Oversight

National Cyber Director's Vision for the Future Flags Overdue National Plan

The office of the national cyber director is tasked by Congress to weigh in on agencies’ cybersecurity budgets.

  • By Mariam Baksh

GAO: Defense Department Isn’t Doing Enough to Protect Sensitive Information

Federal cybersecurity has been on the Government Accountability Office’s High Risk list since 1997.

  • By Frank Konkel

NIST Report Documents Success In Commerce’s Technology Transfer Initiative

A new report showcases how three federal agencies submitted technology research—like patents and papers—that can have a mainstream impact.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

GAO: VA’s Multibillion-Dollar Financial System Overhaul Needs Hard Goals

User satisfaction seems to be rising with new deployments but auditors say it’s hard to measure using current metrics.

  • By Aaron Boyd

Report Finds Identity Fraud Up 167% In USPS Change Of Address Requests

The USPS Office of the Inspector General recommends stricter identity verification controls online, while management disagrees.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Jury: Former DHS Watchdog Official Stole Software, Employees’ Personal Info

The verdict is in for the last holdout in a scandalous scheme to defraud the government.

  • By Mariam Baksh

Warren Presses Defense Secretary on Wasteful Contractor Spending

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) said adding to the Pentagon's topline for 2023 to account for inflation would just invite "defense contractors to pick taxpayers' pockets."

  • By Lauren C. Williams

GAO Promotes Need for Public-Private ‘Partnerships’ in Cybersecurity Policy

A Government Accountability Office official says the watchdog agency consulted with private sector entities in producing a report of 12 areas it’s planning to focus on in the next decade.

  • By Mariam Baksh

Data Key to Ensuring Pandemic Funding Accuracy

A new GAO report advocates enhanced data collection and analysis to ensure federal pandemic relief funding goes to the right place.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Native American Health Agencies Struggled to Access Federal Data Amid Pandemic

A new report outlines the steps health agencies, including the CDC and IHS, need to improve tribal epidemiological centers’ access to public health data.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Federal Agencies Take Mitigating Steps To Protect Internet Infrastructure

A new report examines public agency practices to prevent the exploitation of vulnerabilities within the modern internet framework.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

FTC, Justice Say Weight Watchers Parent Group Illegally Collected Child Health Data

Federal prosecutors filed a complaint against children’s weight loss app Kurbo, alleging it collected health data without parental consent in an effort to market weight management services for use by children.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

Cost Overruns and Delays for OPM's Trust Fund Modernization

OPM is working to modernize the legacy financial system that manages retirement, health benefits and life insurance programs, but it's behind schedule and over budget.

  • By Natalie Alms

Scarce Radio Frequency Spectrum Requires More Modern IT, Watchdog Finds

A new report documents the information technology upgrades that need to be addressed within federal agencies to support radio-frequency usage and sharing.

  • By Alexandra Kelley
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GAO Audit Again Shines Light on Problems in VA’s Health Records Rollout

The audit found that data quality and stakeholder engagement were two key issues with the rollout.

  • By Frank Konkel

Audit: Labor Department Information Security Program ‘Not Effective’

Auditors made 18 recommendations to remediate some of the agency’s longstanding issues.

  • By Frank Konkel

Watchdog: HUD Disaster Relief Could Use Better Data Collection, Analysis

A GAO report found one of HUD’s aid programs could be more efficient if more accurate demographic information is harvested and referenced prior to distributing funds.

  • By Alexandra Kelley

NOAA Should Reassess Geostationary Satellite Launch Plans, IG Says

It isn’t the first time the satellite program has come under scrutiny.

  • By Frank Konkel

Watchdog Finds IT Scorecards Effective In Monitoring Federal Modernization Efforts

A new report highlights the benefits FITARA grading has had on modernizing tech within the government, despite recent failing grades. 

  • By Alexandra Kelley

New FITARA Grades Show Agencies Failing to Transition Off Legacy Networking Services 

But agencies got all As on data center optimization, suggesting it may be time to retire or update that metric.

  • By Mariam Baksh

Former Homeland Security Acting Inspector General Pleads Guilty To Data Theft

Charles Edwards pleaded guilty to two federal charges of stealing government software and personnel data.

  • By Alexandra Kelley