Cybersecurity

Infosec Lawyers at a Premium

For many unwelcome reasons, information technology security professionals need lawyers, but it's not always easy to find one that understands the nature of intricate infosec topics. In fact, many security practitioners report that the vast majority of lawyers they encounter are intimidated by computers. The question arises: Is there a kind of lawyer or law firm that focuses solely on infosec topics?

Digital Government

Yes, Canada is different

Globetrotter Steve Kelman's travels take him to the Great White North.

Digital Government

Do federal employee unions earn their keep?

The weakening leverage of unions in the private sector was apparent this week when Ford announced that over the next several years it would begin to hire about 2,000 new workers—under a 2007 union-negotiated contract—at $14 an hour, about half the wages of current workers.

Cybersecurity

DHS wants more teams that respond to cyber threats

The Homeland Security Department wants to expand its cadre of teams that help factories and power plants protect against cyber threats to their supervisory control and data acquisition systems.

People

Contractors vs. staff: You do the math

The latest phase of the debate about the role of contractors in government shows that even the obvious is less obvious than it seems.

People

Secrecy bested by point, click

Before the Internet, no one could imagine how easy it would become to steal and publish classified documents.

People

The best of the federal blogosphere

This week: TSA chief opens a can of worms; Fun with taxes; The votes are in…

Cybersecurity

Hackfest revisited: It's getting scary out there

Cell phones, bank ATMs and power grids were just some of the devices and critical infrastructure shown to be vulnerable to hackers' prying and manipulation at recent security conferences.

Digital Government

Agencies form a GWAC force

Federal Computer Week

Digital Government

Industry group fears publicizing contractor database could backfire

Professional Services Council argues opening FAPIIS could improperly influence the bidding process and lead to disclosure of proprietary information.

Digital Government

House installs new electronic -- and time saving -- vote display board

How much would you pay for a vote display that offers better clarity and readability and saves time for clerks? A cool $6 million?

Digital Government

Successful attack on nation's infrastructure is 'when,' not 'if'

In a Nextgov interview, celebrity-hacker-turned-security-guru Marc Maiffret says systems that control major operations like transportation and utilities can be easily breached -- and already are under attack.

Modernization

Senate funds Web services sites, but cuts cloud computing budget

Congress is uneasy with the amount of thought the administration has put in to consolidating data centers governmentwide.

Digital Government

Effort to craft FCC broadband regulation bill collapses

The Federal Communications Commission suspended its series of private talks with stakeholders to write a narrowly focused telecommunications bill that could be fast-tracked through Congress this fall and an influential Democratic senator conceded that without a consensus, advancing a near-term bill is now "unlikely."