Defense
Pentagon updates digital engineering guidance
The Pentagon’s new guidance for implementing digital engineering into defense systems covers the development and sustainment of weapons systems, software, business systems and the acquisition of services.
People
GSA announces new role to lead cloud strategy, governmentwide tech initiatives
Eric Mill, who served as a senior advisor to the federal chief information officer within the Office of Management and Budget, will now manage GSA’s cloud security strategy.
Artificial Intelligence
Bill sets transparency standards for AI models, including use of copyrighted material
New House legislation would direct the Federal Trade Commission to establish standards for “making publicly available information about the training data and algorithms used in artificial intelligence foundation models.”
Modernization
How USPTO built a culture of trust in its automation efforts
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s use of automation has helped officials quickly address identified security vulnerabilities and software bugs, an agency official said.
Modernization
Ongoing ‘reset’ looks to put VA’s EHR deployment back on track
An agency spokesperson said VA is "committed to resuming the system rollout" but performance and productivity goals need to be hit before additional deployments are rescheduled.
Cybersecurity
FDA and CISA need to update cyber agreement for medical devices, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office said medical devices are not commonly hacked but still called them “a source of cybersecurity concern warranting significant attention.”
Cybersecurity
Pentagon issues proposed CMMC rule
The long-anticipated draft rule, which will be officially published on Dec. 26, outlines proposed updates to DOD’s cybersecurity requirements for defense contractors and subcontractors who handle sensitive military data.
Emerging Tech
How agencies will leverage virtual reality, generative AI over the next 2 years
A new Deloitte report forecasts that “spatial computing and the industrial metaverse” will have growing applications for state and federal organizations and said that “investigating these technologies can help agencies get a leg up on the future.”
Artificial Intelligence
Who is an AI worker? The Pentagon needs a better definition, GAO says
The Pentagon “can't fully identify who is part of its AI workforce or which positions require personnel with AI skills,” according to a new congressional watchdog report.
Cybersecurity
NDAA provision looks to close cybersecurity gaps in nuclear weapons systems
The requirement included in the fiscal year 2024 defense policy bill follows a 2022 GAO report that found the National Nuclear Security Administration did not fully implement “foundational cybersecurity risk practices.”
Artificial Intelligence
Priming the workforce is key to future AI efforts, federal IT leaders say
One agency tech leader is urging IT workers inside government and out to "get into the shallow end of the AI swimming pool" and experiment with the new tools.
Acquisition
Senate bill would limit federal contracts with foreign-linked biotech firms
The legislation from Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., comes after he objected to a more focused provision in the House-passed National Defense Authorization Act that sought to limit government contracts with one specific Chinese biotech company.
Artificial Intelligence
Senate Democrats seek to establish civil rights offices for AI
Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., is sponsoring legislation that would require all federal agencies that use artificial intelligence to set up offices “focused on bias, discrimination and other harms resulting from covered algorithms.”
Emerging Tech
Research institutions must better secure sensitive data from foreign adversaries, experts say
To prevent foreign nations from gaining access to sensitive research data, U.S. institutions need to “have a higher sense of internal security” when it comes to protecting critical information.
Acquisition
The defense industrial base is 'in crisis,' expert tells Hill panel
The defense establishment is not equipped to develop, acquire and onboard emerging technologies at scale, according to a draft report from the Pentagon, and witnesses at a recent House hearing called for deeper, stronger ties between government and industry.
Cybersecurity
20 federal agencies miss deadline for implementing cyber incident tracking requirements, watchdog says
The Government Accountability Office found that just three federal agencies were in compliance with the Office of Management and Budget’s advanced cyber event logging requirements.
Emerging Tech
VA creates new monitoring system after glitch affects more than 120,000 veterans’ claims
Officials from the Department of Veterans Affairs said they’re creating a new system to notify officials “within 24 hours” of any issues affecting electronically filed claims.
Artificial Intelligence
Human operators must be held accountable for AI’s use in conflicts, Air Force secretary says
The Pentagon needs “to find a way to hold people accountable” for what artificial intelligence technologies do in future conflicts, according to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall.
Defense
Lawmakers seek to bolster JADC2 initiative with ‘transformative’ objectives
The legislation would give specific Pentagon officials new responsibilities in the department’s development of an interoperable network across its disparate military domains, with particular focus on the Indo-Pacific region.
Emerging Tech
Senators move to ban TSA’s facial recognition screenings
The bipartisan proposal cited concerns about the government’s collection of biometric data.
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