The Department of Homeland Security launched a new 24-hour watch and warning center focused on combating the increasingly 24/7 cybersecurity threat. DHS Deputy Assistant Secretary Michael Brown joined White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt and representatives of the Multi-State Information Sharing and Analysis Center on Nov. 18 to launch the MS-ISAC Cyber Security Operations Center [...]

Calling the recent controversy over full-body scanners and enhanced pat-downs a “calamity,” Rep. Ron Paul (R-Texas) introduced legislation in the House because “something has to be done.” “Everybody is fed up. The people are fed up, the pilots are fed up, I’m fed up,” he continued. The “American Traveler Dignity Act,” which Paul introduced, seeks [...]

After months of Senate stall tactics, Jacob “Jack” Lew was confirmed Thursday night by a voice vote to be the next director of the Office of Management and Budget. Lew, who previously served as OMB director in the Clinton administration and is now deputy secretary of state, was selected by President Barack Obama after Peter [...]

After years of planning, congressional vote wrangling and a couple of epic snow storms, the House passed teleworking legislation yesterday. The last step in the teleworking saga is the signature of President Barack Obama, whose administration has supported the legislation that makes it easier for federal workers to work part of their hours from home. [...]

Ashton Carter, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, detailed the Defense Department’s new acquisition strategies and cost-saving measures for an audience at the Center for American Progress on Nov. 16. The new strategy comes down to DoD getting more bang for its buck – or rather the 400 billion bucks that go to [...]

Who says the federal government can’t ever solve a problem? Not Director of Personnel Management John Berry or acting head of the Office of Management and Budget Jeffrey Zients. For the second year in a row, the federal government has met its goals for processing security clearances, breaking up the backlogs that have frequently plagued [...]

The Government Accountability Office has put its stamp of approval on claims that electronic health records can actually improve the quality of healthcare. The GAO report studied integrated delivery systems that have implemented the use of electronic medical records. Those systems studied said that using EHRs increased the availability of information about patients as well [...]

Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.), federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra and State Department Chief Information Security Officer John Streufert were awarded the National Cyber Security Leadership Award by the SANS Institute. Carper, Kundra and Streufert were selected by the information security training organization and think tank for their efforts to implement “continuous monitoring” of computer [...]

Cyber observers agree there is a shortage of cybersecurity professionals within the federal government, but two recent competing reports cannot agree on a solution for the problem. An overwhelming majority of cybersecurity professionals polled by (ISC)2, an IT and security certification group, oppose a government-run board of examiners to oversee cybersecurity certifications, the group announced [...]

The chief information officer of the Office of the National Intelligence Director, Priscilla Guthrie, will resign Nov. 19 after 18 months at her post, according to a report on Federal News Radio. Until a replacement is announced, Charlene Leubecker, who is currently deputy CIO for the ODNI, will be the acting CIO. DNI Gen. James [...]