Digital Government

FCW Insider: May 4

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

Ideas

To Safely Reopen, Make the Workweek Shorter. Then Keep It Shorter.

This crisis is the ideal time to make radical changes to how we work in America.

Artificial Intelligence

Those Facebook 'Challenges' Can Expose You to Hackers

Games can often extract sensitive information about a person, such as their first job, their first car, or their mother’s maiden name.

Modernization

Trump wants foreign gear out of the U.S. grid

An executive order issued by the Trump administration May 1 declared a national emergency and imposes new restrictions on the purchase and use of foreign-made equipment and technology used in the U.S. bulk-power system.

Digital Government

More Than 10,000 Federal Employees Have Contracted COVID-19

The number of positive cases in the federal workforce has more than quadrupled since early April.

Digital Government

Former FEMA Administrator Weighs in on Coronavirus Response

Craig Fugate told lawmakers that transparency from the nation’s disaster response agency will be important as hurricane season approaches.

Cybersecurity

Citing Cyber Threats, Trump Orders Ban on Buying Energy Sector Equipment from Foreign Adversaries

Some stakeholders say Commerce Department rules to implement a similar order about telecommunications equipment from last May are “impossible” to comply with.   

Cybersecurity

Why We Adopt and Then Ditch Online Security Tips

“It can be challenging to follow through with a particular piece of advice, and sometimes experts conflict with each other in providing advice,” a researcher said.

Acquisition

Infrastructure readiness lags behind VA health record plans

The first go-live date for the Cerner health record at a VA facility was delayed first because of readiness problems and then because of COVID-19 pandemic, but an oversight report indicates that infrastructure woes plagued the project almost from the beginning.

Digital Government

SBA Awards $5.5M Contract to Improve Response to Disasters

As the Small Business Administration responds to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s also implementing what it learned during its response to the 2017 hurricane season.

Modernization

Labor Wants Feedback on Checklist for Modernizing State Unemployment Systems

The federal agency seeks input on the mandatory guidance it released to help states prevent service disruptions as they update their technology. 

Cybersecurity

Amid telework boom, CISA reminds agencies of DNS resolution requirements

The memo notes that CISA will begin issuing reports to agencies highlighting DNS traffic anomalies and could issue a follow up directive as new protections come online.

Digital Government

U.S. Intel Community Says Coronavirus Was Not Made In a Lab

The statement from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence comes after months of speculation and disinformation.

People

SSA delays contract articles amid union lawsuit

The move comes as administrative law judges for the Social Security Administration sue the Federal Services Impasse Panel over their contract rulings.

Digital Government

FCW Insider: May 1

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

Digital Government

House Lawmakers Press HHS Secretary for Details on Contact Tracing Programs

States are turning to smartphone apps and other digital tools that could compromise privacy, the lawmakers wrote.