Cybersecurity

Facebook uncovers the next online election influence campaign

The social media giant has revealed what it believes to be a coordinated effort by unknown parties using its platform to influence the outcome of the 2018 elections.

People

New bill would restore IRS critical pay for IT hires

A new bill by Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) and Ben Cardin (D-Md.) would reinstate a key hiring tool to boost IT talent at the Internal Revenue Service.

Cybersecurity

Economic cyber espionage will only get worse, ODNI report says

A new report says companies in the IT, defense, energy, biotechnology, environmental protection and manufacturing sectors have the most to fear from nation-state groups looking to conduct economic cyber espionage.

Digital Government

Watchdog: Government cyber defenses lag as attacks evolve

Legacy IT systems continue to limit the overall effectiveness of other cybersecurity solutions, federal CIO Suzette Kent said at a July 25 House hearing.

Modernization

Hurd, White House push for MGT funding

The Senate zeroed out funding for the Modernizing Government Technology Act for FY 2019, and House supporters and the White House are hoping to get the money back on the table.

Digital Government

Officials push for more election security dollars

A $380 million appropriation for election security is going to run out before the November elections, and House Democrats and some state officials are looking to renew the funding.

Cybersecurity

IRS makes infosec strides after Get Transcript breach, but challenges remain

IRS officials charged with protecting and authenticating taxpayer data are getting better at their jobs – but so are fraudsters.

Cybersecurity

Grant Schneider named federal CISO

A year and a half into the Trump administration, Schneider can remove the “acting” label from his job title.

Digital Government

House zeroes out $380M in voting security funding

A House-passed appropriations bill eliminates $380 million in grants to states to support election security, despite efforts by some Democrats to maintain the funding.

Cybersecurity

New CDM bill aims for flexibility, newer tech

Rep. John Ratcliffe (R-Texas) introduced legislation designed to give the Department of Homeland Security more flexibility to implement and share a key cybersecurity program with partner agencies.

People

Dems on Trump reorg: 'Where's the data?'

Democrats in the Senate are reluctant to support the Trump administration's reorganization plan before OMB provides the underlying analysis used to justify claims it would lead to smoother governance.

Digital Government

Appeals court rules in tech standards case

A federal appeals court has overturned a decision that granted private industry organizations control over the use and publication of technical standards they developed after such standards have been incorporated into U.S. law.

Modernization

Dam cyber: Interior IG closes out audit of hydroelectric control systems

In a follow-up to a June report, auditors did not discover additional vulnerabilities in the Interior Department's management of five hydroelectric dams.

Cybersecurity

Rubio warns on 'deep fakes' in disinformation campaigns

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) sounded the alarm over the extent to which the American populace remains vulnerable to tech-powered misinformation campaigns, particularly false and doctored videos.

Cybersecurity

Mueller indicts 12 Russians for DNC hack, election interference

The special counsel's indictments name and accuse 12 Russian nationals of working on behalf of the Russia’s premier military intelligence agency to influence the 2016 election.

Cybersecurity

DHS: Agencies need greater authority to protect tech supply chain

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security told a congressional committee that they would support additional authorities to better emphasize security in technology supply chain management throughout the federal government.

Cybersecurity

Waging cyber war without a rulebook

As the U.S. looks to go on the offense in the cyber domain, critical questions remain unanswered around who will take the lead and how clearly to draw the rules of engagement.

Digital Government

EPA needs to manage contractors better, says Hill panel

Three senior Republicans on the House Energy and Commerce Committee want the Environmental Protection Agency to get a better handle on its contractor workforce.

Modernization

Trump IRS pick faces massive IT challenge

Charles Rettig, the Trump administration's pick to lead the IRS, told lawmakers at his June 28 confirmation hearing that the tax agency's legacy tech is one of its most critical challenges.

Cybersecurity

A cyber handbook for the c-suite exec and rank-and-file fed

Two tech advisory bodies to the government have developed a new guidebook to train and educate federal cybersecurity professionals.