Digital Government

Treasury: No Russia sanctions lifted on U.S. tech

While a Feb. 2 change to licensing rules to allow certain U.S. tech exports to Russia raised hackles among opponents of President Trump, a Treasury official said the policy was in the works for a month in response to complaints from U.S. businesses.

Modernization

Security clearance process still slow, but more secure

OPM's National Background Investigations Bureau has made significant progress in securing its systems and data, but the security clearance backlog persists, a House panel finds.

Cybersecurity

GAO: NCCIC needs to clarify operating principles

The National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center "generally performs required functions" but it needs to further evaluate and clarify its operating principles and performance metrics, says GAO.

Modernization

How cyber info sharing helps keep the lights on

At a House hearing, electricity industry reps said that information sharing between private sector and government is essential to mitigating cyber threats.

Cybersecurity

Trump postpones cyber executive order

President Trump and his team provide more details of a forthcoming executive order on cybersecurity, but postpone its signing without explanation.

Cybersecurity

Cyber probes gain traction on the Hill

Cyber is front and center as the 115th Congress completes its first month, with multiple investigations into Russia’s election-related hacking and now a resolution to create a Senate Select Committee on Cybersecurity.

Modernization

Army and IBM head to the cloud

The $62 million pilot program to build a private, on-premises cloud at the Redstone Arsenal will consolidate 11 data centers and pave the way for future Army cloud projects.

Modernization

Navy closes in on NGEN recompete

The Navy's Enterprise Networks Program Office will release draft RFP's in the coming months to solicit industry feedback on recompeting the multibillion Next Generation Enterprise Networks contract, expiring next year.

Cybersecurity

Senators drill down on 2018 defense spending

Just a month after the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act became law, the Senate Armed Services Committee is starting the process of formulating the 2018 defense budget.

Cybersecurity

Pompeo confirmed as CIA head, Hurd to HPSCI

The Senate voted largely along party lines to confirm Rep. Mike Pompeo as head of the CIA. Rep. Will Hurd, a former CIA agent and cyber expert will replace Pompeo on the House Intelligence Committee.

Cybersecurity

Legacy systems, hygiene top Air Force 2017 cyber list

The Air Force will prioritize making legacy and mission systems cyber secure and instilling a culture of cyber security in the workforce in 2017, says CISO Pete Kim.

Cybersecurity

The Army has been hacked -- and is happy about it

The first “Hack the Army” bug bounty challenge wrapped up in December, and the results are in with 179 participants finding 118 actionable bugs in public-facing Army websites.

Digital Government

How will Trump lead on tech?

The businessman turned reality star turned U.S. president clearly has mastered Twitter, but what will his administration mean for broader technology issues?

Cybersecurity

Administration finalizes cyber response plan

The Obama administration has approved a long-awaited and debated update to the National Cyber Incident Response Plan that outlines roles and responsibilities in response to a significant cyber incident in the U.S.

People

Obama wraps up security clearance reforms

In a last-minute executive order, President Obama institutes structural reforms to the security clearance process designed to create a more unified system across government agencies.

People

Secretary Carter says future is bright for DOD

In his farewell remarks to Department of Defense personnel, Secretary Ash Carter said that the DOD is better and stronger than when he first set foot in the Pentagon 35 years ago.

Digital Government

DOD official takes aim at interference from Congress

Frank Kendall, the outgoing and possibly last undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, says congressional attempts to reform acquisition do more harm than good.

Modernization

Is a unified .gov network the way to go?

The Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity made 53 recommendations last year, but some experts are questioning the call to create a unified .gov network.

Cybersecurity

What cyber can learn from counterterrorism

The U.S. has to look at its experience in developing post-9/11 counterterrorism policies to inform efforts to formalize cybersecurity policies, says a senior official.

People

Cyber plays small role in cordial Mattis hearing

The Senate panel reviewing the nomination of James Mattis, a retired Marine general, to head the Defense Department focused on strategic threats and agency priorities, including Russia, nuclear modernization, the Pentagon budget and to a small extent, cyber.