Digital Government
Activists call on U.S. to provide unfettered Internet access to Iranian citizens
Certain software tools could protect users' identities and the information they access to provide a range of news stories and opinions, not just American perspectives.
Cybersecurity
Reform bill is just the start of improving information security
Standards to guide agencies on how to follow security processes and vendors on what requirements to include in products also are needed.
Digital Government
Group tackles definition of 'meaningful use' for e-health records
Health Information Technology policy committee recommends a phased-in approach for electronic medical record systems.
Cybersecurity
Hathaway: National cyber incident response plan coming by year end
The team that conducted the 60-day review of government cybersecurity policy is following up with a national incident response plan and efforts to untangle legal hindrances to improved security.
Modernization
Industry outscores government for Web site quality
Federal sites, on average, scored lower than those of state governments and industry on a 100-point scale devised by a Brookings Institution researcher.
Ideas
IG: DHS Intel folks need cyber education
The Department of Homeland Security's inspector general released a <a href="http://www.dhs.gov/xoig/assets/mgmtrpts/OIG_08-87_Aug08.pdf">report</a> Friday on the security program for DHS' Intelligence systems. Since it relates to weaknesses in top secret and sensitive systems, the report is predictably short in length and vague in its recommendations.
Digital Government
China's 128 Cyberattacks a Minute
As the Defense Department slowly moves toward development of a cyber command (see previous blog item), it sure looks like the United States needs some kind of defense against cyber aggression from China, even though no one in the Pentagon, quite diplomatically, pins such cyberattacks directly on the Chinese government.
Digital Government
No Cyber Command Announcement
Though my colleagues in the chattering classes have pumped out megabytes of <a href=http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&q=cyber%20command&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wn>copy</a> on formation of a new Defense Department cyber command over the past couple of days -- it's not happened yet.
Cybersecurity
Navy wants proposals on cyber research
The Office of Naval Research said today it plans to award more than $14.5 million for research on software engineering, networks, social networks and critical infrastructures.
Digital Government
To Spacebook and Beyond
Linda Cureton, chief information officer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, <a href="http://blogs.nasa.gov/cm/blog/Goddard-CIO-Blog/posts/post_1244861198431.html">wrote</a> in the Goddard CIO Blog late Friday that the center has launched Spacebook, an employee intranet that encourages group collaboration and social bookmarking. The new site mimics Facebook, except that only employees of Goddard can access it.
Cybersecurity
Official: Gates still considering cyber command
A new Defense Department cyber command would not lead to a military takeover of cyberspace, says Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn.
Modernization
White House says transparency, collaboration are IT goals
The Obama administration tells agency heads to work toward transparency and collaboration in their IT projects in fiscal 2011.
Modernization
Recovery.gov needs vendor help
The oversight board for economic stimulus spending is looking for a vendor to create Version 2.0 of the Recovery.gov Web site.
Modernization
Use of virtualization lacking in agencies
A survey finds that three-quarters of federal information technology managers recognize the benefits of virtualization, but just 20 percent say their agencies are harnessing the technology to its fullest.
Digital Government
Boost in DHS' IT Ranks
Federal Computer Week <a href="http://fcw.com/Articles/2009/06/12/DHS-infrastructure-unit-hiring-621-more-workers.aspx">reports</a> that the Homeland Security Department's infrastructure protection directorate is looking to hire 621 new employees in the next 18 months to help balance its federal and contracting workforces.
Cybersecurity
DHS resists security clearance improvements
The inspector general recommended several ways for DHS officials to improve the security clearance process, but agency leaders have objected.
Digital Government