Federal CIO Kent Announces Cyber Reskilling Academy
Federal CIO Suzette Kent this morning announced creation of the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy–a joint effort of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Federal CIO Council Workforce Committee–to kickstart the Federal government’s efforts to address gaps in the Federal cybersecurity workforce and help retrain Federal employees. […]
Feds Reach IT Modernization Tipping Point
A new report from MeriTalk and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) finds that Federal finance, IT, and procurement experts believe we’ve reached an IT modernization tipping point. […]
DHS Launches ICT Sector Supply Chain Risk Task Force
The Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 30 announced launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which the agency said is charged with developing “consensus recommendations” to identify and manage risk to the global ICT supply chain. […]
DHS’ Manfra Discusses FISMA Update, Impact to CDM
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said today that the new update to Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) guidance will place even more accountability on department leaders and reflects an evolution in discussions between agencies and DHS. […]
Calvert Revives Bill to Boost DOD Funding for Small Businesses
Rep. Ken Calvert, D-Calif., has renewed his push to strengthen how emerging small business technologies are identified and invested in by the Department of Defense (DOD) – which the Trump Administration has rebranded as the Department of War. […]
Democrats Introduce Bill to Pay All Federal Workers During Shutdown
Senate Democrats introduced a bill on Thursday that would pay all federal employees, servicemembers, and contractors during the current government shutdown, as well as prevent the Trump administration’s mass firings. […]
Shutdown Stalls FAA’s Air Traffic Control Modernization, Strains Workforce
The ongoing government shutdown is stalling the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) plans to modernize the nation’s air traffic control system and leaving employees without pay or training, according to the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists (PASS), AFL-CIO. […]
USSF Seeks Feedback for Next-Gen Surveillance Satellites
The U.S. Space Force (USSF) is asking industry to help shape the future of its orbital surveillance fleet, seeking feedback on a draft request for proposals for the next generation of satellites aimed at advancing on-orbit space domain awareness. […]
Commerce Launches AI Export Drive to Globalize US Tech Stack
The Commerce Department on Tuesday launched its artificial intelligence (AI) export program, which aims for global purchase and adoption of the full American AI stack. […]
From Data to Decisions: Delivering Mission Outcomes With Cloud
Cloud technologies and automation are transforming mission execution, allowing the Department of Defense (which the Trump administration has rebranded as the Department of War) to support warfighters with information delivered securely and at speed and scale. As cyber threats continue to escalate and evolve, the DOD is moving beyond an infrastructure-first mindset to outcome-driven thinking. […]
US Cyber Progress Stalls for First Time in Years, Report Says
For the first time in years, the United States is no longer making progress in bolstering its cyber defenses and is instead “stalling” and “slipping” in its ability to protect itself and allies, the successor organization to the U.S. Cyberspace Solarium Commission (CSC) revealed in a report published Wednesday. […]
IRS Limits In-Person Services Amid Shutdown; Online Tools Still Active
Taxpayers may face delays as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) scales back operations during the federal government shutdown, the agency announced on Oct. 21. […]
EPA Finds Major Cyber Gaps in Water Sector, Pushes for Greater Visibility
The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) recent push to identify internet-exposed operational technology (OT) assets at water and wastewater systems is revealing a major cybersecurity gap, as many water utilities remain unaware their systems are open to the internet. […]
House Democrats Challenge Shutdown Reassignments at CISA
Five House Democrats are leading the latest congressional effort to demand answers from the Department of Homeland Security about the reassignment of Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) employees to immigration enforcement roles during the government shutdown, calling the efforts “a political maneuver.” […]
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
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