Cybersecurity
CISA’s Elections Operations Center to Remain Open for Another 45 Days
Officials acknowledged reports of misleading robocalls and suspicious traffic around a Florida system, but said neither were out of the ordinary.
Cybersecurity
U.S. Elections Are Safer from Foreign Interference, But Gaps Remain
Four years after a big wake-up call, federal, state, and local governments are working harder and more closely to ward off threats.
Digital Government
A tribute to micro-innovations
Steve Kelman thinks more organizations should take a lesson from the Peak Academy's commitment to incremental change.
Ideas
3 Steps U.S. Officials Can Take to Shore Up Election Cybersecurity
Securing the 2020 election will be an immense undertaking.
Digital Government
Census Pulls Back on Year-End Delivery Commitment, Pushes Decision to Career Staff
Rushing in an effort to truncate the data processing timeline has "some risks," bureau official admits.
Digital Government
Voting in Georgia: good news for democracy, bad news about govtech
The lines for early voting in Georgia are a sign of citizen engagement, Steve Kelman writes. But they're at least partly due to a new digital voting system.
Emerging Tech
Federal Government to Offer $10M to Research COVID-19 Spread on Public Transportation
Major cities could be excluded from receiving grants for “permitting anarchy, violence, and destruction,” per a presidential memo cited in the funding opportunity.
Cybersecurity
Foreign Hackers Cripple Texas County’s Email System, Raising Election Security Concerns
The malware attack, which sent fake email replies to voters and businesses, spotlights an overlooked vulnerability in counties that don’t follow best practices for computer security.
Cybersecurity
Cybercriminals Strike Schools Amid Pandemic
At least 16 school districts have been victimized in a rash of ransomware attacks since the end of July.
Ideas
The First True Smart City Blossoms in Georgia’s Peachtree Corners
The city founded the Curiosity Lab, a huge facility designed to help industry test new technology.
Emerging Tech
After Decision Upholding FCC’s 5G Rules, Cities Now Weighing Appeal
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals largely upheld FCC rules limiting local government’s ability to regulate 5G infrastructure and cap fees. Cities involved in the case have until Sept. 28 to file an appeal, but some experts say the ruling wasn’t all bad.
Digital Government
Employers in D.C. Region Expect Some Remote Work Into Mid-2021, Survey Finds
About 60% of respondents anticipated less than a third of workers would return to the office by early September because of coronavirus risks. Some are planning for a portion of staff to still be working remotely even next summer.
Cybersecurity
What the U.S. Needs to Do to Secure Election 2020
Concerns extend far beyond safeguarding insecure voting machines and questions about voting by mail.
Emerging Tech
City Ban on Business Use of Facial Recognition Tech Said to Be a First
Elected leaders in Portland, Oregon approved the measure this week.
Ideas
Subj: This Email Could Wreak Havoc on the 2020 Election
Beware of COVID-related phishing threats that target local voting.
Modernization
Local Governments Have Embraced New Technology to Weather the Pandemic, Survey Finds
More than 95% of state and local leaders who responded to the poll said their agencies used software to maintain service levels as employees began working largely from home.
Digital Government
DHS Shares People’s Personal Information with 11 Government Programs, Saving Taxpayers Millions
The agency released its annual report on automated data sharing, touting the economic benefits by reducing costs and erroneous and duplicative payments.
Cybersecurity
Ransomware Attacks Demanding Larger Payouts from Local Governments
The average ransom demanded of a local government in a cyberattack grew from $30,000 to $380,000, according to one cybersecurity firm.
Modernization
One State Launches Online Tool to Help Residents Gauge Risk of Exposure to Covid-19
The Wisconsin Department of Health Services launched the "Decision Tool" after contact-tracing data showed an increase in the number of positive coronavirus cases linked to mass gatherings.
Modernization