Cybersecurity

DHS expands RFID use at borders today

DHS has started the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which requires displaying eligible ID documents, most with RFID tags, at land and sea borders.

Modernization

Obama directs review of data classifications

President Barack Obama has directed a review of how the government classifies information and how it handles sensitive but unclassified data.

Modernization

Online forum slow for Regulations.gov

A federal Web site created to collect ideas for improving Regulations.gov is getting off to a relatively slow start.

Cybersecurity

Audit: TSA has weak IT security controls

The agency took some corrective action in fiscal 2008 but still fell short in critical areas, according to a recent audit.

People

Feds to give states $250M for education data

States will get the $250 million for student data systems under the economic stimulus law.

Modernization

Senate IT oversight bill progresses

A Senate panel has approved legislation to require federal agencies to set up Web sites to track IT projects and create 'tiger teams' for troubled projects.

Modernization

Court holds for Bush administration on FOIA

A federal appeals court has upheld a lower court's decision that the White House's Office of Administration isn't subject to Freedom of Information Act requests.

People

Bill would mandate using XBRL to track TARP money

The open-standard technology allows analysts, agencies and companies compare financial data more easily, backers of new legislation say.

Modernization

IG: DHS data centers at risk

The Homeland Security Department didn't consider risks from hurricanes when it set up its new backup data center in Mississippi, according to a new report.

Cybersecurity

Hacker demands $10M ransom for data

The FBI and state authorities are investigating a case in which a hacker wants $10 million for the return of sensitive information, according to media reports.

Modernization

Stimulus money site pressed for time

The Recovery.gov Web site for tracking economic stimulus law funds is racing to meet an October deadline, official says.

People

Obama scores high marks on transparency, watchdog group says

The Obama administration has fulfilled three out of the five 100-day transparency goals watchdog groups recommended last fall.

People

Official: SSA needs four ingredients for IT center's success

Replacing a massive data center, the Social Security Administration needs good coordination and careful management to keep the project on schedule and within its budget, GAO official says.

Cybersecurity

Interior Department to upgrade disaster monitoring

The U.S. Geological Survey will upgrade volcano, earthquake, and flood monitoring and warning systems.

Cybersecurity

GAO: Dead people can still get passports

The State Department needs to conduct mandatory checks of a death database to avoid issuing fraudulent passports, GAO recommends in a new report.

Cybersecurity

VA, DOD to create lifetime e-record

President Barack Obama said VA and DOD are moving toward a single, lifetime electronic health record for active-duty service members and veterans.

People

States wrestle with stimulus funding

States are trying to figure out how to manage the huge influx of stimulus funds.

Modernization

TSA launches Secure Flight for passengers

After five years, TSA's Secure Flight prescreening system for airline passengers is operational.

People

How agency performance management systems are moving forward

With the Obama administration’s emphasis on performance and transparency, an effective performance management system, made up of goals, measures, processes and computer applications, will become even more important.

Cybersecurity

GAO: DHS has mixed record on FOIA

Some DHS agencies are falling behind on their Freedom of Information Act requests, while others saw improvement in the past two years, GAO says.