Cybersecurity

House bill would put grid operators on a short clock for breach reporting

A cyber incident reporting bill making its way through Congress would task critical energy infrastructure owners and operators with reporting cyber incidents to the Department of Energy within 24-hours of their discovery.

Digital Government

GSA Aims to Help Agencies Envision the Future of Work

The agency pointed to efforts like its workplace innovation lab to help the federal government reimagine work and the work environment.

Cybersecurity

Experts Question Value of Federal Cybersecurity Data Capture Mandate

The packet capture, or PCAP, requirement’s short timeframe and potentially massive data loads caused one expert to doubt whether it would be useful after a real cybersecurity incident.

Modernization

NIST Facilities ‘Well Overdue’ for Modernization, Report Says 

A National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine report found the facilities’ conditions hinder researchers’ productivity.

Cybersecurity

GAO's Critical Infrastructure Cyber Recommendations Go Largely Unaddressed

A new watchdog review found that federal agencies overseeing critical infrastructure have only implemented 43% of recommendations made since 2010.

Digital Government

IRS names advisors on possible government-run direct filing system for taxpayers

The IRS tapped New America to report on the feasibility of a free, public-facing IRS-hosted tax filing infrastructure for ordinary taxpayers.

Digital Government

White House looks to shore up public trust in government websites

Federal agencies need to use 'memorable' and succinct domain names for government websites, per guidance issued on Wednesday.

Ideas

Do Traffic Signals Need a Fourth Light for Self-driving Cars?

Another light could improve traffic flow with the influx of self-driving vehicles hitting the market.

People

Biden’s State of the Union highlights semiconductor success and big tech privacy concerns

The president applauded the CHIPS and Science Act and urged lawmakers to crack down on big tech’s data privacy and surveillance practices.

Emerging Tech

GAO: IRS Not Capturing the True Cost of its Legacy IT Footprint

An oversight report requested by Rep. Gerry Connolly found that the tax agency lacks timelines for decommissioning decades-old legacy systems and isn't tracking how much they are paying for upkeep of out-of-date software.

Artificial Intelligence

Bring on the Chatbots: How AI Can Assist Government Customer Service

Cyara's James Isaacs joins the podcast to discuss how technology can help give citizens a better customer experience.

Digital Government

Biden’s State of the Union Highlights Semiconductor Success and Big Tech Privacy Concerns

The president applauded the CHIPS and Science Act and urged lawmakers to crack down on big tech’s data privacy and surveillance practices.

People

Labor Secretary set to leave post for NHL players union, reports say

The news comes as some House Republicans set their sights on oversight for fraud in pandemic-era benefits programs including enhanced unemployment insurance.

Modernization

IRS not capturing the true cost of its legacy IT footprint, watchdog says

An oversight report requested by Rep. Gerry Connolly found that the tax agency lacks timelines for decommissioning decades-old legacy systems and isn't tracking how much they are paying for upkeep of out-of-date software.

Cybersecurity

Russian Hacker Pleads Guilty to Crypto Money Laundering

Denis Mihaqlovic Dubnikov used cryptocurrencies to attempt to hide his involvement in ransomware attacks on foreign and domestic companies.

Modernization

House panel presses FAA to speed up modernization

Members of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure pressed an FAA official on what it would take for the agency to modernize faster, including its plans to update a system that caused a nationwide ground stop last month.

Digital Government

VA Centers Talent Recruitment and Remote Work in Its Operations Revamp 

The agency’s chief people officer described efforts to attract high-skilled workers affected by layoffs across the tech sector and expand telework opportunities to modernize tech-centric operations.

Policy

Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Curtail Foreign Adversary Telecom Influence

The legislation would require the FCC to publish a list of entities with FCC authorizations and close ties to foreign adversaries.

Emerging Tech

Federal Reserve Issues New Restrictions on Crypto Banking

The regulator issued new policy largely prohibiting digital assets from the regulated banking environment, primarily due to security concerns.