Artificial Intelligence
House Dems demand DOGE ‘immediately terminate’ unauthorized AI use
Nearly 50 House lawmakers signed a letter to OMB asking for greater transparency into how the Trump administration has leveraged artificial intelligence systems.
Artificial Intelligence
Report: Veteran suicide prevention increasingly looks to use AI, digital capabilities
A report published by the RAND Corporation found that 17% of active veteran suicide prevention programs are already using AI, with 37% of proposed programs planning to do so.
Ideas
The president’s procurement order offers a real opportunity. Let’s not squander it
COMMENTARY | Real change in government procurement can happen, but it’s going to require learning from lessons of the past.
Cybersecurity
Chinese telcos provide backbone for US allies’ mobile traffic, raising espionage concerns
A report from iVerify and other researchers found that mobile networks in countries like Japan, South Korea and New Zealand route telecom traffic through Chinese state-backed infrastructure.
Cybersecurity
Former cyber official Chris Krebs to leave SentinelOne in bid to fight Trump pressure
“For those who know me, you know I don’t shy away from tough fights. But I also know this is one I need to take on fully — outside of SentinelOne,” Krebs said.
Digital Government
Trump ‘anti-fraud’ memo could allow SSA to stop paying some Americans’ earned benefits
The document’s publication comes just days after reports that DOGE operatives overruled career workers to falsely label thousands of immigrants as dead.
Digital Government
State-level DOGE work gathers speed
Oklahoma’s new government efficiency unit issued a report on what it has found to cut, while Iowa’s first-in-the-nation effort held its inaugural meeting. But experts say efficiency isn’t just about cutting spending.
Digital Government
Trump builds on Biden efforts to modernize permitting technology
While many praised the effort as common-sense, workforce cuts across government, as well as the administration’s deregulatory efforts, have raised questions about implementation.
Acquisition
Microsoft’s Azure OpenAI authorized for IL6 Defense operations
Microsoft’s artificial intelligence offerings are now available at the highest impact level classification for the Department of Defense.
Cybersecurity
CISA extends MITRE-backed CVE contract hours before its lapse
“Last night, CISA executed the option period on the contract to ensure there will be no lapse in critical CVE services,” an agency spokesperson said.
Exclusive
Ideas
Trump officials explain his plan to make government acquisition great, for once
COMMENTARY | Three senior Trump officials explain why revamping the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the $1 trillion in government spending it governs each year, is now a top priority.
Acquisition
Trump orders major changes to rules covering $1T in federal spending
The Tuesday mandate — which aims to streamline the way government buys goods and services — was accompanied by a second order requiring agencies to predominantly use commercial products, rather than custom-built.
Updated
Cybersecurity
MITRE-backed cyber vulnerability program to lose funding Wednesday
Organizations across industry, government, national security and critical infrastructure rely on the CVE Program, which serves as the de-facto global standard for vulnerability identification and management.
People
Federal contract oversight employees contemplate resignation offer, as agency faces layoffs and mission realignment
Employees at the Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs had less than two weeks to decide whether to opt into the second round of the deferred resignation program.
Cybersecurity
User with Russian IP address tried to log into NLRB systems following DOGE access, whistleblower says
The blocked login attempts, detailed in an extensive whistleblower complaint filed to the Senate Intelligence Committee and others, may indicate foreign adversaries have begun leveraging DOGE inroads into sensitive federal systems.
Acquisition
National Gallery of Art selects Oracle’s cloud-based financial management platform
Implementing Oracle Cloud Federal Financials “brings the best-in-class cloud [Enterprise Resource Planning] that is used by most of the Fortune 500 companies to the U.S. government for the first time,” said gallery Treasurer William McClure.
Cybersecurity
Chinese police say NSA hacked networks of Asian Winter Games
The accusations, which name three supposed NSA operatives, come amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and China.
People
Top tech leaders to leave IRS
The departures happen even as the tax agency has made controversial decisions to share taxpayer data with the Department of Homeland Security and centralize that data to make it more accessible.
Digital Government
How cyber vulnerabilities and workforce cuts threaten the crisis lifeline program
A bipartisan, bicameral measure is hoping to prevent cyber incidents from limiting access to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline after a 2022 attack on a system operator disrupted calls to the hotline.
Emerging Tech