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. […]
Peters Seeks Investigation of DOGE Access to SSA Systems
Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., is calling for an independent investigation into the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) access to systems at the Social Security Administration (SSA), citing new reports that DOGE personnel may have improperly handled sensitive Social Security data. […]
Fighting AI-based Cyberattacks With Preemptive AI-Powered Cyber Deception
MeriTalk recently sat down with two cybersecurity experts at Acalvio, Suril Desai, vice president of engineering, and Ralph Kahn, general manager for federal, to discuss how AI-powered cyber deception works, why it offers a preemptive defense advantage, and how it supports federal cybersecurity priorities, including zero trust and layered defense strategies. […]
Military Advances Multi-Cloud Strategies
Military officials highlighted new advances in cloud management and plans to expand multi-cloud environments during a Federal News Network webinar Tuesday, emphasizing collaboration with commercial technology providers to support military operations. […]
DOJ Opinion Clears Path for Tech Talent in Federal Service
The Department of Justice (DOJ) has cleared the way for the federal government to hire technologists who remain financially connected to their private-sector employers – a decision that could smooth the path for the government’s new US Tech Force initiative. […]
VA Deploys External Provider Scheduling System Across All Facilities
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced this week that it has fully deployed its External Provider Scheduling (EPS) system across all VA medical facilities, a move the agency said will help speed up scheduling for veterans receiving community care. […]
NTIA Delays Guidance on Spending $21B in BEAD Program Savings
The Trump administration is delaying its planned guidance on how states can spend $21 billion in savings in the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, the latest slowdown in the initiative designed to help underserved communities gain high-speed internet access. […]
DOT Launches Pilot Program for ‘Flying Cars’ Across 26 States
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Monday eight pilot projects designed to test advanced air mobility aircraft across 26 states, which the department said will change the future of travel. […]
Senate Confirms Rudd to Lead NSA, CYBERCOM
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gen. Joshua Rudd’s nomination to lead U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and the National Security Agency (NSA), filling a position that has remained vacant since last year. […]
Podcast: Cyber Deception: A New Preemptive Approach to Cyber Defense
MeriTalk’s Gail Emery speaks with Suril Desai, vice president of engineering at Acalvio, and Ralph Kahn, general manager for federal at Acalvio, about how cyber deception helps agencies detect adversaries earlier. They discuss how deception produces high-fidelity alerts, reduces security operations center alert fatigue, and strengthens zero trust by improving visibility into attacker activity. […]
Beyer Says Lawmakers Are Behind on AI Policy, Calls for Bipartisan Action
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said Tuesday that Congress has been slow to address the privacy and regulatory challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and voiced doubts that lawmakers can come together on a bipartisan framework for the rapidly advancing technology. […]
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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