People

Networx key to security initiative

Agencies are decreasing the number of Internet gateways to fewer than 100 governmentwide.

People

FDA tests electronic submissions from firms

The Food and Drug Administration will require the industry to file submissions in a standard format of extensible markup language next year.

Modernization

OMB: Agencies must shed more gateways

The federal government will have fewer than 100 external Internet connections near the end of fiscal 2009 to improve security, an Office of Management and Budget official said today.

People

GAO: Treasury should push e-benefits

At the same time, the Agriculture Department relies completely on electronic payments for its Food Stamp Program and has reduced costs and mistakes, the Government Accountability Office finds.

People

Advocate pushes IRS to confront identity theft

The service plans to flag suspicious accounts and make it easier for victims of identity theft victims to get information about their cases.

People

Agencies choose vendors for financial systems

So far, large agencies have chosen private shared service providers chosen over federal SSPs for consolidation efforts.

People

GAO: Feds need more financial transparency

The government needs better reports to expand the understanding of its ability to pay for programs, services and benefits, the Government Accountability Office says.

Digital Government

PAR pilot pluses

OMB's test program to improve the readability of Performance and Accountability Reports has created some positive changes already.

Digital Government

OMB: Keep your briefs brief

Agencies told to create summary versions of documents as part of a push for transparency.

People

OMB: Agencies met IPv6 deadline

he federal government's adoption of IPv6 will encourage contractors to provide products and services that comply with it, the Office of Management and Budget said.

Modernization

Agencies hit security mark

OMB’s target is to have only 100 Internet connections governmentwide, official says.

Digital Government

IG gives IRS some credit for progress on modernization

The service's use of IT has helped efforts to improve services, but the inspector general finds the IRS still must overcome significant barriers to modernization.

People

Treasury said to need better controls for report

Major weaknesses hurt the Treasury Department's processes used to prepare the annual governmentwide consolidated financial statement, the Government Accountability Office finds.

People

Report: IRS should create more electronic help

The tax agency does not provide adequate information to transmitters about why it rejects some electronically filed returns, a report by the Treasury Department's inspector general concludes.

Digital Government

Agencies push ahead on security efforts

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has released updated security settings for agencies.

Digital Government

Time to update the Privacy Act?

Lawmakers say they might update the Privacy Act this year or wait until next year to develop comprehensive privacy reform legislation.

People

GAO: Senior privacy officials need authority

Some agencies do not give their senior privacy officials responsibility for all key privacy functions, so privacy protections may be applied inconsistently, the Government Accountability Office reports.

People

Meagher: Information security has few friends at the top

Security requires having an agency’s senior executive team say it will happen, Interior's deputy CIO says.

Digital Government

Security pieces come together

Deadlines for several federal cybersecurity initiatives are coming due this summer.

People

GAO: Congress should update privacy laws

A key law governing the federal government’s collection, use and disclosure of personal information was written before the Digital Age, a Government Accountability Office executive says.