Acquisition

The evolving role of the CIO

The CIO job has come a long way since the Clinger Cohen Act, but modernization, politics and bureaucratic sprawl continue to shape the position in ways both good and bad.

Cybersecurity

DHS issues new directive to protect high-value assets

The Binding Operational Directive announced May 25 is designed to bring a "more focused, integrated approach" to protecting federal systems from cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity

Looking forward to a more-flexible CDM

Agency officials hope the new CDM DEFEND vehicle will eliminate mismatches between cybersecurity solutions and legacy tech at agencies and promote better communication between vendors and program managers.

Cybersecurity

What has DHS learned from phases 1 and 2 of CDM?

Halfway through a four-phase implementation, feds running the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program want to retool the process to ensure the back half runs smoother than the front half did.

Digital Government

Bill to preserve ZTE sanctions clears committee

An amendment designed to block Trump's proposed rollback of sanctions against Chinese telecom firm ZTE passed its first legislative hurdle.

Cybersecurity

Agencies poised to hit CDM dashboard goal

Activity around a critical federal cybersecurity program is heating up, with DHS and Congress hoping to see major progress on key goals by summer 2018.

Cybersecurity

DHS releases cyber strategy

The five-year policy plan articulates the Department of Homeland Security's cyber role as almost entirely defensive.

Cybersecurity

House Dems look to salvage cyber coordinator post

Amid reports that the White House has junked its cyber coordinator position, a dozen lawmakers in the House have introduced legislation to restore the role.

Modernization

Commerce will revisit ZTE sanctions at Trump's request

The U.S. government will revisit harsh sanctions against Chinese telecom firm ZTE, despite years of complaints by U.S. officials that the communications giant violates trade laws and may facilitate Chinese espionage.

Cybersecurity

NIST seeks 'lightweight' encryption standards

The National Institute of Standards and Technology wants public input on the best way to design evaluation criteria dictating new encryption standards for small computing devices.

Cybersecurity

Senator freezes DHS cyber nominee over Stingray info

Sen. Ron Wyden wants info on use of rogue cell-tracking Stingray devices in the nation's capital before he'll confirm a new cybersecurity leader at the Department of Homeland Security.

Cybersecurity

Cyber deterrence is about more than punching back

Politicians and experts routinely call for a strategy that imposes costs on nation states for cyberattacks, but going on offense isn't always the answer.

Digital Government

Senate Intel offers election security guidelines

A new report on election security by the Senate Intel committee calls for paper backups for state voter registration databases, risk assessments for voting machine manufacturers and better sensor technology for state and local election systems.

Cybersecurity

For contractors late on Kaspersky cleanup, DHS considers consequences

Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen floated the possibility of punishment for noncompliant contractors in the wake of the federal ban on Kaspersky software.

Digital Government

Your fingerprints aren’t as unique as a snowflake. Yet.

Governments and law enforcement bodies are searching for better fingerprint capture technology, and the results of a recent contest demonstrate they may be getting closer to a solution.

Cybersecurity

IRS closes in on industry-based fraud squad

The IRS is inching closer to operationalizing a public-private information sharing center to help prevent tax fraud including refund scams and identity theft.

Cybersecurity

Pentagon bans sale of Chinese phones at military exchanges

The move is the latest salvo in the government's ongoing conflict with telecom companies Huawei and ZTE over concerns their devices could be used to facilitate Chinese government spying

Cybersecurity

For better cybersecurity, be nice to your CFO

Instead of looking for the new hire or the next great tech to protect federal networks, agency cybersecurity officials could get more done by befriending their financial counterparts.

Cybersecurity

More detail on why DHS banned Kaspersky

A pair of filings in Kaspersky Labs' ongoing battle with the U.S. government fills in some of the blanks.

Modernization

Implementation plans for new cross-border data law remain cloudy

A month after its passage, we still don’t know which foreign countries would be able to access U.S.-based communications data under the CLOUD Act or when companies can reject their requests. Neither does Congress.