Cybersecurity

FAA proposes new cyber rules for airplanes and aviation equipment

The rules are designed to combat cybersecurity threats targeting aircraft, engines and networks aviation systems.

Cybersecurity

US agencies conclude Iran was behind hack targeting Trump campaign

The FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency said they have “observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle.”

Digital Government

VA hopes new antifraud tools will help veterans identify, report common scams

Veterans lost $350 million in scams targeting former service members in 2023, according to a government report.

Policy

House lawmakers press Meta over illicit drug ads

In a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, lawmakers said they were “continuously concerned that Meta is not up to the task” of keeping ads for illegal drugs off of its sites.

Cybersecurity

Compromised DNC credentials found on Telegram bot, cyber firm says

Security researchers with ZeroFox identified stolen login information from Democratic-aligned accounts ahead of the party’s presidential nominating convention, but noted that some records “were previously observed in private threat actor-operated repositories.”

Cybersecurity

House lawmakers join effort to remove flagged Chinese tech from telecom networks

The companion proposal to a Senate bill would allocate an additional $3 billion to the Federal Communications Commission to help fund its ‘rip and replace’ reimbursement program.

Emerging Tech

VA launches new platform to help veterans identify and report scams

Scammers have increasingly targeted veterans and their beneficiaries, particularly after the PACT Act expanded benefits and health services for retired service members.

Digital Government

Lawmakers look to extend COVID-19 telehealth med exemption for veterans

A bipartisan House bill would allow VA clinicians to prescribe veterans with controlled medications through the targeted extension of a pandemic-era waiver.

People

DARPA hires Twitter whistleblower to serve as its CIO

Peiter “Mudge” Zatko — the former security head of then-Twitter who alleged that the platform was overlooking critical security flaws — will be returning to DARPA after almost a decade away in the private sector.

Policy

Bipartisan bill pushes DHS to review terrorist risks from foreign-based mobile apps

The legislative proposal calls out several China- and Russia-tied apps for particular attention.

Defense

Air Force seeks secure cloud app to manage flights for govt VIPs

The new tool is critical “due to significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities identified in the existing scheduling system,” the branch says in a notice for industry.

People

Lawmakers look to clarify electronic medical device use in secure facilities 

A Senate bill would charge an “Electronic Medical Device Governance Board” with reviewing agencies’ policies regarding the use of digital healthcare instruments in highly-classified facilities.

Modernization

VA launches revamped burn pit registry with automatic enrollment

The upgraded database of veterans exposed to toxic pollutants and trash burn pits came after “extensive feedback” showed the platform was difficult for many retired service members to navigate.

Artificial Intelligence

Congressional agencies report progress on AI adoption

The House Administration Committee said in the new report that it is also focused “on applying the House’s AI guardrails to the acquisitions process.”

Artificial Intelligence

Generative AI tool is deployed aboard the International Space Station

Booz Allen’s large language model application was uploaded to the space station’s national lab as part of “a forward-leaning payload experiment,” according to the firm.

Emerging Tech

New bill pushes VA to examine how blockchain can enhance its work

Legislation from Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., would require VA to explore the benefits and risks of using distributed ledger technology.

Cybersecurity

New tech, personnel will help CISA with coming rush of cyber incident reports

CISA said “an automated mechanism” could help it better process and review a coming deluge of new cyber incident reports but could not be accounted for in its current budget.

Acquisition

Treasury’s funding request for IRS cloud tech far outpaces other civilian agencies, report says

Treasury’s request is the largest out of a combined federal civilian total of almost $9 billion for cloud-related programs in their fiscal year 2025 IT budget requests.

Artificial Intelligence

FCC proposes requiring advertisers to disclose AI in political ads on radio, TV

The proposal advanced over the opposition of its Republican commissioners, who warned that the measure risks interfering with the Federal Election Commission’s efforts to regulate AI-generated content in political ads.

Policy

HHS reorg seeks to streamline tech, cyber policy

A new assistant secretary post will consolidate management of technology, data, AI and health IT.