Cybersecurity

VA gives thumbs down to thumb drives

High-profile agency is at the forefront of a trend to restrict the use of thumb drives.

Acquisition

FedBizOpps procurement stalls once again

GSA is mum on next steps as judge denies government’s request for reconsideration.

People

OMB launches database to identify earmarks

The database opens the federal budget's books to the public for searching.

Modernization

Agencies uncertain about move to Vista

Transportation, Army and possibly others put holds on Vista to await testing results.

Modernization

Training could be the missing leg of IPv6

Experts say few agencies are paying enough attention to the need for training.

People

Proliferating watch lists leave CIOs baffled

They want more specifics on why projects are on the lists and how to move them off.

Modernization

Data management a growing challenge for Army

The service is discussing data consolidation for back-office operations and considering whether it should build one megasystem or multiple systems focused on specific functions.

People

CIO Council, GITEC to take on IT issues together

The organizations have struck an agreement to address critical IT concerns, such as cybersecurity and storage.

Cybersecurity

DOD intertwines data security, interoperability challenges

The Defense Department is spending $2.5 billion on information assurance in fiscal 2007, and a good portion of those funds is to ensure the military can share data safely and more easily with the intelligence community.

Cybersecurity

VA to control, restrict use of mobile storage devices

In the next month, the Department of Veterans Affairs will let employees plug into its network only those mobile storage devices issued by the CIO’s office.

Modernization

Agencies delaying move to Microsoft Vista

Several agency CIOs said they either see no business reason to move from Windows XP, or they are budgeting and planning for the transition in 2009 or beyond.

People

OMB analyzing architecture of agency business lines

The Office of Management and Budget is focusing on specific segments to show enterprise architecture’s value outside of IT, OMB's chief architect said.

People

Agencies improved information dissemination, access in 2006, OMB says

According to the Office of Management and Budget's latest report to Congress, agencies’ use of e-government continued to grow.

Cybersecurity

OMB: Agencies make headway with IT security

The government’s cybersecurity position has improved in the past year, but significant holes remain, report states.

People

Court rebuffs GSA motion on FedBizOpps protest

A judge with the U.S. Court of Federal Claims tells the government to proceed with fixing problems with the contract to revamp the federal procurement site.

Cybersecurity

OPM cites progress on security clearances

Oversight committee questions whether progress on speeding clearances is real.

People

Security, consolidation top CIOs’ agendas

Cybersecurity policies, management and training have improved in the past year, but agency CIOs say execution remains a major challenge, according to an ITAA survey.

People

Agencies post business cases online

Sixteen agencies complied with OMB’s request to post their IT business cases online.

People

Congress wants details on how agencies will spend their 2007 funds

A Joint Resolution requires every agency except DOD and DHS to submit an operating plan to the House and Senate Appropriations committees before spending any money this year.

Modernization

Tools for managed network services are coming together

Networx and the IT Infrastructure Line of Business Consolidation effort are poised to push agencies into outsourcing at least some of their networks responsibilities.