser Energy Experiment

The experiment will demonstrate using power beaming technology to deliver instant energy in space.

Cybersecurity

Government employees and defense contractors still have got bad passwords, report says

According to new research, a majority of government employees with exposed passwords were found to have reused them across multiple accounts. 

Emerging Tech

CFPB Announces New Inquiry into Data Brokers

The financial regulatory agency wants to learn more about data brokers’ business operations, especially surrounding user experiences.

Cybersecurity

NSA offers new tips on zero trust and identity

Weaknesses in identity and access controls are allowing cyber attacks to happen, NSA officials say. A new tip sheet is meant to help national security systems mature their controls.

Policy

US Needs Deeper Global Partnerships to Assert Tech Leadership, Report Argues

A report from the German Marshall Fund calls for “a new foreign policy of technology” that allows the U.S. to maintain its tech leadership on the global stage by working more closely with democratic nations.

Digital Government

Telework Not to Blame for Government Backlogs and Inefficiencies, OPM Director Says

Kiran Ahuja defends telework before skeptical Republicans, amid efforts to improve data collection around agencies’ use of workplace flexibilities.

People

USDS alum Lynn Overmann talks priorities in new role as Beeck Center’s director

Continuing a recent tradition of former U.S. Digital Services officials tapped to lead Georgetown University’s technology and policy hub, Overmann talks about the challenges and opportunities of helping bring innovation to the federal government.

Artificial Intelligence

DIA's New China Mission Group to Track Threat Posed by AI Development

The Defense Intelligence Agency’s China Mission Group will be monitoring the country’s use of AI software and other technologies in a national security context.

Ideas

Why it's time for a pivot on digital identity

COMMENTARY | The White House should rethink their approach to reducing identity theft in public benefits to align with the broader objective outlined in the National Cybersecurity Strategy—one that would invest in digital identity infrastructure that can reduce identity theft and cybercrime in every sector.

Digital Government

L3Harris Will Develop NOAA’s Next-Gen Earth Imaging in $765M Deal

The GeoXO Imager will help to observe and monitor weather, the ocean and atmosphere, among other things in a collaboration between NOAA, NASA and L3Harris as part of the GeoXO mission.

Cybersecurity

CISA Launches Ransomware Warning Pilot for Critical Infrastructure

The new pilot program will enable “timely risk reduction” by alerting critical infrastructure owners and operators of vulnerabilities within their systems that are susceptible to ransomware attacks.