Acquisition
Biden's first budget ups cyber and tech spending; gives feds a 2.7% pay raise
The Biden administration released its $6 trillion fiscal year 2022 budget proposal on Friday, including $1.5 trillion in discretionary spending across federal agencies.
Cybersecurity
Tech can help, but clearance reciprocity is a policy issue
The backlog of security clearance investigations has continued to drop from a 2018 high of 725,000 to 200,000, but agencies continue to struggle with reciprocity issues.
Cybersecurity
Army wants teleworkers to switch off smart IoT devices
The Army announced it would require all military, civilian, and contractors to rid their telework environments of internet of things devices, such as smart TVs and speakers.
Acquisition
CMMC assessor training expected in late summer
The professional training needed to carry out assessments for the Defense Department's unified cybersecurity standard for contractors won't kick off until later this summer.
Modernization
Software and startups top priorities for DOD tech chief pick
Heidi Shyu, who previously served as the Army's assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, debuted her priorities to modernize the military with a strong emphasis on software during her Senate Armed Services Committee confirmation hearing on May 25.
Acquisition
DOD oversight report tracks pandemic spending
A recent inspector general report looks at contractors who received COVID-19 reimbursement under a $1 billion allocation in the CARES Act
Cybersecurity
Connecting and supporting the post-pandemic workforce
After a year of emergency response, IT leaders are planning for a permanently changed operating environment.
Digital Government
NARA seeks DOD's help in addressing records request backlog
Many records housed in a St. Louis facility are critical to veterans' benefits applications but can't be accessed remotely.
Cybersecurity
Would CMMC compliance block a SolarWinds-style attack?
At a Senate hearing on Defense Department cybersecurity, lawmakers wanted to know whether a program aimed at hardening the security of the defense industrial base would thwart supply chain attacks.
Acquisition
Is it time to test the limits -- and potential -- of expanding CMMC?
Calls for a certified baseline of cybersecurity seem to increase with every cyberattack. Is the CMMC model the right template for a universal and independently verifiable way to protect supply chains?
Cybersecurity
CMMC board adds new training head, board members
Melanie Kyle Gingrich will take over training daily operations for the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification Accreditation Body as the vice president of training and development.
Cybersecurity
Moultrie's cyber background clears path to confirmation
President Joe Biden's pick to lead the Defense Department's intelligence and security office, Ronald Moultrie, appears to have a smooth path to Senate confirmation thanks in large part to his cybersecurity experience.
Digital Government
DOD issues 5 data decrees
Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks issued a memo detailing DOD's five "data decrees," establishing rules for creating and managing data as an enterprise resource and strategic asset.
Cybersecurity
Why zero trust is having a moment
Improved technologies and growing threats have agencies actively pursuing dynamic and context-driven security.
Acquisition
Lawmakers press White House for space acquisition chief
House appropriators lamented the absence of a dedicated space acquisition chief, challenging the new administration to make a nomination soon.
Cybersecurity
DOD expands bug bounty program to public networks, systems
The vulnerability disclosure program, which was started from the Defense Digital Service's 2016 Hack the Pentagon initiative, was initially restricted to public-facing websites and applications.
Modernization
Lawmakers look to revive collusion case against Amazon in JEDI
Two GOP members of Congress are pressing the Justice Department and the Pentagon to reopen a probe into conflicts of interest between Amazon ex-employees and consultants and the government architects of a $10 billion cloud computing program.
Acquisition
DOD seeks clean acquisition data for better policy oversight
Shelby Oakley, the director for contracting and national security acquisition for the Government Accountability Office, said the ability to conduct data-driven oversight was the Pentagon's acquisition office's biggest challenge.
People
Boosting student loan debt forgiveness could pay off for cyber recruiting
Almost all Defense Department personnel who have sought student loan debt forgiveness have been denied -- a trend that, if unchanged, could make it even harder to recruit and retain tech talent.
People