Cybersecurity

Russian email domains sent uncredible bomb threats to polling places, FBI says

Kremlin-backed actors have a long record of sowing fear and disinformation into the U.S. election process.

Breaking News Acquisition

US charges 6 for conspiring to defraud agencies through IT contracting schemes

The charges are the first in an ongoing Department of Justice investigation into “IT manufacturers, distributors and resellers” that sell to the government.

Cybersecurity

FBI arrests man accused of hacking SEC’s X account in January

The hijacked account posted illegitimate news about a widely-anticipated Bitcoin announcement, leading the cryptocurrency to spike some $1,000.

Cybersecurity

US charges Iranian operatives with hacking Trump campaign

The allegations come 38 days before the November presidential election, as the U.S. has worked to stave off foreign adversaries’ attempts to sow discord into the election process.

Cybersecurity

US efforts to stop Chinese hackers haven’t been fully effective, FBI official says

Taking a more offensive approach against the hacking collective may risk escalation with China, a senior intelligence official said Wednesday.

Cybersecurity

FBI is losing track of classified and sensitive data, watchdog finds

The bureau is failing to account for electronic storage media that are marked for destruction at secure facilities.

Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI assert election infrastructure’s fortitude despite ransomware threat

Both organizations aim to instill confidence in U.S. voting infrastructure ahead of the 2024 elections.

Digital Government

Acting Secret Service head suggests that better tech could have thwarted would-be Trump assassin

Ronald Rowe Jr. told a Senate panel that additional cellular bandwidth and the use of counter-drone technology could have averted the attempted assassination of former President Trump.

Digital Government

Malicious foreign actors exploit US entities to push disinformation, IC warns

Communications and marketing firms can be pulled in as unwitting collaborators, the intelligence officials noted in a Monday call.

Cybersecurity

FBI, Mandiant designate advanced North Korean hackers stealing US defense secrets

The group — now known as APT45 — has targeted information stored in U.S. government nuclear facilities and research institutions, as well as missile systems, uranium processing and other R&D intel.

Policy

Russian influence operations ‘preeminent threat’ to November election, officials warn

Moscow appears to continue favoring Donald Trump, while other nations will aim to sow divisional chaos online or sway broader geopolitical discussions.

Cybersecurity

US, allies take down Kremlin-backed AI bot farm

The bot farm allegedly originated from a deputy manager at RT — a Russian state-backed news agency — and spread disinformation on the X social media platform.

Cybersecurity

US disables global cybercrime network that enabled theft of billions in fraud schemes

The botnet infected some 19 million IP addresses, with over 600,000 of them based in U.S. locations. Government fraud losses reached some $6 billion from the operations.

Acquisition

FBI says it has awarded $7B ITSSS-2 pact

The award notice lacks an actual list of winners, but does have 31 companies in the full-and-open track and 64 in the small business group.

Acquisition

Pre-award protests cleared in FBI's $7B IT services pact

The Government Accountability Office rejects the last pre-award protest involving this blanket purchase agreement for IT services and supplies.

Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI resuming talks with social media firms over disinformation removal, Senate Intel chair says

The Senate Intelligence Committee will hold an election security hearing in two weeks, according to Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va.

Policy

Section 702 renewal has support in Congress, but intelligence officials are leery of warrant measure

The disputed surveillance authority expires April 19, and the intelligence community is sending a full-court press to keep it from garnering significant privacy reforms.

Cybersecurity

Government funding bill punts extension of controversial spying power

Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act expires April 19 unless reauthorized by Congress, and an 11th-hour funding bill crafted to avert a partial government shutdown doesn't address the matter.

Cybersecurity

Government facilities were third largest ransomware target in 2023, FBI says

The FBI’s IC3 findings also show government official impersonation scams are on the rise.

Cybersecurity

US, international partners disrupt LockBit ransomware operations

Officials have also developed a tool for victims targeted by LockBit to potentially decrypt their compromised data.