Cybersecurity
National Cyber Director should lead quantum cyber preparations, GAO says
Marisol Cruz Cain, the watchdog’s head of cybersecurity and information, told lawmakers that the Office of the National Cyber Director remains GAO’s pick to coordinate a national post-quantum strategy.
Artificial Intelligence
AI use in financial services could add to bias risks, GAO warns
A new Government Accountability Office report suggests federal regulators offer updated guidance to weed out bias in financial institutions' artificial intelligence systems.
Digital Government
Legislative watchdog rebuffs DOGE efforts to install on-site team
“DOGE’s attempted intrusion into an independent, nonpartisan legislative branch agency is a direct assault on our nation’s sacred separation of powers,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., the ranking member on the House Oversight Committee.
Modernization
Consolidating IT systems can lead to over $100M in cost savings, GAO finds
The Government Accountability Office’s latest duplication and overlap report said improved federal IT portfolio management could achieve such savings “by reducing duplicative IT investments and halting or terminating investments, when appropriate.”
Cybersecurity
Watchdog cites potential improvements for State’s cyber diplomacy office amid agency reorg
The Government Accountability Office noted that the reorganization of the Bureau of Cyberspace and Digital Policy could remove it from the direct line to leadership it enjoyed while under the Deputy Secretary’s office.
Modernization
VA needs updated cost estimate and rollout schedule for EHR, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office said VA is making “incremental improvements” to its new electronic health record system during an operational pause on additional deployments but added that “much more remains to be done.”
Policy
GSA reverses lease terminations for some GAO offices doing national security work
The Atlanta, Huntsville and Norfolk offices have been removed from a termination list tied to a DOGE effort to reduce purported government spending waste on building leases.
Policy
GSA lease terminations hit GAO offices doing national security work
Some of the terminated leases include buildings with spaces designed to exchange classified information on defense programs.
Cybersecurity
Coast Guard workforce lacks maritime cyber expertise, watchdog says
The maritime service says it will develop “competency requirements” for relevant personnel by the end of December. It’s also planning new procedures to document maritime cyber incidents.
Exclusive
Cybersecurity
GAO mulls cost evaluation of nationwide telecom hardware replacement
One major vulnerability exploited by China’s Salt Typhoon hacking unit is a Cisco hardware flaw that can’t be patched and requires physical replacement, according to a person with knowledge of the intrusions.
Ideas
Our approach to improper payments is failing; the 2024 numbers explain why
COMMENTARY | The numbers can hide what's going on.
Emerging Tech
DHS surveillance tools lack bias and privacy protections, GAO says
DHS law enforcement agencies are currently developing policies to reduce bias in the use of AI-enabled tech but have no plans to do so for other monitoring tools.
Digital Government
Agencies see record reduction in improper payments in fiscal 2024
The improper payment rate for fiscal year 2024 was 3.97%. The last time that number dipped below 4% was in 2013.
Acquisition
ODNI told to redo financial management contract
The Government Accountability Office looked at Guidehouse's protest against the award and found inconsistencies in how proposals were evaluated for this contract that supports the entire intelligence community.
Modernization
Nearly 40% of FAA air traffic control systems need urgent updates, GAO reports
Several systems, some which aid in navigation and communications, did not have modernization efforts in place, the GAO said.
Cybersecurity
GAO to unveil findings on outdated FAA tech systems
The congressional watchdog's forthcoming report will examine legacy air traffic control systems and the agency’s modernization efforts.
Cybersecurity
New tech, personnel will help CISA with coming rush of cyber incident reports
CISA said “an automated mechanism” could help it better process and review a coming deluge of new cyber incident reports but could not be accounted for in its current budget.
Cybersecurity
Several DOD IT programs still don’t have a cyber strategy, watchdog finds
Cyber strategy requirements in the Defense Department’s IT business unit date back to at least 2014. A government watchdog thinks it's time for an update.
Digital Government
DOD, VA need more data on how their toxic exposure tracking app is used, watchdog says
A report from the Government Accountability Office found that oversight of the joint system for centralizing toxic exposure records has fallen off, despite a growing influx of PACT Act-related claims.
Modernization