Modernization

VA expects movement on cloud acquisition this month

A top IT official said the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to start its move to the cloud with commodity applications.

Cybersecurity

Why agencies must work harder to prep for IOT security

The Department of Homeland Security Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy Robert Silvers stressed government's need to accelerate issuing security solutions for the internet of things.

Digital Government

GAO: Performance.gov needs big improvements

The Performance.gov website needs greater transparency and long-term plan to improve, according to a government watchdog.

People

Lawmakers want automated tax-compliance check

Top-ranking members of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee are asking about the status of an automated system to check on the tax debt of security clearance applicants.

Cybersecurity

OPM hire means top detailees go back to their real jobs

The two top-level IT officials who were detailed to positions outside their agencies while OPM was between full-time CIOs will return to their regularly scheduled programming.

Digital Government

ONC releases draft interoperability standards

The government's new vision for electronic health record interoperability is more interactive and transparent than previous iterations.

Modernization

Report: NASA makes a strong statement in contract dispute

In an unusual move, NASA has let an IT system authority to operate lapse as a means of calling attention to a problematic contract.

People

GAO: Army should further integrate virtual training methods

The Army needs to make better use of its virtual training tools to prepare soldiers for real-world situations, according to a Government Accountability Office report.

People

OPM on the hunt for deputy CIO

Newly appointed OPM CIO David De Vries has already started the search for a deputy.

Cybersecurity

IGs: DOT, Labor show cyber protection deficiencies

In separate assessments, inspectors general found deficiencies in the way the departments of Transportation and Labor secure computer systems that contain personally identifiable information.

Digital Government

VA demo day showcases employee-driven innovation

The Department of Veterans Affairs touted employees' technology-based projects for solving veterans' health care challenges.

Cybersecurity

Census taps Mandiant for cyber assessment

The Census Bureau selected a vendor on a sole-source basis to assess its vulnerability -- and announced plans to hire a CISO.

Cybersecurity

Cyber commission wants public ideas for bolstering IT security

The Commission for Enhancing National Cybersecurity has issued a request for information to inform its recommendations on how to strengthen IT security in both the public and private sectors.

Cybersecurity

Government influence at hacker conferences grows

As the government's need for skilled IT specialists grows, Las Vegas information security conferences have become a nontraditional recruiting ground for federal employers.

Cybersecurity

IG: Interior needs to tighten computer security

A new report says the Interior Department needs to strengthen user access controls and mobile encryption.

People

How can leaders keep exiting feds on point during the transition?

Job satisfaction data could point the way to a smooth transition for incoming and remaining federal employees.

Digital Government

FDA has a role to play in software updates to medical devices

The Food and Drug Administration wants input from manufacturers and others about when a software update to a medical device would require premarket notification.

People

Training the next generation of cyber specialists

The U.S. Cyber Challenge offers some of the country's top cyber professionals an immersive opportunity for instruction, hands-on experience and exposure to professional opportunities.

Digital Government

Government approves first-ever private moon voyage

In what could be considered peak privatization, the Federal Aviation Administration has cleared a commercial firm to conduct a lunar landing.

Digital Government

GAO: Treasury, OMB must better monitor Data Act progress

The Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget need to better monitor agencies' efforts to implement the Digital Accountability and Transparency Act, or they risk jeopardizing the law's timely enactment.