Policy
DOJ to appeal intelligence court ruling over use of spying power
A judge on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court took issue with how spy agencies use filtering tools to sift through raw data collected by the FISA 702 program.
People
DOJ clears the way for government to hire technologists still connected to their private sector employers
Ethics experts and public sector lawyers told Nextgov/FCW that they are skeptical about the arrangement of private sector technologists joining the government on leaves of absence while retaining their deferred compensation packages.
People
DOJ elevates deputy CIO to top IT role
Nikki Collier had been serving as the acting CIO since Melinda Rogers left the role last year, according to the CIO Council’s website.
Artificial Intelligence
Trump signs order targeting ‘cumbersome’ state AI regulation
The order instructs certain federal agencies to identify which state laws undermine federal efforts to help the U.S. lead globally in AI.
Cybersecurity
US charges former Accenture employee with misleading feds on cloud platform’s security
Danielle Hillmer, most recently employed with SentinelOne, allegedly concealed a cloud product’s noncompliance with federal security regulations.
Cybersecurity
US court system to boost cyber posture after hack of electronic case management tool
The breach may have revealed the identities of confidential informants involved in criminal cases in several federal district courts, according to Politico.
Digital Government
Justice pushes agencies to use AI-assisted translations, when offering them at all
The July 14 memo encourages agencies to determine which services would be better operated exclusively in English and to make use of AI where translations are needed.
Cybersecurity
US unveils multiple operations to shutter North Korean IT worker schemes
At least one U.S. government contractor was hoovered up by the illicit worker operations, a senior FBI official said. The fraud has cost victims millions of dollars.
Cybersecurity
DOJ files complaint to get nearly $8 million in stolen funds back from North Korea
The DPRK has long been tracked as a cyber actor that uses worker schemes to steal funds for its missile program and other regime goals.
People
DOJ CIO announces departure from agency
Melinda Rogers said May 30 was her last day with the Department of Justice.
Cybersecurity
US, international and industry partners topple infrastructure of popular info-stealer malware
The collaborative effort worked to seize the takedown of some 2,300 domains that backed the web infrastructure of Lumma Stealer, sold to help hackers steal passwords and deploy ransomware around the world.
Cybersecurity
US and Netherlands seize network providers that helped hackers mask activities
The Justice Department and Dutch law enforcement shuttered 5socks and Anyproxy, services with Russian ties that sold proxies to cybercriminals. Lumen provided internet backbone data to the agencies.
Policy
Justice Dept. rescinds rules safeguarding media from government seizures
The rules, first issued under former Attorney General Merrick Garland, gave members of the press protections from legal mechanisms to obtain sensitive data linked to their reporting.
Policy
Democrats push Justice Department to keep Election Threats Task Force amid rollbacks
The task force was created to help protect election officials from stalking and threats, but its future remains in question after the Trump administration scrapped other election integrity initiatives.
Cybersecurity
US charges 12 Chinese nationals for hacks into government systems
Some of the people have ties to i-Soon, the Chinese tech firm whose hacking-for-hire activities were exposed in a leak last year. Others are linked to Silk Typhoon, a hacking unit that recently breached the Treasury Department.
People
Trump to nominate John Eisenberg to head Justice’s national security division
During his time as a legal advisor in the first Trump administration, Eisenberg reportedly ordered a 2019 call with the Ukrainian president to be secured on a classified server, turning it into the central evidence in Trump’s first impeachment inquiry.
People
Ousted career execs at DOJ are considering options after being given vague rationale for firings
The dismissals came just hours after Trump's inauguration and raises questions of the president's legal authorities.
Cybersecurity
Major cyber news drops under the buzzer for 2024
A ninth U.S. telecommunications provider fell onto Salt Typhoon’s victim list, and the UN’s controversial cybercrime treaty was adopted.
Cybersecurity
US charges Israeli-Russian national with making software for LockBit ransomware gang
LockBit has made headlines for years, allowing purveyors of its malware to haul away millions of dollars from victims.
Artificial Intelligence