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. […]
Senators Slam CISA for Hiding ‘Shocking’ Telecom Security Report
Continued suppression of a report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) that identifies significant U.S. telecommunications vulnerabilities is undermining the public’s understanding of these threats and ability to have input on national security measures, two Democratic senators warned. […]
Noem Says Some TSA Workers to Receive $10K Bonuses
Transportation Security Agency (TSA) employees who worked during the shutdown will receive $10,000 bonuses, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Thursday. […]
Army Launches Major Overhaul of Acquisition Process
The U.S. Army is launching sweeping reforms on how it buys weapons and other capabilities, aiming to shorten procurement timelines and spur innovation, the service announced Friday. […]
Bredenkamp Takes Helm of NGA
Army Lt. Gen. Michele Bredenkamp has assumed leadership of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), becoming the ninth leader of the agency, which provides geospatial intelligence to U.S. military, intelligence, and emergency response operations. […]
Cyber Grant Program Gets Short-Term Extension After Shutdown
The funding package approved by Congress and President Donald Trump has temporarily extended a cybersecurity grant program used by state and local governments to support their cyber defense measures. […]
Air Force Seeks Industry Input on Low-Cost Counter-Air Missile
The U.S. Air Force solicited industry white papers seeking concepts for a counter-air capability that can be manufactured rapidly and at a fraction of the cost of conventional munitions as a future class of the Affordable Mass Munitions portfolio. […]
Space Command Stands Up New PNT Unit
The U.S. Space Systems Command (SSC) established a new acquisition organization focused on advancing military communications (MC) and positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) capabilities, SSC announced on Nov. 13. […]
Democrats Warn States of ICE’s Quiet Access to DMV Records
Forty bicameral Democrats alerted state governors on Wednesday to a data-sharing policy that allows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers access to resident records. […]
CISA, FBI Issue Fresh Warning on Evolving Akira Ransomware Tactics
Federal cybersecurity and law enforcement agencies issued updated guidance Thursday warning organizations about evolving tactics used by the Akira ransomware group after it recently claimed over $244 million in ransoms. […]
Experts Say It Could Take Federal Agencies Months to Recover From Shutdown
While the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is officially over, experts are warning that it could take the federal enterprise months – or even years – to recover from shutdown-related disruptions. […]
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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