Ideas

Commercial Cloud Outages Are a Wake-Up Call

As cloud computing’s versatility gives it the potential to become the easily identifiable “central nodes” of America’s economy, these policies are needed to ensure resilience.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers Call for Agency-Led Working Group for Digital Assets

They want the U.S. government to gain a better grasp of the rapidly emerging landscape of virtual currencies, smart contracts and other commodities.

Policy

Pandemic Drives Phone, Computer ‘Right-to-Repair’ Bills

The pandemic has made living without a computer harder than ever.

Digital Government

More Than a Dozen IG Vacancies Await Nominees from Biden

The positions are critical to ensure ethical, effective operations at a time when agencies are disbursing billions of dollars in pandemic relief.

Policy

Consumer Privacy Bill Would Set National Data Privacy Standard

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

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.

Cybersecurity

Bill Would Eliminate Immunity for Foreign Hackers

The Homeland and Cyber Threat Act would amend the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act to give Americans legal recourse for damages caused by foreign hackers.

Digital Government

Biden’s Latest Tech Appointments

President Biden tapped former IARPA Director Jason Matheny for roles on the National Security Council and White House OSTP.

Cybersecurity

Splitting NSA, CyberCom Now Could Reduce Military Access to Intelligence, Milley Says

The Joint Chiefs chairman says the organizations have not yet worked out how to keep the data flowing after the long-awaited split.

Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity Agency Takes Over Management of .Gov Domain

The official domain for .gov websites shifted from the government’s landlord to the government’s central cybersecurity shop.

Cybersecurity

Air Force Only Service to Develop Cybersecurity Requirements for Weapon Systems Contracts, GAO Says

The audit found the Defense Department has improved weapon systems cybersecurity in recent years, but detailed requirements must make it into contracts.

Ideas

5 Strategies to Prepare Now for the Next Pandemic

First, shore up the systems already in place.

Podcasts

Critical Update: Let’s Talk About UFOs

What’s behind unidentified aerial phenomena observed by military officials? Are we alone in the universe? Nextgov asks some experts.

Cybersecurity

House Armed Services Chair Calls for Focus on Information Systems Over Arbitrary Metrics

Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash., suggested a 500-ship Navy is inadequate if adversaries are able to disrupt command and control systems.

Cybersecurity

White House Is Developing a Plan to Secure Industrial Control Systems

An upcoming executive order in response to the hacking campaign that involved SolarWinds will include standards to improve software transparency.