Policy

Pentagon’s Updated Cyber Strategy Focuses on ‘Assertively Defending’ U.S. Interests

The new strategy directs the department to deter cyber threats and cultivate its cyber talent.

  • By Aaron Boyd

‘Unprecedented’ Government Spending Spree Picks Up Speed

The federal government could spend close to half its appropriated budget in the final fiscal quarter, which ends Sept. 30.

  • By Frank Konkel

Here’s What’s Blocking HHS Offices From Sharing Data with Each Other

Agency leaders want to embrace information sharing, but right now it’s uncharted territory.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Lawmakers Have One More Shot To Raise Modernization Fund Ceiling

As the administration awaits word on additional funding, officials say they have about a dozen projects under consideration.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Senate-Passed Bill to Hack DHS Heads to House Floor

The bill would create the first departmentwide bug bounty in the civilian government.

  • By Joseph Marks

Trump Administration Preps Sanctions Against Foreign Election Interference

The new executive order describes a process for sanctioning digital interference, propaganda and any other efforts to meddle in U.S. elections.

  • By Joseph Marks

The House is Shuttling Through Tech and Cyber Bills but the Senate’s Behind

The House passed bills on cyber sanctions, supply chain security and CDM last week.

  • By Jack Corrigan and Joseph Marks

GAO: 'Urgent Action’ Needed to Address Nation’s Cyber Challenges

The Government Accountability Office is sounding the alarm that U.S. critical infrastructures are not as secure as they should be.

  • By Frank Konkel
Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation as the nominee to be the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018. Dr. Kelvin Droegemeier appears before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation as the nominee to be the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy on Thursday, Aug. 23, 2018.

Senate Committee Approves Top White House Tech Advisor

Office of Science and Technology Policy hasn't had a permanent leader since the last administration.

  • By Jack Corrigan
Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y.

House Passes Bill Expanding DHS’ Power to Block Risky Contractors from Government Networks

The move comes after Congress took action in the past year to boot the Russian anti-virus maker Kaspersky Lab and the Chinese telecom firms Huawei and ZTE from federal networks.

  • By Joseph Marks

Report: Trump’s Latest Tariffs Will Stunt Cloud Market, Federal Adoption

A 25 percent tariff will lead to higher costs for agencies and might slow U.S. cloud adoption, analysts say.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Lawmakers Bash the President’s Federal Pay Freeze Plan

Plus a familiar face gets confirmed as the Energy Department’s first assistant secretary for cybersecurity.

  • By Jack Corrigan and Joseph Marks
Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore. Energy and Commerce Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore.

Lawmakers Want the Cyber Vulnerabilities Register Improved

Irregular funding has forced the vulnerability database to focus on short-term problems, they say.

  • By Joseph Marks
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2017. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., speaks to reporters on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, July 27, 2017.

McCain Leaves a Rich Cyber Legacy

The late senator pushed relentlessly for the government to develop a comprehensive cyber deterrence strategy.  

  • By Joseph Marks

Senators Stuck in Washington Focus on Elections

The Senate also passed an $860 million “minibus” funding bill.

  • By Joseph Marks and Jack Corrigan

White House Unveils More Details About Proposed Modernization Center

Officials expect to establish the future-focused GEAR Center in the next year.

  • By Jack Corrigan

Government’s Getting Faster at Sharing Unclassified Cyber Threat Indicators

It’s also becoming rarer that an intelligence agency refuses to release a threat indicator entirely, a DHS official said.

  • By Joseph Marks

Government Leads Industry in Anti-Spoofing Email Protection, Report Finds

A higher percentage of federal domains are protected by DMARC than in the tech or banking sectors.

  • By Joseph Marks
Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.

Senator Urges a Roving Cyber Auditor

A governmentwide inspector general would have a broader view of cyber deficits than individual agency IGs, Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., says.

  • By Joseph Marks
Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I. Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I.

Critical Update: Cyber Leadership Has to Come from the Top

Congressional Cybersecurity Caucus co-founder Rep. Jim Langevin, D-R.I., wants more cabinet secretaries to make cyber a top priority.

  • By Joseph Marks