Author Archive
Lauren C. Williams
Senior Editor

Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for Defense One. She previously covered defense technology and cybersecurity for FCW and Defense Systems. Before then, Williams has reported on several issues, including internet culture, national security, health care, politics and crime for various publications. She has a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware. She can be contacted at lwilliams@govexec.com or follow her on Twitter @lalaurenista.
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CXO Briefing
Pentagon Outlines Upcoming Contractor Cybersecurity Plan
Expect the congressionally mandated strategy by year’s end, DOD CISO says.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
A Classified Cloud Is Headed to the Indo-Pacific
It’s part of DISA’s effort to bring continental-U.S.-level computing resources to U.S. military forces around the world.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
The Pentagon Wants to Peer Inside Its Cloud Providers’ Infrastructure
Recent leaks have the CIO’s office contemplating red teams and more IP scanning.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
Repent Your Abuses of Eavesdropping Law, Lawmakers Tell Intel Agencies
House pols want change as agencies seek renewal of FISA’s Section 702.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
The Air Force’s Electronic-Warfare Wing Is 400 People Short
That’s okay for now, its commander says, but his service may need to change how it trains and manages EW officers.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Inside The Neverending Race To Update The Pentagon’s IT
The Joint Service Provider, charged with handling the defense secretary’s IT, is laser-focused on improving security and making sure infrastructure doesn’t obstruct the mission.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
The Army Is Putting All Its Network Efforts Under One Roof
By October, Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical is expected to absorb network portfolios from its sister PEO for enterprise services.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Could the Pentagon Use a Little ChatGPT?
The Air Force’s top tech leader said the AI technology, or something like it, could help “rapidly pull together information” such as figuring out who’s in charge of an organization.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Send Me Software, Not Hardware, Navy Infowar Leader Says
“Boxes of computers” aren’t so helpful aboard space-limited ships, Rear Adm. Doug Small said.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Navy ‘Setting the Pace’ Among Services, Principal Cyber Advisor Says
Chris Cleary touts prototype tools and readies a new cyber plan.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Tougher Cybersecurity Rules May Be More than a Year Away—But Don’t Wait to Get Ready
Contractors should prepare for independent checks on their data systems, and maybe more reporting requirements as well.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
The Pentagon’s Innovation Shop Wants More Influence in 2023
The agency wants to be part of program executives’ acquisition strategies and to spread more commercial-based tech across the department.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
A Wireless Intelligence Community ‘On The Horizon,' Official Says
Getting there is a matter of appropriately protecting data and tweaking policies to allow for wireless secret- and top-secret networks.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Let’s Make It Easier to Share Top-Secret Data With Allies, Intel Leader Says
The Defense Intelligence Agency’s CIO wants to expand collaborative workspaces—and resist the urge to mark everything NOFORN.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Cyber, Speed, and UFOs: A Tour of Tech Provisions in the 2023 NDAA
The defense policy bill also prods the intelligence community to follow other defense agencies’ emerging-tech efforts.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Google Cloud Greenlit To Handle Sensitive Data Ahead Of Contract Reveal
The announcement comes just days ahead of the Pentagon’s expected reveal of contract winners for its $9 billion tactical cloud capability.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Emerging Tech
Expect AR/VR on the Battlefield, Air Force CIO Says
Augmented- and virtual-reality gear will become more than just a training tool, Knausenberger says.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Policy
Recruiting Crisis? Not at Space Force
The youngest and smallest service says it pays to be both choosy and inclusive.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Cybersecurity
It’s Finally Here: Pentagon Releases Plan To Keep Hackers Out Of Its Networks
Defense agencies are to implement zero-trust standards by 2027.
- By Lauren C. Williams
CXO Briefing
Ukraine, Irregular-War Changes Are Reshaping Pentagon’s Info-Ops Strategy
Civilians reporting military movements and a return to proxy war will inform the first IO update in seven years.
- By Lauren C. Williams