Federal CIO Kent Announces Cyber Reskilling Academy
Federal CIO Suzette Kent this morning announced creation of the Federal Cyber Reskilling Academy–a joint effort of the Office of Management and Budget, the Department of Education, and the Federal CIO Council Workforce Committee–to kickstart the Federal government’s efforts to address gaps in the Federal cybersecurity workforce and help retrain Federal employees. […]
Feds Reach IT Modernization Tipping Point
A new report from MeriTalk and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) finds that Federal finance, IT, and procurement experts believe we’ve reached an IT modernization tipping point. […]
DHS Launches ICT Sector Supply Chain Risk Task Force
The Department of Homeland Security on Oct. 30 announced launch of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Supply Chain Risk Management Task Force, which the agency said is charged with developing “consensus recommendations” to identify and manage risk to the global ICT supply chain. […]
DHS’ Manfra Discusses FISMA Update, Impact to CDM
Jeanette Manfra, assistant secretary for the Office of Cybersecurity and Communications at the Department of Homeland Security, said today that the new update to Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA) guidance will place even more accountability on department leaders and reflects an evolution in discussions between agencies and DHS. […]
DOT Launches Pilot Program for ‘Flying Cars’ Across 26 States
The Department of Transportation (DOT) announced on Monday eight pilot projects designed to test advanced air mobility aircraft across 26 states, which the department said will change the future of travel. […]
Senate Confirms Rudd to Lead NSA, CYBERCOM
The Senate on Tuesday confirmed Gen. Joshua Rudd’s nomination to lead U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and the National Security Agency (NSA), filling a position that has remained vacant since last year. […]
Podcast: Cyber Deception: A New Preemptive Approach to Cyber Defense
MeriTalk’s Gail Emery speaks with Suril Desai, vice president of engineering at Acalvio, and Ralph Kahn, general manager for federal at Acalvio, about how cyber deception helps agencies detect adversaries earlier. They discuss how deception produces high-fidelity alerts, reduces security operations center alert fatigue, and strengthens zero trust by improving visibility into attacker activity. […]
Beyer Says Lawmakers Are Behind on AI Policy, Calls for Bipartisan Action
Rep. Don Beyer, D-Va., said Tuesday that Congress has been slow to address the privacy and regulatory challenges posed by artificial intelligence (AI) and voiced doubts that lawmakers can come together on a bipartisan framework for the rapidly advancing technology. […]
Pentagon, FAA Tested Advanced Counter-Drone Laser
The Pentagon’s Joint Interagency Task Force 401 counter drone task force and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) conducted a high-energy laser test last week in an effort to advance the safe use of counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) in the United States. […]
CISA Says DHS Shutdown Will Likely Further Delay CIRCIA Rule
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said Monday that an ongoing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shutdown will probably delay the final Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA) rule. […]
Cairncross Highlights Next Steps for National Cyber Strategy
National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said the Trump administration will move quickly to implement its newly released national cyber strategy through sector-focused pilot programs, workforce initiatives, and a whole-of-government effort to counter cyber threats. […]
Draft GSA Policy Seeks Broader Government Control Over AI Tools
The General Services Administration (GSA) is proposing new contract guidelines that would require artificial intelligence (AI) vendors selling services to the federal government to allow agencies to use their models for “any lawful” government purpose. […]
Anthropic Sues Trump Admin Over Supply Chain Risk Designation
The feud between the federal government and Anthropic escalated Monday when the artificial intelligence (AI) company sued the Trump administration over its decision to label the firm a “supply chain risk,” arguing the designation – and the resulting ban on its technology – was unlawful. […]
Lawmakers Reintroduce Bill to Expand Quantum Research Under NQI
A bipartisan pair of representatives reintroduced an act on March 6 to include quantum molecular simulations and modeling in the National Quantum Initiative (NQI). […]
With 80 percent of every Federal IT dollar spent on life support for legacy systems, the Federal IT community is exploring new options to modernize and innovate – virtualization, cloud computing, Flash technology, software-defined options, shared services, and more. MeriTalk is staying close to the leaders on the front lines, bringing you new ideas and lessons learned.
And, as Federal IT leaders work to meet demands of an “always-on” highly mobile government, we bring you the stories and breaking news on balancing productivity with security. Our government IT news includes how agencies manage advanced persistent threats, and the steps that help guard against socially engineered threats. We look at the latest trends in malware, spyware, ransomware, and spear phishing. And – how can Federal agencies protect data from tomorrow’s cyber threats?
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