Cybersecurity

Passenger screening program to collect more data

U.S. airlines will begin collecting passengers' dates of birth and gender when they make reservations under the Transportation Security Administration’s Secure Flight program.

Modernization

Customs agency ponders acquisition storefront

Officials want to use a “storefront” e-procurement Web site to streamline the purchase of preapproved products and track orders.

Cybersecurity

Auditors hit HUD, immigration services

USCIS and HUD were scolded for gaps in IT management, but USCIS hit back.

People

CIO: CDC preparing for contract worth up to $2 billion

The CDC's CIO outlines plans for the agency's largest IT contract, which is also the first Multiple Award Contract.

Modernization

IG, Immigration disagree on transformation steps

DHS Inspector General issued five recommendations for the USCIS IT transformation plan, but agency says two are already in place.

Cybersecurity

Bill would ban peer-to-peer use in agencies

A House committee chairman who has jurisdiction over some government operations plans to introduce a bill designed to ban the use of peer-to-peer software on government and contractor networks.

Modernization

Committee approves bill to strip some IT requirements from Real ID

A bill that would remove costly information technology requirements from a secure identification law has been approved by a Senate committee.

Cybersecurity

Panel OKs bill that would increase cybersecurity oversight

A Senate committee has approved a bill that would require the president to notify Congress about existing and new cybersecurity programs that involve personally identifiable information.

Digital Government

Kundra to agencies: Get ready for data deluge

Web 2.0 technology will lead to an explosion of new and varied data sent to government, federal CIO Kundra says.

Modernization

GAO refreshes guidelines for rating computer data reliability

The GAO has released new guidance for assessing the reliability of computer-processed data used in conducting audits; it replaces previous guidelines published in 2002.

Cybersecurity

Personal data requirements raise eyebrows

Privacy advocates are wondering why DHS needs to store data on mother's maiden name and financial history to allow employees and contractors regular building access.

Modernization

Bill would give VA's IT programs $767.6 million more

The Senate Appropriations Committee has approved a bill that would provide hundreds of millions more for the Veterans Affairs Department's information technology programs -- but some strings are attached.

Modernization

Recommendations for reducing government secrecy roll in

The Public Interest Declassification Board continues to gather suggestions from the public on how the Obama administration can improve government policy for classifying data.

Modernization

Census successfully uses handhelds to verify addresses

The Census Bureau finished the first phase of the 2010 decennial census ahead of schedule in part because new handheld computers performed well despite earlier problems.

Modernization

NASCIO joins open government effort

The state CIO organization will work with federal agencies to promote the development of data standards for state governments.

Cybersecurity

Open Government Initiative may increase security woes

The Obama administration's Open Government Initiative to make government information more accessible could lead to the inadvertent exposure of sensitive data.

People

GAO: DOE needs to establish data performance goals

The Energy Department doesn't have adequate reporting measures in place to quantify how much success its national laboratories have in producing scientific research that private industry and others can use to develop new technologies, according to the Government Accountability Office.

Modernization

White House blog highlights public response to open government

White House officials, in a series of blog postings this week, provided a glimpse of how the public suggests the federal government could make government data more accessible — and be more transparent.

Modernization

Two biometric systems being tested

The Homeland Security Department has started testing two ways in which government officials, not airlines, could collect biometrics from non-U.S. air travelers as they leave the country.

Modernization

Agencies adapt FOIA ops to new requirements

Agencies are using various automated systems to reduce administrative costs and comply with new rules for responding to Freedom of Information Act requests.