Digital Government

Vendors team on 'Seat' alternative

San Diego Litton/PRC Inc. and Micron Electronics Inc. have teamed up to offer government agencies the opportunity to test drive desktop outsourcing without turning over all their systems to an outside contractor right away. Many agencies have been looking at the General Services Administration's

Digital Government

Bill to beef up info security

A bill was introduced last month that would centralize the authority for security policy, enabling agencies to better secure information systems. The Government Information Security Act would give the Office of Management and Budget the final say regarding security system policies for information s

Digital Government

CIOs look to grade fed security

As it becomes more evident that agencies may have licked the Year 2000 problem, the CIO Council has turned its attention to the next big obstacle facing federal information technology: security. The council has begun to collect and develop a series of benchmarks that will enable Congress and admini

Digital Government

ISS offers security outsourcing package

Internet Security Systems Inc. recently moved into the federal market with its ePatrol managed security services, which will enable agencies to outsource security management while maintaining control of security policy. Security vendors are starting to move beyond offering products, consulting or i

Digital Government

Win2000 gives security boost

Federal systems administrators and users who have long bemoaned the security, or lack thereof, in Microsoft Corp.'s operating systems will have something to look forward to next year in the release of Windows 2000. Administrators in particular have had problems with the current default configuratio

Digital Government

ITAA: Feds' outsource lists light on IT jobs

An information technology industry association last month accused several agencies of failing to fully comply with a federal law that requires agencies to identify government jobs that could be contracted out to the private sector. The Information Technology Association of America, after analyzing

Digital Government

Navy seeks to bypass mandated network

The Navy is building a case for setting up its own network to help support its multibilliondollar agencywide intranet rather than relying wholly on the Defense Department's mandated network, a Navy official said last month. The Defense Information Systems Network (DISN), maintained by the Defense

Digital Government

Center gives global view of Y2K problems

With fewer than 50 days until the Year 2000, the federal government is approaching its final test on procedures for tracking and analyzing all the information on potential national and international problems that may occur because of bad date code.

Digital Government

Bill proposes commission to study privacy legislation

Two senators introduced a bill Wednesday to form a commission to study how effective current federal privacy legislation is, especially in relation to the Internet, and to determine whether new laws are necessary.

Digital Government

OMB mulls adding information security requirements to budget regs

The Office of Management and Budget is looking at ways to better incorporate security into agencies' funding requests for information technology systems, including revising regulations governing how agencies formulate their budgets.

Digital Government

New IT systems, policies needed to track government cash

Nine federal agencies reported more than $19 billion in improper financial payments for fiscal 1998, a number that reflects systems and management deficiencies that many agencies do not know how to address because of a lack of governmentwide guidance, according to a recent report by the General Accounting Office.

Digital Government

Navy builds case against DOD network

The Navy is building a case for setting up its own network to help support its multibilliondollar agencywide intranet rather than relying wholly on the Defense Department's mandated network, a Navy official said Tuesday.

Digital Government

NSA emerges from the shadows

For many years, the National Security Agency has specialized in developing security solutions with ultrasecret requirements for its users, far removed from the services required by the vast majority of government applications. But that is beginning to change. With commercial products and services

Digital Government

Speed to burn: Intel debuts new chips

Intel Corp. last week announced 15 processors based on a new generation of technology that increases speed, reduces power consumption and makes it possible for manufacturers to offer completely new classes of systems, even as they lower prices. Computer manufacturers are ramping up to deliver serve

People

GSA releases Millennia Lite RFP

The General Services Administration this week released the final request for proposals on its latest multibilliondollar contract for information technology services and plans to use performance to determine whether a vendor receives a contract extension.

Digital Government

House subcommittee enhances computer security bill, NIST's role

Following advice from federal and industry experts, a House subcommittee on Wednesday expanded the role of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in helping to secure federal information systems, requiring more testing and evaluation of systems and annual progress reports on agency security efforts.

Digital Government

Super-secret NSA transitioning to commercial services model

The National Security Agency, the enigmatic signals intelligence arm of the Defense Department, is breaking away from its traditional role of building black boxes for encrypting highly classified information in favor of offering security and certification services similar to those in commercial industry.

Digital Government

Feds short on security 'best practice' studies

The United States faces an uphill battle when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure, because government and industry groups have not developed best practice studies and guidelines to show the best way to do so, according to federal experts.

Digital Government

New FAA systems will map problem areas in air traffic control

The Federal Aviation Administration is developing agencywide information systems that will provide officials a nationwide view of air traffic maintenance and management issues and enable them to pinpoint failures quickly and easily.

Digital Government

Feds having trouble finding money, people for cybersecurity

Despite mounting pressure from Congress to make tangible progress on the governmentwide effort to protect critical federal information systems from hackers and other criminals, agencies continue to struggle with funding, personnel and training roadblocks, officials said today.