Policy
House lawmakers press Meta over illicit drug ads
In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, lawmakers said they were “continuously concerned that Meta is not up to the task” of keeping ads for illegal drugs off of its sites.
Defense
Two programs suggest the Pentagon is getting better at buying technology
The Maven and Collaborative Combat Aircraft efforts display real steps forward, a pair of reports say.
Policy
A pair of new bills aim to reshape the Secret Service
Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., penned new legislation to shift the agency’s jurisdiction for investigating financial crimes and alter how it designates its protective perimeter in the wake of the Trump assassination attempt.
Cybersecurity
Compromised DNC credentials found on Telegram bot, cyber firm says
Security researchers with ZeroFox identified stolen login information from Democratic-aligned accounts ahead of the party’s presidential nominating convention, but noted that some records “were previously observed in private threat actor-operated repositories.”
People
Rising Stars nominations extended until August 30
Nominations for the 2024 Rising Stars program are being extended to help showcase some of the best up-and-coming talent in government.
Digital Government
Teleworking feds are spending 60% of their time working in person, OMB says
In a congressionally mandated report, the Office of Management and Budget rebuffed many common complaints by congressional Republicans about the popular workplace flexibility.
Emerging Tech
Officials urge a quick start migrating to post-quantum encryption
Biden administration officials on Tuesday emphasized the need for entities to start network migration efforts as encryption algorithms are now ready for implementation.
Modernization
IRS is flying blind without plans to modernize legacy tech, watchdog says
This isn’t the first time the IRS has been called out by oversight officials for a lack of detailed technology planning.
Cybersecurity
House lawmakers join effort to remove flagged Chinese tech from telecom networks
The companion proposal to a Senate bill would allocate an additional $3 billion to the Federal Communications Commission to help fund its ‘rip and replace’ reimbursement program.
Cybersecurity
Researchers race to document voting machine vulnerabilities ahead of November
Voting machines are key physical targets in election fraud schemes. At the DEF CON hacking conference, cybersecurity experts have been working to safeguard them.
Cybersecurity
DARPA edges closer to using AI to expose cyber vulnerabilities
Next year, seven teams will compete to polish off a best-case model that meshes AI and cybersecurity to detect and fix open-source vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.
Emerging Tech
NIST debuts first post-quantum cryptography algorithms
The first post-quantum cryptographic algorithms were officially released today, with more to come from ongoing public-private sector collaborations.
Cybersecurity
How the White House cyber czar is working to breathe new life into America’s cybersecurity workforce
The national cyber director wants to prepare the next generation of cyber warriors. It starts with touring schools.
Emerging Tech
Navy still bullish on lasers but widely-deployed directed-energy ship defense remains years away
Quest gains urgency as enemy drones and missiles get better, cheaper, and more widely used.
Emerging Tech
VA launches new platform to help veterans identify and report scams
Scammers have increasingly targeted veterans and their beneficiaries, particularly after the PACT Act expanded benefits and health services for retired service members.
Digital Government
United Nations approves controversial cybercrime treaty
Last week, the United Nations voted to adopt a new cybercrime convention applying to all member states, drawing ire from civil society groups over data privacy risks.
Artificial Intelligence
Microsoft AI offerings now authorized at FedRAMP High
OpenAI’s GPT-4 will be available to agencies requiring FedRAMP High Authorization designations.
Ideas
How fusion centers protect the country
COMMENTARY: The centers provide the technology and tools needed to identify threats that lie beyond the walls of the organization.
Cybersecurity
Former NSA chief wants academia to play larger role in national security
Paul Nakasone is pushing for new initiatives to bolster national security research and workforce recruitment. It begins with a new institute at Vanderbilt University next month.
Cybersecurity