Emerging Tech

IBM Announces Cloud Marketplace For Secure Chip Design

The marketplace was built as part of a recent Defense Department initiative aimed at advancing microelectronics technologies. 

Modernization

DOD Tracking COVID Vaccinations with New Electronic Health Record System

The military was already developing a digital vaccination tracking system before the COVID-19 outbreak.

Digital Government

6 Questions Officials Still Haven’t Answered After Weeks of Hearings on the Capitol Attack

The continuing questions surrounding the attack have prompted calls for a more sustained inquiry than has so far taken place.

Digital Government

The Hours Americans Reclaimed by Sitting Less in Traffic

As the pandemic cut the amount of commuters and other motorists on the road last year, drivers nationwide saved over 3 billion hours compared to 2019, according to new estimates.

Policy

Consumer Privacy Bill Would Set National Data Privacy Standard

The legislation would require companies to write their privacy policies in plain English.

Cybersecurity

New bill looks to centralize CISA's role in ICS threat response

Rep. John Katko (R-N.Y.) cited the recent cybersecurity incident at a water treatment plant in Oldsmar, Fla., as the impetus for the legislation.

Emerging Tech

FAA, Choctaw Nation to Conduct Drone Studies

The partnership will investigate moving goods at low altitudes and traits of human operators.

People

Biden signs Rescue bill, boosting TMF and adding pandemic leave for feds

The $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law on Thursday. In addition to a massive influx of funding to support Americans harmed by the economic fallout of the pandemic, there is funding available for IT modernization and provision to help the federal workforce cope with COVID-19.

Digital Government

FCW Insider: March 12, 2021

The latest news and analysis from FCW's reporters and editors.

Digital Government

Quick Hits

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Cybersecurity

DARPA Building Special Chips for Data Privacy Protection

Fully Homomorphic Encryption is considered the “holy grail” of encryption. But right now it takes too much compute power to be used widely.

Ideas

Practical Steps to Managing Supply Chain Risk

Like with any new agency initiative, nothing moves forward without executive sponsorship.

Digital Government

Special Report: IT Modernization Priorities for 2021

Many of the new administration’s early executive orders, memos and plans included a technology component, but have yet to address the underlying issues with government IT.

Acquisition

Will DOD keep collaborating after CVR?

Commercial Virtual Remote, spun up last year to support pandemic telework, goes away this summer. DISA is working to ensure the cloud collaboration continues.

Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI Link Exploitation of Microsoft Exchange to Nation-State Actors

The agencies also warned of impending commoditization by criminal groups of access gained through vulnerabilities in the email and calendar service.

People

VA watchdog cautions on pandemic hires

Temporary waivers to speed hiring at VA medical facilities have helped fill workforce gaps, but the agency's Inspector General warns on security risks of putting off certain security checks.

Cybersecurity

CMMC board's training lead resigns

Ben Tchoubineh, the CMMC accreditation body's chair for training and CMMC board member Nicole Dean, the chief information security officer for Accenture, have voluntarily resigned, FCW has learned.

Cybersecurity

CISA: No Federal Agencies Compromised Through Microsoft Exchange Servers

Investigations remain ongoing, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leaders said at a hearing on modernizing the federal government’s approach to cybersecurity.