Digital Government

FCC chairman proposes rules to codify principles of 'Net neutrality'

In a speech Monday at the Brooking Institution, Julius Genachowski said he wants to adopt formal rules to ensure that Internet carriers do not unduly interfere with traffic on their networks.

Digital Government

Agencies should plan now to enable IPv6 on public-facing servers

As the pool of IPv4 addresses dries up, agencies need to begin planning now for an Internet whose growth will be in the IPv6 address space, according to American Registry for Internet Numbers President John Curran.

Digital Government

Video of Serena Williams' outburst could go viral—literally

The people who create vehicles for the surreptitious delivery of malware are nothing if not timely, as they demonstrated over the weekend by exploiting interest in tennis star Serena Williams.

Digital Government

Do federal hiring processes discourage qualified applicants?

Although officials lament the shortage of qualified IT security professionals to fill critical roles in government ranks, one frustrated applicant complains that cumbersome hiring policies discourage those who want the jobs.

Cybersecurity

Health IT group to offer security certification to vendors

The Health Information Trust Alliance will certify security products against its Common Security Framework as the government moves to establish an infrastructure, national standards and privacy requirements for the handling of electronic health care records.

Modernization

FDA plans electronic filing for some safety reports

Proposed rules announced today would require that all mandatory post market reporting of adverse effects for drugs and medical devices be filed electronically, either through a gateway, a Web portal under development, or on disk or tape.

Modernization

Government, industry create threat forum for power grid

EnergySec has grown to include 200 members from the electric power industry, security vendors and government regulators since its formation in December to provide an alternative to the more formal ISAC for rapid sharing of information.

Modernization

Buyer beware: The hidden perils of cloud computing

Experts warn that cloud computing brings with it a loss of control and legal protection in a computing framework that still is maturing.

Digital Government

Tweeters beware: All is not secure on the cyber front

Recent hacks of Twitter data and the misuse of the microblogging service for phishing and other malicious activities highlight the danger of adopting new technologies before they are business-ready.

Modernization

GAO refreshes guidelines for rating computer data reliability

The GAO has released new guidance for assessing the reliability of computer-processed data used in conducting audits; it replaces previous guidelines published in 2002.

Modernization

New bills would make RF spectrum inventories open to public

Bills pending in the House and Senate would create inventories of RF spectrum managed by the NTIA and FCC, along with a Web portal to make the information public.

Cybersecurity

'Noisy' cyberattacks have little effect

The attacks, which spiked late July 6 and early July 7, are not particularly sophisticated and can be mitigated by organizations that are prepared for them, experts say.

People

GAO sets up shop at YouTube, Twitter

Government Accountability Office moves into Web 2.0 to take its products to the people rather than waiting for them to come to it.

Digital Government

With passwords, simplicity can equal strength

Longer passphrases can be easier to remember and provide more security than shorter but more complex passwords with multiple character sets.

Cybersecurity

DOD creates Cyber Command as U.S. Strategic Command subunit

The director of NSA will lead the U.S. Cyber Command, which will be a subunit of the U.S. Strategic Command and will reach initial operating capacity in October.

Modernization

New organization to address interoperability between social media, ID management

The Kantara Initiative will provide a venue for the identity management industry to cooperate in developing interoperable technologies that will better enable identity-based applications and other interactive online transactions.

Cybersecurity

Hathaway: National cyber incident response plan coming by year end

The team that conducted the 60-day review of government cybersecurity policy is following up with a national incident response plan and efforts to untangle legal hindrances to improved security.

Cybersecurity

Official: Gates still considering cyber command

A new Defense Department cyber command would not lead to a military takeover of cyberspace, says Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn.

Cybersecurity

DOD cyber command won't militarize cyberspace

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn III stressed the need for cooperation between the Pentagon’s new cyber command and the organizations with primary responsibility for the .gov and private-sector domains.

Cybersecurity

New cybersecurity coordinator faces complicated road

Of the major goals laid out in the Cyberspace Policy Review, creating an effective information sharing and incident response capability across government and the private sector presents some of the greatest technological challenges and trickiest policy minefields.