Cybersecurity
For contractors late on Kaspersky cleanup, DHS considers consequences
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen floated the possibility of punishment for noncompliant contractors in the wake of the federal ban on Kaspersky software.
Digital Government
Your fingerprints aren’t as unique as a snowflake. Yet.
Governments and law enforcement bodies are searching for better fingerprint capture technology, and the results of a recent contest demonstrate they may be getting closer to a solution.
Cybersecurity
IRS closes in on industry-based fraud squad
The IRS is inching closer to operationalizing a public-private information sharing center to help prevent tax fraud including refund scams and identity theft.
Cybersecurity
Pentagon bans sale of Chinese phones at military exchanges
The move is the latest salvo in the government's ongoing conflict with telecom companies Huawei and ZTE over concerns their devices could be used to facilitate Chinese government spying
Cybersecurity
For better cybersecurity, be nice to your CFO
Instead of looking for the new hire or the next great tech to protect federal networks, agency cybersecurity officials could get more done by befriending their financial counterparts.
Cybersecurity
More detail on why DHS banned Kaspersky
A pair of filings in Kaspersky Labs' ongoing battle with the U.S. government fills in some of the blanks.
Modernization
Implementation plans for new cross-border data law remain cloudy
A month after its passage, we still don’t know which foreign countries would be able to access U.S.-based communications data under the CLOUD Act or when companies can reject their requests. Neither does Congress.
Cybersecurity
Senate turf wars are stalling DHS cyber re-org, lawmaker says
Legislation to rename and reorganize the National Protection and Programs Directorate is meeting resistance from other lawmakers and committees concerned about their oversight purviews.
Cybersecurity
House bill would create a 'naughty list' for nation-state hacking groups
The Trump administration's new cyber doctrine may be secret, but the administration and Congress are signaling their preferred strategies for responding to and deterring nation state cyberattacks.
Cybersecurity
Senator pushes for answers on scope of 2016 Russia voting probes
A DHS official acknowledged that more than 21 states could have been targeted by Russian hackers in the lead-up to the 2016 election.
Cybersecurity
China's penetration of U.S. supply chain runs deep, says report
A new report sounds calls on the U.S. government and industry to develop a comprehensive strategy for securing the technology supply chain from foreign sabotage and espionage.
Cybersecurity
Changes coming to clearance process in 30 to 60 days, says ODNI
A top national security official said that the Office of the Director of National Intelligence hopes coming changes will significantly reduce the existing backlog, which has ballooned to 700,000 in recent years.
Cybersecurity
Senate passes DHS bug bounty bill
The bill would compel the federal government's top civilian cyber agency to pay white hats who find security vulnerabilities in the agency's internet-facing IT operations.
Cybersecurity
DHS floats 'collective defense' model for cybersecurity
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen wants her department to have a more direct role in defending the private sector and critical infrastructure entities from cyberthreats.
Modernization
ZTE banned from buying from U.S. firms
The Commerce Department hit Chinese telecommunications giant ZTE with denial of export privileges, preventing the company from accessing the U.S. supply chain.
Cybersecurity
U.S. and U.K. say Russia targeted network infrastructure worldwide
U.S. and British officials call out another Kremlin-backed cyber campaign, this time targeting routers, switches and other network devices used by governments, ISPs and critical infrastructure entities.
Cybersecurity
FBI elevates three cyber cops to top leadership positions
Paul Abbate, who ran the bureau’s cybercrime division, will ascend to the No. 3 spot in the bureau’s leadership.
Digital Government
Most jurisdictions satisfied with voting machines, GAO finds
Security and lifecycle replacement remains a concern for localities, but an investigation of hundreds of jurisdictions found broad satisfaction with the way equipment performed during the 2016 election.
Digital Government
IRS chief may be overselling tax IT modernization
Acting IRS Commissioner David Kautter told a House panel that the agency has made significant progress on legacy system CADE2, but that conflicts with recent statements from the CIO.
Modernization