Cybersecurity

IG: CBP Responsible for 2019 Biometrics Breach, Though No Federal Networks Were Compromised

A ransomware attack on a Customs and Border Protection vendor leaked facial images on more than 184,000 travelers—something agency security and policy should have prevented.

Emerging Tech

Justice Wants to Add Facial Recognition to Marshals’ Smartphones

The service is looking for a software development kit to help it integrate biometrics tools with an app used to facilitate prisoner transfers.

Emerging Tech

Bill Would ‘Jumpstart’ Planning Process for Beefing up Border Security Tech

The bill, announced by Rep. Elissa Slotkin, would require the Homeland Security Department to develop a comprehensive border security technology strategy.

Artificial Intelligence

New Pentagon Initiative Aims to Help Allies, Contractors Work Together on AI

New tools are planned to help various militaries and defense companies cooperate and interoperate on artificial intelligence.

Digital Government

GAO Issues Definitive List of Most Important Federal IT Acquisitions

The Government Accountability Office scored more than 100 federal IT projects and offered detailed breakdowns of the most “essential mission-critical IT acquisitions.”

Digital Government

DHS Files Rule Proposing Increasing Scope of Biometric Information Collection 

The Homeland Security Department posted the full text of a proposal to the Federal Register that would give it the ability to collect more biometric information from immigrants.

Digital Government

DHS, USCIS Want to Collect More Biometric Information from Immigrants

The Homeland Security Department will propose a rule change that would allow U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services  to collect voice, iris and facial recognition scans. 

Digital Government

Customs Deploying Biometric Tech at Ports Without Fully Addressing Privacy Requirements, GAO Finds

A new audit shows Customs and Border Protection isn’t providing enough transparency to travelers regarding facial recognition technology at ports.

Cybersecurity

CBP isn't alerting air travelers to biometrics collection, watchdog says

Customs and Border Protection's facial recognition program that collects photos of air travelers is hitting its performance targets according to a Government Accountability Office audit, but passengers aren't seeing privacy information and opt-out signage.

Artificial Intelligence

Photo Tweaks Could Protect Your Privacy from Algorithms

End users can use this technology to help mask vital attributes on their photos before posting them online.

Artificial Intelligence

Facial Recognition Algorithms Struggle to Detect Faces Under Masks, NIST Study Finds

A new study from the National Institute of Standards and Technology found facial recognition algorithms developed pre-pandemic struggle to identify masked faces.

Ideas

Facial Recognition Is Here But We Have No Laws

Without legal safeguards, this technology will undermine democratic values and fundamental rights.

Emerging Tech

House Subcommittee Again Takes Aim at Amazon over Ring Surveillance

The subcommittee wants assurances from Amazon that its Ring doorbell camera isn’t being misused by law enforcement.

Emerging Tech

Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban Federal Use of Facial Recognition Tech

If passed, federal agencies would not be able to run, fund, purchase or otherwise use data from facial biometric systems without congressional authorization.

Emerging Tech

Policing Reform Bill Would Prohibit Embedding Facial Recognition in Body Cameras

The Justice in Policing Act contains several restrictions on the use of facial biometric technologies for federal, state and local law enforcement.