Scroll To Continue
Acquisition

CMMC's Phase 2 suspension locked in with binding regulation

A new class deviation moves the pause on third-party assessments for this security standard from policy to an enforceable rule.

People

CISA has roughly 250 prospective hires awaiting clearance, agency chief says

Acting Director Nick Andersen says the agency is prioritizing operational teams and regional staff as it works to rebuild its workforce after reductions last year.

Artificial Intelligence

Democrats mull creating a select AI committee if they win the House

Reps. Bill Foster, D-Ill., and Ted Lieu, D-Calif., are advocating for the new select committee as a way to solely focus on artificial intelligence legislative issues.

Sponsor Content

GSA’s Multiple Award Schedule Program: A Modern Acquisition Solution for Government Buyers

Need to modernize federal procurement? See how GSA’s MAS can streamline acquisitions, reduce lead times, and expand access to commercial innovation.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers ask Commerce to sanction Indian firms involved in mercenary hacking

The “hack-for-hire” entities have systematically targeted newsrooms covering corporate fraud, legal teams in high-stakes litigation and NGOs.

Digital Government

Trump signs veterans benefits order calling for improved data sharing

The order instructs the departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense to conduct a broad review of information technology-related contracts to ensure greater interoperability.

Cybersecurity

New FBI cyber strategy seeks faster action against hackers, larger industry role

The bureau wants more frequent disruption operations and quicker warnings to victims as the Justice Department works through rules for expanded private sector participation in hacking cybercrime groups.

Artificial Intelligence

Intelligence agencies warn of China’s large-scale AI model distillation efforts

Three agencies issued a joint statement warning that Chinese companies DeepSeek, Moonshot AI, Alibaba, MiniMax, StepFun and Z.AI have used the tactics to extract billions of tokens from U.S. models.

Cybersecurity

CIA cyber intelligence helped US forces capture Maduro, deputy director says

Michael Ellis credited the agency’s cyber intelligence officers with helping U.S. troops locate and apprehend the Venezuelan leader within minutes of landing.

People

Musk should testify about overstated savings from DHS contract cancellations, Democrats argue

The Government Accountability Office reported that contract terminations pushed by the Department of Government Efficiency yielded a net of $92 million — much less than the Homeland Security Department’s public report of as much as $10.5 billion in potential savings.

Sponsor Content

Transform Asset Intelligence Into Intelligent Action With Axonius

1,400+ tools. Countless assets. One source of truth. See how federal leaders can gain control of IT complexity.

Acquisition

Pentagon unveils first of two solicitations for its next big cloud contract

The hyperscalers can now start working on proposals for their portion of the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability recompete, while a second contract is in-the-works to cover everything else.

Digital Government

SSA needs to enhance its data verification systems, watchdog finds

Improving matches between agency and external data could reduce improper payments, inaccurate records and manual work for federal employees the agency’s inspector general found.

Artificial Intelligence

NSA looks to AI to help analysts sift through vast data troves

The tools can speed up work that takes days or weeks, the agency’s cybersecurity chief said.

Artificial Intelligence

Microsoft brings AI vulnerability-hunting tool to government cloud

Select agencies and partners can preview MDASH, which uses teams of AI agents to find software flaws and test whether attackers could exploit them.

Artificial Intelligence

July’s breakout at OpenAI was far more complex than initially realized

Hundreds of AI agents collaborated to escape their containers, disguising their actions and even sacrificing themselves.

Policy

Tech bills of the week: Ban on AI superintelligence; AI oversight at the Pentagon; and more

Among this week’s bills is a sweeping measure to address the rapid pace of advanced AI development and deployment by banning work on superintelligent AI and temporarily pausing advanced AI development.

Ideas

The quantum security deadline just got harder to ignore

COMMENTARY | Quantum security is a national defense priority, not a future planning exercise.

Emerging Tech

Funding the future: A look back on federal tech investment

For 250 years the government has been at the center of making the next big technology happen.

Artificial Intelligence

Agencies now have to pay to use USAi

A GSA official familiar with the matter said the fee “is based on an agency's expected workload, approximated by agency size.”

Policy

Democrats urge consumer product agency halt public health modernization project

The lawmakers say the project is particularly concerning as the Trump administration has a “broader pattern” of “seeking unprecedented access to Americans’ private data.”