Cybersecurity

Senators want DHS to look into government use of foreign VPNs

Sens. Ron Wyden and Marco Rubio have asked the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency to consider banning federal employees from using apps created by foreign companies, which they claim could contain spyware.

Cybersecurity

Senators reintroduce rotational cyber workforce bill

A bipartisan group of senators has reintroduced legislation that would make it easier for cyber specialists in the federal government to detail at other agencies and lend their expertise.

Cybersecurity

China-linked hacker group has gone quiet, but DHS expects resurgence

A hacking group behind a widespread cyber espionage campaign against IT service providers has gone quiet since two of its members were indicted but remains an active threat to American businesses.

Digital Government

DOJ, DHS say foreign influence campaigns didn't alter 2018 elections

An interagency process assessed efforts to hack into voting machines and election systems or alter voter behavior through covert influence campaigns on social platforms and other media.

Digital Government

State election officials seek more security money, fewer mandates

For more secure election equipment to be available for the 2020 vote, Congress needs to act in 2019, state officials say.

Cybersecurity

Moving the needle on cyber norms

In an increasingly crowded field of international frameworks for cyber norms, a non-governmental organization is seeking to shape the terms of the debate.

Cybersecurity

Feds lead industry in DMARC adoption

A new report finds that the federal government is far and away the leading adopter of tools designed to snuff out email and website spoofing compared to other sectors and industries.

Modernization

IG says VA is falling short on data center optimization

The Department of Veterans Affairs is failing to meet key data center optimization requirements under the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act, a new government audit finds.

Cybersecurity

What was the cybersecurity impact of the shutdown?

With a short-term spending deal in place, many Democrats on Capitol Hill want to know how much damage the shutdown caused to federal cybersecurity.

Digital Government

With shutdown clouds lifting, CISA spins back up

The agency will focus on restarting election security efforts and implementing an emergency cybersecurity directive.

Cybersecurity

Patriot Act updates lurk for Congress

The upcoming expiration of a handful of key provisions in the Patriot Act at the end of the year could set up another battle in Congress over the size and scope of U.S. surveillance authorities.

Modernization

New intel strategy stresses data collection, cyber threats

A new U.S. strategy document calls for the U.S. intelligence community to boost cyber threat intelligence sharing and augment data collection and analysis capabilities.

Cybersecurity

DHS issues emergency directive to counter DNS hijacking campaign

The Department of Homeland Security's Jan. 22 warning applied to nearly all federal agencies and requires rapid action to mitigate Domain Name System compromises that have impacted " multiple executive branch agency domains."

Cybersecurity

DOJ official says 'name and shame' is one piece of the puzzle

Assistant Attorney General John Demers defended the government's policy of indicting hackers linked to foreign governments, even if those charged never see the inside of a courtroom.

Cybersecurity

SEC charges nine in 2016 EDGAR hack, insider trading scheme

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged nine individuals and organizations with participating in a 2016 scheme to hack into EDGAR, the commission’s financial filing system, and profit off illegal trades.

Modernization

IRS recalls employees to work without pay

With tax filing season colliding with the shutdown, the IRS is bringing back tens of thousands of employees to process returns -- and most IT staffers were already excepted and on the job.

People

FBI group says shutdown imperils national security

FBI agents are working without pay during the government shutdown, and their advocates say that the resulting financial instability is a national security risk.

Cybersecurity

DARPA probes tech to solve supply chain uncertainty

DARPA and private companies are looking to improve supply chain security through the use of tiny chips and diamonds that can authenticate IT parts used by the government.

Modernization

DARPA wants innovative research to mind the GAPS

The military research outfit wants to find a better way to securely transfer sensitive data from air-gapped DOD systems to less secure, internet-facing ones.

Cybersecurity

Shutdown hits CISA's transition

The Department of Homeland Security's nascent cybersecurity agency is short-staffed during a key growth year.