Author Archive
Data
How Feds Think Data Can Buy Time for People Suffering a Financial Shock
Financial assistance programs need to respond quickly to be effective. The vast troves of government data offer opportunities to shave down that time.
Emerging Tech
Interior Wants a Fleet of Drones ‘On Call’ to Help With Wildfires, Other Emergencies
The department is awarding multiple spots on a $7.2 million contract for unmanned aerial systems-as-a-service.
Data
TSA Says Its Drone Program Won’t Collect Much Info on the Public
The agency is going to use drones to conduct security assessments at airports, transportation incidents and large security events.
CXO Briefing
Inter-Agency Effort Targets the Half of Veterans Who Never Engage With VA
The resource hub out of the departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs is part of a larger White House initiative to better respond to the life experiences of Americans.
CXO Briefing
Trust Will Be Key for US Notify—a Federal Text Message Service for State Benefits
The text service will be the first project to come out of the General Services Administration’s new Public Benefits Studio.
CXO Briefing
The Low-Tech Side of Biden’s Push to Improve the ‘Life Experiences’ with Government
Agencies are approaching the White House’s mandate with an eye for getting important information and access to as many people as possible.
Cybersecurity
CISA Taking Over Open-Source Logging Tool Created by UK Government
The Logging Made Easy tool will move to CISA’s GitHub page later this year but will be unsupported in the meantime.
Cybersecurity
US Officials Charge Chinese Agents with Running ‘Secret Police Station’ in NYC
Prosecutors unveiled charges Monday against a “troll farm” and Chinese nationals who worked with a Zoom employee to crash meetings with U.S.-based dissidents.
CXO Briefing
FDA Starts Work on New Data and Technology Strategic Plan
The agency intends to finalize the plan by the end of September.
News
New FCC Rule Aims to Kill Spam Texts at the Source
Additional proposals would give consumers more options, such as adding text messages to the Do-Not-Call registry.
CXO Briefing
Background Investigation IT Systems Software Will Now Be Bought Through One Business
Software asset management and purchases for the IT system underpinning security clearance background investigations will be consolidated under a single commercial contractor.
Cybersecurity
‘Multiple Threat Actors’ Used Old Exploit to Access Federal Agency Servers
At least two groups tried to exploit the vulnerability to get deeper into the agency’s networks, including a Vietnamese criminal gang.
IT Modernization
IRS Plans to Approve Use of Login-dot-gov as Tax Day Nears
The tax agency intends to add Login this filing season—and as early as next week—as the integration is in final rounds of testing.
News
GSA: Odd Email About Changes to SAM Registration Info Was a Glitch, Not a Hack
The agency said the emails were generated in error and likely unrelated to the unscheduled downtime Wednesday morning.
Data
16 Agencies Create One Confidential Data Process to Rule Them All
In three years, creators of the Standard Application Process condensed 16 different agencies’ processes into one central portal for confidential data requests.
Cybersecurity
CISA Tells Agencies What to Prioritize to Meet Cybersecurity Log Mandate
The guidance document also explains how CISA and the FBI will work with agencies to investigate cybersecurity incidents.
Emerging Tech
NASA Wants to Make Sure Commercial Space Destinations Have All the Right Amenities
The space agency wants to ensure commercial space stations have the rules and supplies to support government astronauts.
Cybersecurity
Experts Question Value of Federal Cybersecurity Data Capture Mandate
The packet capture, or PCAP, requirement’s short timeframe and potentially massive data loads caused one expert to doubt whether it would be useful after a real cybersecurity incident.
CXO Briefing
New Health-Focused Advanced Research Agency Seeks $500M in Technical Support
The Health and Human Services Department’s version of DARPA—ARPA-H—is setting up a wide-ranging contract for support staff.
Emerging Tech