Cybersecurity

Fallout from Twitter summons reveals widespread CBP violations

The Customs and Border Protection's attempt to out a rogue employee on Twitter earlier this year has revealed other abuses of authority, a watchdog finds.

Digital Government

Congress keeps IRS spending on a short leash

Senate appropriators are continuing a series of spending restrictions and reporting requirements for the IRS in FY2018, even as planned IT modernization lags.

Digital Government

How AI can make use of DOD's data stockpile

The Pentagon is sitting on a hoard of data but doesn't know what to do with it. A new report makes the case that artificial intelligence is the solution.

Digital Government

What are voting machine companies doing about cyber?

Five voting machine companies responded to questions from Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and largely downplayed the threat to their products, pointing to other dangers in the election system.

Cybersecurity

White House goes public with bug disclosure policy

The Trump administration is pulling back the curtain a bit on the secretive process by which the government discloses (or retains) computer vulnerabilities.

Cybersecurity

DHS finds Kaspersky software at 15 percent of agencies

A DHS official told Congress that 96 out of 102 federal agencies have complied with a directive aimed at banning Kaspersky Lab products, with a handful of small agencies still working to do so.

Cybersecurity

House panel advances FISA reform

The Judiciary committee passed a bill to require federal law enforcement to obtain a warrant before querying spy databases, but some are worried about potential loopholes.

Digital Government

Why it's harder than you think to hack a voting machine

Despite the fear and hype, there are several obstacles that make the most direct form of tampering, altering vote counts, extremely difficult.

Acquisition

IT funding bill survives NDAA conference

The $700 billion defense bill now poised for final passage includes provisions to modernize agency IT through revolving funds and allow for for easy, off-the-shelf Pentagon procurement.

Cybersecurity

IG: Compliance alone will not save DHS cyber efforts

An oversight report gives passing grades to DHS on compliance with core tenets of the Cybersecurity Act of 2015 – but offers the agency a stark warning that its threat and information sharing efforts are still falling short.

Cybersecurity

What governments can learn from the original Russian cyber attack

Ten years after Estonia's networks came under siege from a Russian botnet, a group of officials gathered to discuss how the incident helped shape the future of cyber warfare.

Modernization

Lawmakers look to keep close tabs on VA's health record switch

A bipartisan quartet of lawmakers introduced legislation that would compel the Department of Veterans Affairs to document how it plans to implement its new electronic health record system.

People

IG: Silos contributing to DHS immigration woes

An audit found that DHS is struggling to implement a unified immigration strategy and pointed to a series of breakdowns that illustrate a lack of communication and coordination between different offices.

Cybersecurity

New standards coming for ISAOs

There are no common standards for data collection and dissemination at private-sector cybersecurity information sharing groups, but that is expected to change soon.

Cybersecurity

Enrollment for threat sharing program continues to lag

The federal government has big plans for the Automated Indicator Sharing program, but agency officials and members of Congress continue to express frustration at the sluggish pace of enrollment.

Cybersecurity

Three paths for Congress on spy powers

Privacy advocates and security hawks in Congress are grappling over the future of surveillance.

Cybersecurity

Will warning labels shield users against insecure IoT?

A pair of Democratic lawmakers is backing new cybersecurity standards for connected devices, including a framework to identify and label products.

Cybersecurity

DHS: A 'vast majority' of agencies on track with Kaspersky directive

It is too soon to tell how long it will take to fully purge the embattled vendor from federal systems, according to a DHS official.

Cybersecurity

Can dark fiber help secure the energy grid?

Sen. Bill Cassidy is interested in the possibility of legislation to support an isolated networks that can conceal and protect the electric grid.

Cybersecurity

Kaspersky: pirated software led to NSA contractor breach

The embattled cyber vendor claims an NSA contractor breach can be traced to a pirated version of Microsoft Word.