Defense

Army aims to move its pay system to the cloud by 2027

Oracle will soon host the service’s HR systems, under the Pentagon’s biggest cloud contracting vehicle.

Ideas

Accountability in cybersecurity: Why government agencies must raise the stakes

Promoting better cybersecurity in an organization might mean doing things like locking user machines when they don't complete cyber training because accountability is not optional.

Cybersecurity

Lawmakers want to enhance HHS cyber engagement with health care orgs

The bipartisan proposal, introduced by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., came out of the efforts of a working group focused on protecting medical institutions from digital attacks.

Emerging Tech

NOAA awards key contract for space situational awareness system

Slingshot Aerospace, Inc. nabbed a contract worth up to $13.3 million to provide a “presentation layer” for the Traffic Coordination System for Space.

Artificial Intelligence

‘Team Human’ vs. AI: MIT expert issues warning on artificial general intelligence risks

Artificial general intelligence — smarter-than-human AI capable of performing virtually all tasks — risks spiraling out of human control, MIT professor and Future of Life Institute President Max Tegmark said.

Breaking News Digital Government

Trump teams to deploy throughout government after reaching agreement with the Biden administration

The president-elect had previously refused to sign the agreement and is still sidestepping many of the steps typically required for presidential transitions.

Artificial Intelligence

DOD reveals first draft of $15B artificial intelligence contract

The Defense Department wants more companies in the fold for Advana, a multi-domain analytics and AI platform that DOD wants to further scale out.

Artificial Intelligence

Lawmaker wants FCC to create AI tool for identifying scams

The measure from Rep. John Curtis, R-Utah., would direct the FCC to develop an online platform that can assess submitted communications and then rate the likelihood that they are scam attempts.

Cybersecurity

Chinese hackers used a ‘range of sophisticated methods’ to breach US telecom providers, insider says

Salt Typhoon deployed various methods to break into telecommunications firms that went far beyond a singular run-of-the-mill credential-stealing attempt, according to a person familiar.

Digital Government

Trump’s first White House debated the role of USDS. What will Trump 2.0 do?

The Office of Management and Budget led an effort to assess USDS — even whether it should exist — during the twilight days of the Trump administration. With another Trump White House incoming, the question of what’s next for the government’s digital SWAT team looms.

Cybersecurity

White House convened telecom leaders as details of Chinese espionage hack unfold

Many of the breached systems were not properly equipped with tools that recorded network activity, making it harder to quickly trace the origins of the hack, a person familiar said.

Digital Government

Agencies credit telework with recruiting, retention gains, GAO finds

A watchdog report examining telework use at four agencies found best practices still need implementation, but the presence, or absence, of telework as an option has affected their ability to attract talent.

Modernization

Education launches 2025-26 FAFSA following weeks of testing

The public release of the online form follows a delayed and glitchy version released last year.

Digital Government

Lawmakers propose electronic tracking system for federal grant applications

The legislation from Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., would also explore the use of artificial intelligence “to rapidly identify” duplicative or fraudulent grant applications.

Artificial Intelligence

How much did AI really impact the election?

AI tools can produce realistic deepfakes and synthetic audio that influence public opinion.

Digital Government

Senators call for watchdog to investigate TSA’s use of facial recognition

In a letter to the Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General, 12 senators warned that the deployment of facial biometrics at every U.S. airport could create “one of the largest federal surveillance databases overnight without authorization from Congress.”

Cybersecurity

FCC leaders skirt call for wiretap security reform, hope to ‘go deeper’ on telecom breach briefings

Lawmakers have called on the agency to take up a rulemaking to rethink wiretapping laws amid the hacks that have ensnared several telecom companies, but top FCC officials have not signaled any forthcoming action yet.