Cybersecurity

Kaspersky: pirated software led to NSA contractor breach

The embattled cyber vendor claims an NSA contractor breach can be traced to a pirated version of Microsoft Word.

Digital Government

Lawmakers grill IRS on management, IT security

Lawmakers expressed frustration with the tax agency's failures to implement oversight recommendations for workforce management, IT security and legacy systems, as well as its handling of the recent Equifax contract.

Cybersecurity

Gowdy: White House deleted text, social media apps from official phones

White House staff no longer have text or social media messaging apps on their official phones because of records management headaches, according to a letter from a key House overseer.

Modernization

Little progress on IT governance, says NASA IG

An oversight body found little change in IT governance at NASA four years after a critical report and wonders if the space agency can effectively oversee its IT assets.

Digital Government

Can FOIA be fixed?

A federal advisory committee offered tech and procedural suggestions to improve agency performance on meeting Freedom of Information Act requests.

Cybersecurity

Whitehouse: 'I can't find a point of entry' to talk cyber with Trump administration

Senate Democrat wants to know whom he needs to talk to in the administration to coordinate on cybersecurity legislation.

Cybersecurity

Letter: White House told House panel officials weren't following records law

Rep. Elijah Cummings, ranking member on the Oversight and Government Reform Committee, is asking for the chairman to press the White House on records management.

Cybersecurity

GAO Denies Northrop Grumman Protest in $1 Billion DHS Cybersecurity Contract Fight

Northrop Grumman has been wrangling with contract winner Raytheon over the DOMino contract since 2015.

Acquisition

Lawmakers hear from Trump's picks to lead GSA, OPM

Federal hiring, the clearance backlog and procurement data came up in a Senate confirmation hearing for candidates to lead the Office of Personnel Management and the General Services Administration.

Acquisition

GAO sustains protest in $283M Census mobile contract

As the Census Bureau prepares to ramp up its preparations on a tight budget and schedule, the Government Accountability Office decided a critical $283 million contract was not rightfully awarded.

Cybersecurity

White House: No new policy for encrypted chat apps

In a terse response to probing questions from Capitol Hill, a White House liaison indicates that there's no new policy when it comes to encrypted messaging platforms.

Digital Government

GAO Denies Equifax Bid Protest on IRS Contract

In its ruling, GAO said Equifax’ contentions were “unreasonable,” allowing IRS to move forward on a contract with Experian.

Cybersecurity

IG: Infosec weaknesses at Energy continue

While DOE has gotten better at protecting sensitive information, the agency still shows weaknesses in vulnerability management, business web applications and access controls.

Digital Government

GAO denies Equifax bid protest

The protest had resulted in a controversial (and now suspended) bridge contract from the IRS for Equifax's identity management and taxpayer fraud protection services.

Cybersecurity

Senator wants Kaspersky out of U.S. voting systems

Amid concerns about election system security, Sen. Amy Klochubar is looking for DHS to help boot Kaspersky from state and local voting systems.

Acquisition

IRS suspends Equifax contract

After a tough congressional hearing and news of more infosec woes at Equifax, the IRS suspended a $7.2 million contract with the credit monitoring agency.

Digital Government

Extra $3 billion might not solve all Census woes

More money might not alleviate concerns about IT preparedness and communications programs entering the 2018 dress rehearsal.

Digital Government

House panel skeptical of DOD clearance plan

Members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee say they need more detail from the Department of Defense on its plan to take over large parts of the security clearance process.

Digital Government

GAO to IRS: Actually, You Didn't Have to Give Equifax a Contract

Despite what IRS officials told Congress, the IRS did not have to continue using Equifax services in a bridge contract, a GAO official said.

Cybersecurity

Audit chides FDIC for sloppy breach protocols

An audit found that the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation's protocols for responding to a data breach weren't followed, even as the agency has faced dozens of security incidents in the past two years.