Acting Federal CIO Has Been in the Job for Months, OMB Confirms
The Office of Management and Budget appointed an acting Federal Chief Information Officer months ago, without notifying the media or other agencies. Former federal CIO Suzette Kent stepped down in July. According to his LinkedIn profile – and a recently released OMB memo – Michael Rigas began serving as acting federal CIO at that time. […]
Tech Association Wants Biden Team to Focus on Public-Sector Supply Chain Security
The Information Technology Industry Council says that the Federal Acquisition Security Council is in a prime spot to serve in a central role consolidating the government’s approach to supply chain security. FASC is an interagency group with the authority to develop criteria, facilitate information sharing, and recommend removal or exclusion orders to federal departments and agencies, […]
The Effect of a Biden-Harris Presidency on Privacy in the U.S.
Robinson+Cole looks at the impact that the Biden-Harris administration is likely to have on the U.S. privacy landscape. Their observations include:
There is potential...
Here are the IT and Cyber Experts Helping with the Biden Transition
The office of President-elect Joe Biden has tapped several former government IT leaders to volunteer on his transition team. The list includes some former high-ranking technology officials, including Michael Hornsby, a former acting CIO in the White House; the first U.S. CTO, Aneesh Chopra; former deputy U.S. CTO, Nicole Wong; and many alumni of the […]
Tech Leaders Send Policy Priorities to Biden
Technology leaders are sending congratulatory remarks and laying out their policy agendas to President-elect Joe Biden. IBM execs wrote to recommend establishing a Scientific Readiness Reserve, composed of private-sector computing experts and scientists whom the Biden administration could consult and even deputize into government service. They also suggested policies related to closing the digital skills […]
Biden’s Cybersecurity Mission: Regain Momentum
Cybersecurity is poised to become a higher White House priority when President-elect Joe Biden takes office, and he's expected to renew key international relationships...
Biden Transition Efforts on Cybersecurity Uncertain as Trump Administration Throws up Obstacles
Former DHS secretaries Tom Ridge, Michael Chertoff, Janet Napolitano, and Jeh Johnson have warned that President Donald Trump is endangering national security by blocking the transition to Joe Biden’s presidency. For example, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence will not work with the Biden transition until after the GSA ascertains a winner, while […]
Some Question Why White House Plans to Fill Federal CIO, CISO Roles Now
The administration is preparing to fill two of the top governmentwide technology executives roles, with sources identifying OPM chief of staff Basil Parker as the new federal chief information officer and OMB senior advisor Camilo Sandoval as the new federal chief information security officer. The news surprised most observers, and the few who have worked […]
White House Publishes a Cyber-Security Rulebook for Space Systems
The White House has published Space Policy Directive-5, a new directive to establish a cybersecurity baseline for all space-bound craft, systems, networks, and communications channels built and operated by federal agencies and commercial space entities. For example, space systems must include “the ability to perform updates and respond to incidents remotely” and these features must […]
GAO: OMB’s Data Center Policy Puts Agencies’ Networks at Risk of Cyberattacks
The Government Accountability Office is criticizing a recent shift in OMB policy that pushed agencies to focus on closing major “purpose-built” data centers, with less attention on servers kept in closets or under desks. A GAO report says the Trump administration’s Data Center Optimization Initiative is decreasing visibility into those smaller systems, and making agencies […]