Author Archive
William Jackson
Cybersecurity
Using the NSA Intrusion Lifecycle to bolster security
Although enterprise security will never be perfect, the NSA lifecycle can give defenders a model for mapping the appropriate mitigation to each step in the intrusion process.
Infrastructure
In 2015, agency IT security and operations converge
The new year will see a convergence of IT security and operations, as agencies spread responsibilities across IT departments and security tools become integrated into software lifecycles earlier .
Cybersecurity
Police body cameras are only one piece of the video equation
A federal initiative to help departments purchase 50,000 body cameras for police in the wake of recent high-profile incidents of police violence is only the first step in creating a full video system. Departments will have to store and manage terabytes of data for years, sometimes decades.
Cybersecurity
Will CDM finally be ‘the realization of IT security’?
Tools and services are being chosen for Phase 2 of the Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation program, which security watchers say could be a revolutionary step in how the government protects its information.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity’s not done until the paperwork is finished
The VA has been dinged – again – by the GAO because of incomplete follow-through in its cybersecurity operations, showing that it takes more than mere box-checking to make regulators happy.
Infrastructure
NIST marks top security requirements for government cloud
NIST’s cloud computing roadmap recommends actions to ensure that cloud computing offerings meet the security needs of government as well as the requirements of multiple tenants.
Digital Government
CIOpedia remains go-to source for CIO trade secrets
The CIOpedia, a part of the CIO Council’s Knowledge Portal, provides a source of best practices in managing the government’s complex information environment.
Digital Government
API expands 'We the People' petitions
The new Write API for the We the People petition site aims to let users sign online petitions from a variety of platforms and sites without visiting the White House page.
Cybersecurity
Critics await 'The Return of Open Enrollment'
When online health insurance exchanges failed to perform as expected during the Affordable Care Act’s first open enrollment period, call centers became a vital backup. How will things roll in the upcoming OE2?
Management
How a city’s SCADA upgrade turned bandwidth into revenue
The city of Piqua, Ohio, took advantage of the need to replace an aging SCADA network by building enough bandwidth to serve city needs, with some left over to sell.
Cybersecurity
Taking aim at stealthy attacks
The recent SandWorm report on cyber espionage against NATO highlights the need for strategies such as the cyber kill chain to detect and disable stealthy, zero-day threats before they bleed you dry.
Featured eBooks
Cybersecurity
Cole guides agencies in next-gen cyber warfare
As FireEye's global government liaison, Tony Cole brings governments the technology and insights to thwart a new generation of motivated attackers.
Digital Government
AppVet speeds mobile devices, apps to the battlefield
The NIST AppVet project developed a framework to evaluate hardware and software for off-the-shelf smartphones in military field operations.
Cybersecurity
Hoping higher FISMA scores mean more than compliance
Growing resources and increasing attention being paid to continuous monitoring could help agencies consolidate last year's gains in FISMA performance.
Digital Government
FEMA opened flood risk tools to property owners
The Federal Emergency Management Agency opened up high-quality flood risk data to property owners, improving public awareness and promoting risk mitigation.
Cybersecurity
Access controls fall short in most agencies
According to the GAO, inadequate access control is a common weakness across 24 major agencies.
Cybersecurity
Passwords vs. biometrics
It’s not a competition, but neither provides completely secure or effective access control on its own. What is needed is an appropriate combination of technologies.
Management
How to re-engineer for automation
In automating a workflow process, the success depends largely on how well the underlying process has been designed.
Digital Government
Document workflow keeps up with county's growing needs, shrinking budget
Replacing paper with digital documents and case management tools helped Durham County, N.C., fill the gaps between workflow demands and workforce resources.
Infrastructure