Federal agencies rely on out-of-band during Covid response

Federal IT groups have been pushed in 2020 to continue delivering secure essential services while simultaneously pivoting to remote workforce operations. The COVID-19 situation has highlighted the need for solutions like out-of-band access and management automation to support network admins that empowering remote workers. Here are some of the features that have driven both civilian [...]

Tech Modernization Fund spends money to save money

The infant federal government Tech Modernization Fund is facing challenges just two years into its implementation and receiving continued funding might hinge on lawmakers understanding the fundamental goal of the fund. The Fund, or TMF, was designed to provide an incentive pool for funding projects aimed at retiring legacy systems in favor of newer, more [...]

No easy path, Part Two: Federal IT Modernization

[fsn_row][fsn_column width="12"][fsn_text] IT modernization is a challenge in all organizations, but federal government CIOs might have it a little tougher than their enterprise counterparts. A new study on IT investment sheds light on how agencies are approaching federal IT modernization. The FedScoop/IBM study's main takeaway was that agencies are getting out of the onsite, fed-run [...]

What does 2018 hold for Federal IT?

[fsn_row][fsn_column width="12"][fsn_text] The new year always brings predictions. In the federal IT space, it's no different. Predictions almost by a rule include both cool new tech (widespread adoption of biometric authentication methods) and less nerdy, but frightening prognostications like nearly one-third of the current federal workforce being retirement-eligible. The largest employer We'll get back to [...]

IT modernization a shrinking slice of agency budgets

Federal IT is like running on a treadmill without an on/off switch. Stopping to get a drink will result in a wipe out. Or in this analogy, divert significant spending from operations and maintenance to IT modernization and programs and people are adversely impacted. The result is systems get older and more expensive to maintain and eat [...]

Presidential recruiting visit at SXSW, plus tacos

You can count on two things during mid-March in Austin, Texas: bluebonnets popping up along the roadside, and the city earning its self-proclaimed title of the Live Music Capital of the World with the South by Southwest Festival. For years it's been more than just music with the addition of film and interactive tracks. This [...]

Putting air bags in a 1965 Mustang?

The new US CIO, Tony Scott addressed security concerns in federal IT, especially after the recent massive data breach at the Office of Personnel Management. He said the one of the biggest challenges is protecting old and outdated IT infrastructure systems, comparing it to trying to install air bags in a 1965 Ford Mustang. It's [...]

Industry responds to cybersecurity framework

In August, NIST requested feedback from the owners and operators of the nation's critical infrastructure to understand how the Framework for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity was being used and how it could be improved. Most of the responses posted by NIST were not from organizations running the infrastructure, but tech companies and industry associations. The [...]

Infographic: Continuous monitoring key for federal cybersecurity

In response to the 2013 Executive Order 13636 on Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, the framework published in 2014 by NIST addresses improving resilience to cyber incidents and reducing cyber threats. While one solution can’t fit all, a core component of the framework is continuous monitoring. Scroll through the infographic below to see why continuous monitoring [...]

Finding successful tech solutions for DoD

Maj. Gen. Brett Williams is the director of operations at the US Cyber Command. He recently wrote an opinion piece entitled, "Why too many technology solutions fall short." His assertion is that solutions fail because it's tough to balance the risk across the three stakeholder groups, essentially those: 1) controlling the money, 2) responsible for operating [...]