Cybersecurity
U.S. blames WannaCry on North Korea
In the wake of the attribution, DHS says it plans to take a more active role in combatting attacks that target the private sector.
Cybersecurity
Kaspersky challenges DHS software ban in court
Kaspersky Lab announced Dec. 18 that it will challenge a DHS directive banning the use of their software in the federal government.
Digital Government
Congress wants to set the stage for AI regs
A new bill would establish a federal advisory committee to examine the impact of AI.
Cybersecurity
2019 White House budget may include civilian pay freeze
A leaked OMB document featured in a Democratic report from a Senate committee indicates a proposed pay freeze is on the horizon.
Cybersecurity
Senator presses White House to improve election cyber protections
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) asked White House National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster to name an election security czar, grade states on their election infrastructure and designate political campaigns as critical infrastructure.
Cybersecurity
Mirai botnet perpetrators plead guilty
The Department of Justice announced plea deals for three individuals for orchestrating the Mirai botnet attack, which leveraged over 300,000 internet of things devices to wreak havoc on internet infrastructure companies.
Cybersecurity
DHS cyber reorg bill passes House
The bill would rename the National Protection and Programs Directorate and elevate the department's cyber and physical security missions.
People
Agencies have a long way to go to fix security clearance problems, GAO says
A GAO audit found that many federal agencies have yet to implement years-old recommendations to reform and speed up their security clearance processes.
Modernization
Contractor agrees to new security protocols after exposing sensitive DISA data to Russia
Netcracker Technology Corp. signed an agreement to keep U.S. customer data in U.S. systems, settling a case that goes back to the Bush administration.
Digital Government
Can NTIA figure out if social media breeds hate?
A new bill would task two federal agencies with supplying Congress with insight into the connection between social media and hate crimes.
Digital Government
Is the FBI investigating Georgia's wiped election server?
Director Christopher Wray declined to answer questions from lawmakers about whether the FBI retained data on a Georgia election server before it was wiped clean by state election officials.
Cybersecurity
Feds look to get creative about cyber hiring
Policymakers are keeping an open mind when it comes to improving the cybersecurity workforce.
Digital Government
Senate Intel chair doesn't plan legislative push on election cyber
Sen. Richard Burr (R-N.C.) dropped some hints about what the Senate Intelligence Committee will recommend to protect election infrastructure.
Digital Government
Pentagon boosts emerging tech spend
The Department of Defense spent $7.4 billion in fiscal year 2017 on cloud computing, big data and artificial intelligence technologies, according to a recent Govini report.
Cybersecurity
House Intel committee advances spy bill
The House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence passed a bill to reauthorize the government's spying powers 13-8 on a party-line vote.
Cybersecurity
Is a coming stock trading audit system ready for prime time?
At a House hearing, lawmakers tussled over cybersecurity concerns and the need to prevent market crashes triggered by automated trading.
Digital Government
Senate bill would establish new higher-ed data system by 2020
A bipartisan bill would revamp the way the Department of Education collects higher-education data and relies on an obscure cybersecurity method to protect student data.
Cybersecurity
Senate appropriators ramp up cyber at DHS
In response to growing threats to federal information systems, a draft funding bill for DHS looks to elevate the agency's cybersecurity mission.
Modernization
Security firm reveals another NSA leak
The data, including a virtual hard drive containing classified Army documents, was for a time unsecured and available for anyone to download.
Digital Government