Emerging Tech

NASA Asks for Public Help with the Second MarsXR Challenge

The second challenge will feature a mission storyboarding component, enabling non-programmers to participate.

Digital Government

Biden Reportedly Will Propose a 5.2% Pay Raise for Feds in 2024

This would mark the largest boost federal employees have seen since the Carter administration, but still falls short of union and Democrats’ demands.

Modernization

IRS CIO Moving to Treasury CTO Post

Jeff King, currently deputy chief information officer at Treasury, will be taking on the role of acting CIO at the IRS.

Modernization

Official: VA’s Legacy EHR Must Be Maintained, But Not a Long-Term Solution

The official cautioned that “modernization would require VistA be rewritten almost from scratch.”

Cybersecurity

TSA issues cybersecurity amendment for aviation industry

The Transportation Security Administration has released a series of new performance-based cybersecurity measures for the aviation industry just days after the White House released its national cybersecurity strategy.

People

IRS CIO moving to Treasury CTO post

Jeff King, currently deputy chief information officer at Treasury, will be taking on the role of acting CIO at the IRS.

Digital Government

GSA: Odd Email About Changes to SAM Registration Info Was a Glitch, Not a Hack

The agency said the emails were generated in error and likely unrelated to the unscheduled downtime Wednesday morning.

Cybersecurity

CISA still has work to do to fix agency weaknesses revealed by SolarWinds, watchdog says

A new report from the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general details recommendations for CISA’s network visibility and threat detection tech, workforce and more.

Ideas

NASA Identifies Star With Two Potentially-habitable Planets Orbiting it

TOI-700 has not one, but two planets located in what scientists term the "habitable zone."

Digital Government

Remote Work is 'Good For The Workplace and The Hunt For Talent'

ResumeBuilder.com's Stacie Haller joins the podcast to discuss a new survey about return-to-office policies.

Cybersecurity

USCYBERCOM’s Operations Have Strengthened Allies, Agency Lead Says

Gen. Paul Nakasone, commander of U.S. Cyber Command, told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee that the agency’s cyber partnerships have helped to build “tremendous confidence between nations.”

Digital Government

GSA officials misled agencies about Login-dot-gov

The agency’s inspector general blasted GSA officials for claiming that its identity proofing website met NIST guidelines for biometric comparison, charging millions for it, when it did not.

Digital Government

NASA, Energy Collaborate on Lunar Experiment Exploring Dark Ages of the Universe

The agencies are working together to develop a tool to survive the harsh conditions of night on the moon to measure radio frequencies and learn about the Dark Ages of the Universe.

Acquisition

NIH automated biomedical office teases small biz cybersecurity contract

The National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences is on the hunt for a small business contractor to provide cybersecurity services.

Cybersecurity

NIST Renews Cyber Center Partnership, Launches Small Business Focus

The agency renewed its partnerships that support the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence and launched the NIST Small Business Cybersecurity Community of Interest.

People

Acting national cyber director offers new details on upcoming cyber workforce strategy

The forthcoming plan is meant to accompany an overarching cyber strategy released last week that industry groups and cybersecurity experts said would be challenging to implement given the nation’s cyber workforce woes. 

Digital Government

Creating responsible AI presents 'major technical challenges,' NIST official says

Experts discussed the regulations needed for fast-developing AI software, with NIST’s Elham Tabassi emphasizing the need for proper data and measurement strategies for different systems.

Cybersecurity

Lawmaker: Schools Need Federal Advocate to Negotiate Cyber Contracts

Sen. Ron Wyden penned a letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, asking the agency to assist U.S. schools in drafting cybersecurity and data protection contracts with technology firms.