Author Archive
Unmanned Systems
New bill sets federal penalties for drone misuse
The Drone Act of 2022 would set new federal penalties for drone operators who weaponize drones, disrupt emergency operations or use the technology to deliver contraband into prisons.
Policy
NASA wants to expand data sharing with Space Force and commercial partners
The space agency's chief data officer explained the importance of making information exchanges a more consistent part of NASA culture.
Congress
Acquisition experts ask Congress to address decline in small business awards
Congress should work to develop new procurement vehicles and streamline compliance and security requirements to counteract category management practices and other issues causing a steep drop in the number of small businesses in the federal marketplace, experts said on Thursday.
Policy
NASA chief calls out the 'plague' of cost-plus contracts
The space agency is hoping to increasingly use competitions among top vendors and fixed-price contracts as a new way of conducting business--and cutting steep costs for major projects.
Congress
Senators call for ban on U.S. government personnel use of Chinese ride-sharing apps
A pair of lawmakers want the Departments of State and Defense to enact a global prohibition on U.S. diplomatic and military personnel from using digital transportation platforms like Didi Chuxing, a Chinese-based ride-sharing service growing in popularity around the world.
Cyber
CISA unveils new catalog of free cyber tools amid Ukraine crisis
Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency Director Jen Easterly said the agency is "leaning forward" to inform critical infrastructure owners of ways they can protect their most important assets against possible cyber fallout from Russia's moves against Ukraine.
Cyber
CISA's public-private cyber defense group helped speed Log4j mitigation, experts say
A panel of cybersecurity pros testified that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency's collaborative operational body helped speed up response times and provide critical real-time insights on the Log4J software vulnerabilities to a vast range of companies and federal agencies.
Cyber
Paying for the shift to zero trust
The National Security Agency has been working with the Pentagon's CIO to understand how agencies might be able to fund their journeys to zero trust.
Cyber
NSA rounds up the year in cyber
The National Security Agency's Cybersecurity Collaboration Center helped mitigate major vulnerabilities in 2021 while serving as a critical hub for industry and government officials to collaborate on cyber initiatives in an unclassified setting, according to a new report.
Policy
GSA, DOD seek clean electricity to meet emissions targets
The federal government's two top buyers of electricity are exploring ways to procure carbon-pollution free electricity to meet the demands of a Biden administration executive order.
Cyber
White House starts the clock on zero trust adoption
Agencies will have to meet specific zero trust security requirements by the end of fiscal year 2024 under a new policy memo, including updates to identity policies that will affect how federal employees access systems and applications.
Cyber
Is there a path forward in Congress for mandatory cyber incident reporting?
A group of lawmakers is seeking legislation that would require private companies to report cyber incidents and ransomware attacks to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, despite their efforts being derailed late last year.
Cyber
CISA, FBI issue new guidance on addressing Log4j risks
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and its partners are providing new ways to identify Log4j risks and mitigate possible exploitation.
Cyber
CISA issues emergency directive to patch Log4j flaw
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released an emergency directive on Friday ordering all federal agencies to take immediate action against a critical security flaw with potential long-term consequences for public and private infrastructure.
Cyber
CISA draws plans for more secure federal civilian email
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency wants to beef up federal civilian email security with CISA-provisioned threat hunting and incident response efforts, according to a request for information published last week.
Cyber
Federal government is still in the dark on ransomware
Information on the majority of ransomware attacks targeting American companies and civilian agencies remains unreported to the Department of Homeland Security, a top cyber official told lawmakers.
Cyber
FBI wants input on cyber reporting legislation
A top FBI cyber official told lawmakers on Tuesday that the bureau could face significant challenges addressing cyberattacks and ransomware incidents if it was not included in breach disclosure requirements being considered in legislation.
Cyber
CISA directive requires vulnerability fixes in 6 months
A new binding operational directive puts federal civilian agencies on a six-month clock to remediate known vulnerabilities.
Cyber
CISA's new talent management system could boost cyber recruitment
Despite increasing competition among the public and private sectors in hiring top cyber talent, CISA Director Jen Easterly said she has high hopes for a new personnel management system which reduces friction in hiring and offers new career paths.
IT Infrastructure