Cybersecurity

Intell chief wants more information sharing

More integration between collection and analysis capabilities can be achieved by intelligence agencies during the next five years, the country's top intelligence officer said today.

Digital Government

Fatter Paychecks for Fed IT Workers?

There have been a lot of news headlines recently that claim that federal pay is significantly higher than private sector pay. A new <a href="http://www.informationweek.com/blog/main/archives/2010/04/federal_it_pros.html">survey</a> by InformationWeek adds fuel to this claim, at least when comparing federal IT workers to their private sector counterparts. In fact, findings show that federal IT workers earn approximately 10 percent more than private sector IT employees.

People

Telework unlocks workplace flexibility, union leader says

An expanded telework program is one of the best ways to bring real flexibility to the federal workplace, Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, said at a White House forum to examine the state of flexible work arrangements.

Digital Government

How the VA VistA system is like a fighter jet

Dr. Steve Ondra's metaphor comparing the VA's electronic health record systems to fighter jets took wing at the AFCEA Health IT Day today.

Digital Government

Wired to Hoard or Share?

Andrew Krzmarzick asks an interesting question on his <a href="http://genshift.com/government-20/are-civil-servants-too-old-and-selfish-for-gov-2-0/">Generation Shift blog</a>: are civil servants too old and selfish to give in to social media platforms? Recent <a href="http://stephendale.posterous.com/are-civil-servants-made-for-social-media">comments</a> by blogger Stephen Dale note that more public sector decision makers fall into the Baby Boomer category than Generation X, and it's these older decision makers who are primarily responsible for blocking social media access at their agencies.

Acquisition

Obama warns contractors: Report ARRA money or else

The president says contractors failing to report information must be held accountable by all agencies to the fullest extent of the law.

People

VA, DOD to expand virtual EHR program

The Veterans Affairs and Defense departments are expanding demonstration projects of VLER electronic records program, officials said today.

Cybersecurity

'Most Dangerous' -- Spear Phishing

<a href="http://www.ehow.com/how_4892992_recognize-spear-phishing-scams.html"></a>Ed Skoudis calls <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phishing">spear phishing</a> "an oldie-but-goodie attack," but I can't figure out what's good about it. Spear phishing is a highly targeted e-mail with either an appended malicious attachment or a dangerous Web site link to client-side exploits. Strangely, the attack was birthed in the most inauspicious of ways; clumsy grammar and preposterous scenarios. How's that for irony? Imagine some e-mail, laden with broken English, lands in your inbox from halfway across the world detailing a half-baked scenario. And, what do we do? We click. I've done it. You've probably done it. <a href="http://voices.washingtonpost.com/securityfix/2009/06/spear-phishing_gang_resurfaces.html">We all regret it</a> (you won't regret the link).

People

Health IT data security crude in some companies, says CMS CIO

Julie Boughn, the chief information officer for Medicare and Medicaid, says companies that want to work with her agency often display amateurish data security.

Cybersecurity

How influential is the cybersecurity coordinator?

Government Information Security

Digital Government

DISA launches huge integrated technology contract

Pact would provide cradle-to-grave operational support for training, exercises and events, analyze operational readiness, and form concepts for global networks and systems.

Digital Government

Administrator calls collaboration key to FAA's NextGen

New air traffic control system will continue to run into problems unless the agency can convince employees to work together and finalizes key policies such as who can access flight information and who pays for upgrades to planes.

Digital Government

Study: Social Security disability backlogs vary greatly by state

Influx in applications and employee furloughs contribute to some delays, data indicates.

Digital Government

Court ruling rolls back FCC's net-neutrality guidelines

The D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the FCC does not have authority to regulate the network management practices of Internet service providers. The commission had ordered Comcast to stop interfering with customers’ peer-to-peer traffic.