Cybersecurity

Interior Grounds All Drones With Ties to Chinese Companies

The decision comes months after agency officials approved purchases of aircraft built by the Chinese firm SZ DJI Technology. 

Emerging Tech

Interior Expects to More Than Triple Drone Flights by 2025

Unmanned aircraft offer the department a cheaper, faster and safer way to conduct operations across 500 million acres of federal lands.

Emerging Tech

Interior Approves Chinese Drone Purchases Despite Spying Concerns

However, the agency has multiple technical measures in place to ensure the manufacturer can’t use the aircraft to spy on the U.S., according to the director of Interior’s drone operations.

Digital Government

Interior Department Announces Modest Cutback to Telework

Beginning next month, front-line employees with telework agreements will be required to report to a physical office once a week, while supervisors will be eligible only for situational telework.

Emerging Tech

Interior Doubled Its Use of Drones in 2018

The agency flew more than 10,000 unmanned missions to survey federal land, monitor wildlife and respond to natural disasters.

Digital Government

How Two Agencies Handled Expired Credentials After Historic Shutdown

Despite agencies reopening, some feds weren’t able to get right back to work due to expired PIV cards and passwords.

Emerging Tech

L.A.’s Public Earthquake-Warning App Is the First in the U.S.

ShakeAlertLA aims to give smartphone users a few seconds’ warning of imminent quakes.

Cybersecurity

Federal Employee Visited 9,000 Porn Sites in Less Than 7 Months, Auditor Found

The Interior Department inspector general released new details about the employee whose browsing habits allowed Russian malware onto government networks.

Digital Government

Porn-Watching Employee Infected Government Networks With Russian Malware, IG Says

Government auditors traced a malware infection back to a single porn-watching employee within the U.S. Geological Survey.

Digital Government

How Mobile Data Could Help Manage the National Parks

The data could be used to create better park experiences despite overcrowding.

Emerging Tech

Forest Service Public-Private Partnership Explores Using Drones for Precision Pesticide Application

The group plans to award a sole-source contract to research whether unmanned aerial systems can spray in hard-to-reach places without disrupting nearby sensitive ecosystems.

Emerging Tech

Pilot-Optional Helicopters Could Be the Future of Fighting Wildfires

The Interior Department’s been working on a plan to expand its aerial firefighting efforts from daylight-only to a 24-hour cycle.

Emerging Tech

Someone Flew a Drone Too Close to a Wildfire, Again

Firefighters in Colorado had to ground their aircraft for an hour.

Cybersecurity

Interior IG: Nation’s Dams Safe From Hacks But Vulnerable to Insider Threats

An inspector general review exposes significant weaknesses to dam cybersecurity that have grown more serious over time.

Cybersecurity

Two Companies Picked To Protect Nation’s 600 Dams from Cyberattacks

The Interior Department awarded spots on a five-year, $45 million contract to manage IT risk for more than 600 dams nationwide.

Emerging Tech

Interior is Using Drones to Save People Trapped by Hot Lava

They’ve also been faster and safer than putting boots on the ground, a department official said.

Digital Government

Interior Wants Wi-Fi for Burning Man

Even temporary cities/arts festivals need networks for government and law enforcement operations.

Cybersecurity

Here’s What Government Gets Wrong About Bug Bounties

Congress has gone bananas for bug bounties, but they may not always be the right choice.