Digital Government
'Love bug' uncovers gaps in fed security
Many agencies have improved their ability to identify and contain computer viruses, but a breakdown in communications across government continues to hamper security efforts, according to a recent report
People
Clinton asks for continual funding of IT study
The Clinton administration has asked Congress to permanently fund a governmentwide study of federal information technology workers pay and position to serve as a reference for future initiatives
People
Experts lecture feds on cybersecurity
Security specialists speak out for research, development and education as methods to thwart cybercrime
Digital Government
Agencies urged to secure networks
Don't wait for Congress to act on the president's recommendations for critical infrastructure protection, federal officials urge
People
SSA realizes e-services complexities
The Social Security Administration may be well on its way to moving government services to the Internet, at least technically speaking. But the agency is discovering that in many ways it has to nearly start over to meet the ideals of citizens and Congress.
Digital Government
Smart cards pass NIST security test
Datakey Inc. last week announced that its model 330 smart card is among the first smart cards to earn the highlevel security standard validated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology.
Digital Government
Cybersentries assailed again
Evidence mounts against federal computer defenders for a delayed response to the 'love bug' computer virus, according to a GAO review
Digital Government
GSA deal jump-starts information security
The General Services Administration last week awarded a task order for 500,000 digital certificates that will be given free to agencies in order to jumpstart the use of a GSA governmentwide information security contract.
Digital Government
GAO: Software policies unheeded
Agencies fail to follow proper procedures to ensure that rewritten and upgraded software does not introduce security holes that hackers could use to steal sensitive government information, according to the General Accounting Office.
People
GSA closing in on WebGov portal
General Services Administration plans to have a single portal for government interaction with the public up and running by this fall
Digital Government
OMB quizzing agencies on Clinger-Cohen
The meetings are to determine how far along agencies are in developing an organizationwide view of their IT investments
People
Agencies want FAIR feedback
New guidance put out by the Office of Management and Budget may not produce much of an improvement on the first round of agencygenerated lists of activities that could be performed by the private sector
Digital Government
Netscape fed exec starting anew
Four years after joining Netscape Communications Corp.'s federal group, John Menkart left his job as director of government sales last week to become vice president of worldwide sales at WeGo, a Californiabased startup.
Digital Government
GAO: Software changes reveal lapses
When making software changes, agencies are failing to take steps to prevent weaknesses in security
People
IT pay study will cost agencies
The CIO Council wants agencies to help pay for a study of compensation in the information technology work force.
Digital Government
Fed reports miss mark
The first reports detailing how agencies' programs are performing do not provide a clear enough picture of program results, and information technology may be part of the problem, according to an independent study released last week.
Digital Government
Security sentries late on Love alert
When agencies battled the 'Melissa' virus in March 1999, systems administrators attributed the government's success to coordinated, timely alerts and good planning. But when the 'ILOVEYOU' virus came to town last week, the federal response was anything but coordinated, agencies said.
Digital Government