Digital Government

Phishers access USAJobs site; Effect 'slight,' officials say

The Office of Personnel Management said phishing e-mailers used malicious software to obtain unauthorized access to a USAJobs resume database, and about 146,000 subscribers were affected.

People

IG: Some at IRS still careless with taxpayer data

Although the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that some managers and employees are not following policies, the agency has made progress.

People

Navy secretary laments continued loss of private data

In the past 19 months, Navy officials reported more than 100 incidents of personally identifiable information being lost, Secretary Donald Winter wrote in a recent message.

Cybersecurity

Davis urges Waxman to advance data breach bill

A provision in the bill would require agencies to ensure that computing and storage devices containing potentially sensitive information is accounted for and secure.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers: P2P networks pose security risk

Government workers using peer-to-peer networks can inadvertently share more information than they intended to divulge.

Cybersecurity

GAO: VA must tighten lax inventory controls

By not enforcing policies, the department continues to put IT equipment and sensitive data at risk.

Digital Government

House panel votes to safeguard SSNs

The Social Security Number Privacy and Identity Theft Prevention Act would restrict the sale, purchase and public display of the Social Security numbers by government and businesses.

Cybersecurity

OMB, DHS outline data security best practices

A new paper lists 10 common mistakes agencies make in securing data and ways to fix them.

People

FlipSide

Government’s black hole.

People

Union won’t file HSPD-12 complaint against GSA -- yet

The National Federation of Federal Employees will hold off on filing an unfair labor complaint against the agency until the two groups can meet.

Cybersecurity

VA to expand encryption to in-house removable storage

The decision follows a data breach at the department's medical center in Birmingham, Ala., that put millions of people's personal information at risk.

Cybersecurity

Few breaches lead to identity theft, GAO finds

But when it happens, GAO recommends agencies use a risk-based notification standard to identify the incidents in which the potential for harm exists and the appropriate actions to take.

Cybersecurity

SSA wants stronger safeguards for SSNs

The agency's IG urged lawmakers to pass legislation limiting the use and collection of Social Security numbers.

Modernization

It's a wireless world

Like it or not, smart phones and handheld messaging devices are all over government. Here’s how to make sure this invasion of mobile devices doesn’t drain your organization’s budget or threaten its security.

Modernization

Mobile security requires an action plan

Security is one of the biggest management challenges that agencies face with mobile wireless devices.

Cybersecurity

After the breach, now what?

Would a federal breach notification law bring greater security and sanity to those who find their personal data has been lost or stolen?

Cybersecurity

FISMA amendment could redefine personally identifiable info

Sen. Norm Coleman introduced the bill, which would make OMB responsible for establishing policies and procedures for agencies to follow in the event of a data breach.

Cybersecurity

Agencies face SSN scrubdown

OMB says agencies must stop the practice of using SSNs as unique personal identifiers.

People

Rocky Mountain RHIO

A low-key management style and an emphasis on improving care have boosted physician support for a RHIO in Colorado.

Cybersecurity

GAO: FBI's internal network has critical security flaws

FBI Deputy CIO Dean Hall said the bureau didn't believe the weaknesses added up to an increased risk to FBI information.