The Customs and Border Protection (CBP) introduced a mobile application in Oct. 2020 and conducted a privacy impact assessment to help address privacy risks associated with the use of the CBP One app. 

CBP One seeks to serve as a single portal to various services offered by the agency and is designed for use by travelers, brokers, importers, carriers and international organizations, the agency said in the PIA report dated Feb. 19.

The PIA listed several privacy risks and one is that the mobile app can collect geolocation information that CBP can use to carry out surveillance or track the user’s movement. According to the assessment, this risk is “fully mitigated” since the agency does not track the location of the user’s device beyond the time of data submission.

“At the time the user submits his or her exit or entry, the device’s GPS is pinged by CBP One and the latitude and longitude coordinates are sent to CBP. The GPS ping is only collected at the exact time the user pushes the submit button and is used to confirm the traveler’s device is in some cases inside a certain CBP-defined radius or outside the United States,” the report reads.

Other privacy risks identified are the possibility of a user submitting data for other users without consent and submitting inaccurate information about other individuals.

The agency considers the risk “fully mitigated” because “there is no benefit in submitting inaccurate information through” the mobile app and the agency verifies whether the biographic data submitted is correct.

“In addition, any specific privacy risks related to data quality and integrity will be addressed in any standalone, function-specific PIAs,” CBP added.

The agency noted in the report that it plans to integrate the CBP ROAM app, which allows operators of small pleasure boats along the Northern Border to report their arrival into the U.S., into CBP One by spring of this year. The agency also intends to field CBP One for use by aircraft operators, seaplane pilots, bus operators, vessel operators, commercial truck drivers and agents in the near future.

The U.S. Air Force has scheduled to perform flight tests for a long-range hypersonic missile designed by Lockheed Martin under the service branch's Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon prototyping program, FlightGlobal reported Tuesday.

The demonstration for the AGM-183A ARRW boost-glide missile is planned for the first week of March and is intended to provide the Air Force with an operational hypersonic weapon by 2022. The missile will be carried by the military's bomber aircraft.

“We actually have hardware built and are getting ready for our first booster flight test next week… We’re also getting ready to transition into production within about a year on that program," said Air Force Brig. Gen. Heath Collins, program executive officer for weapons and director of the service branch's armament directorate, during an industry symposium.

In December 2019, Lockheed received a potential $988.8 million contract modification from USAF for services in support of its ARRW critical design review, test and manufacturing readiness activities. The company initially won a $480 million contract for the missile's design.

A draft Senate bill seeks to authorize $1 billion for the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) within the General Services Administration (GSA), Nextgov reported Monday. The Senate is expected to finalize the measure in the coming days. 

A source said the upper chamber's draft American Rescue Act would provide $650 million in funds to help the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) carry out cyber risk mitigation efforts and $200 million for the U.S. Digital Service.

A proposal that seeks to earmark $9 billion for TMF failed to make it to the House-passed measure. The lower chamber’s $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief legislation would authorize $7.6 billion for the Emergency Connectivity Fund to support remote learning in schools and broadband capabilities and an additional $2 billion to improve the country’s unemployment insurance system.

The U.S. Navy performed its first at-sea replenishment when a naval logistics team delivered an aircraft power module to the USS Carl Vinson carrier.

USS Carl Vinson, also known as CVN 70, received an F135 power module for the F-35C fighter on the Pacific Ocean, demonstrating at-sea replenishment, the Navy said Friday.

Personnel from Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Squadron 30 and Carrier Air Wing Two delivered the module, which serves as an engine component for F-35 aircraft. A naval CMV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft transported the module from shore to USS Carl Vinson.

“The Osprey is a robust logistical platform that not only supports the F-35C but also gives the entire air wing increased range and transport capacity," said Capt. Matt Thrasher, commander of Carrier Air Wing Two.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has published a document to support the physical security of COVID-19 vaccine distribution points.

The "COVID-19 Vaccine Points of Distribution Physical Security Action Guide" is designed to help distribution managers protect their personnel and vaccine recipients from explosive devices, insider threat, active shooters and other physical threats, CISA said Friday.

Points of distribution or PODs are temporary satellite clinics and do not have a permanent security infrastructure. The actionable guide features advisory on how to prevent or mitigate physical threats despite the temporary nature of a POD's infrastructure.

CISA developed the guide to help POD managers strengthen their facilities' security and ensure that vaccine delivery is not interrupted by physical security threats.

The agency also released an infographic to guide the security of COVID-19 vaccine distribution in general.