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Technology Modernization Fund Board Announces Award for CBP Modernization Project
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Technology Modernization Fund Board Announces Award for CBP Modernization Project

The Technology Modernization Fund Board has awarded $15 million in funds to update the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s collections system.

CBP aims to augment revenue collections, customs enforcement and trade protections through the modernization effort, the General Services Administration said Monday.

The planned collection system will run in the cloud and is envisioned to utilize an updated code base. CBP employs the Automated Commercial System, a collection platform hosted on a mainframe computer that uses 3.9 million lines of Common Business-Oriented Language code.

The TMF Board has earmarked more than $116 million to fund 10 government modernization efforts.

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Air Force Looks to Modify Approach to Cyber, Network Defense Training
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Air Force Looks to Modify Approach to Cyber, Network Defense Training

The U.S. Air Force is implementing an “initial qualification training” approach for defensive cyber operations to support its network modernization initiatives amid the ongoing pandemic, C4ISRnet reported Tuesday.

Lt. Col. Jonathan Williams, commander of the Air Force’s 39th Information Operations Squadron, told the publication that the service branch wants to move away from blanket training approaches for specific systems supporting the Air Force Network (AFNET).

According to Williams, trainees leveraged remote tools to support distance learning as well as limited in-person classes focused on combined cyber mission force and defensive cyber skills refinement.

He noted that he intends to “tailor the training” for cyber mission forces while accommodating adjustments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“When all this kicked off, we prioritized all of the mission essential courses that are supplying operators to the cyber mission force,” he said. “We wanted to make sure that those units continue to get the trained operations that they needed so that their readiness levels didn’t suffer.”

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HHS Taps Texas-Based Innovation Center for COVID-19 Vaccine Production
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HHS Taps Texas-Based Innovation Center for COVID-19 Vaccine Production

The Department of Health and Human Services has tasked an innovation center within Texas A&M University System to support the production of COVID-19 vaccines under a $265M order.

The university system’s Center for Innovation in Advanced Development and Manufacturing will provide added production space for potential vaccines in support of Operation Warp Speed, a program that aims to provide 300M COVID-19 vaccines by January 2021, HHS said Monday.

The department’s Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority jointly established the CIADM with Texas A&M University System under a public-private partnership.

The center at Texas A&M University System follows a Maryland-based CIADM that HHS also reserved for COVID-19 vaccine production.

“To ensure we have the needed capacity, we are engaging domestic centers for advanced manufacturing that HHS has helped build in recent years,” said Alex Azar, HHS secretary.

The task order reserves the Texas-based CIADM for vaccine production through December next year. Novavax and other government-partnered vaccine makers will receive the CIADM’s production support.

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CISA, U.K. Cybersecurity Agency Investigate QSnatch Malware
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CISA, U.K. Cybersecurity Agency Investigate QSnatch Malware

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and a U.K.-based cybersecurity center have investigated and released findings on the QSnatch malware that has been used against network-attached storage devices.

The joint investigation found that the malware may have been used in a campaign that ran from 2014 to 2017 and in a second one between 2018 and 2019, CISA said Monday.

QSnatch is known as a tool of cyber actors who have targeted devices made by company QNAP. The malware may still pose a threat to unpatched devices. CISA also noted that the cyber actors have exhibited an understanding of operational security.

QSnatch has features that allow users to steal passwords and system configuration files, scrape credentials, apply arbitrary codes via a backdoor and remotely access assets. The investigators recommend organizations only purchase QNAP products from verified sources and block external links if the device is used solely as internal storage.

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NIST, DHS Conduct Study on Facial Recognition Tech’s Accuracy in Identifying Masked Subjects
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NIST, DHS Conduct Study on Facial Recognition Tech’s Accuracy in Identifying Masked Subjects

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a report on the accuracy of facial recognition algorithms in identifying individuals with face masks.

NIST said Monday the report, titled “Ongoing Face Recognition Vendor Test (FRVT) Part 6A: Face recognition accuracy with face masks using pre-COVID-19 algorithms”, found that the top 89 algorithms were able to perform with error rates of 5 to 50 percent.

As part of the FRVT, researchers tested 6M algorithms’ ability to match photos of individuals with face masks with photos of the same people without masks. The team used a variety of mask types and colors through a “one-to-one” matching procedure during the study.

According to the report, the “most accurate algorithms” produced results with 0.3 percent error rates for unmasked images and 5 percent for masked samples. The “otherwise competent” algorithms reported error rates of 20 to 50 percent.

“With respect to accuracy with face masks, we expect the technology to continue to improve,” said Mei Ngan, a computer scientist at NIST. “But the data we’ve taken so far underscores one of the ideas common to previous FRVT tests: Individual algorithms perform differently. Users should get to know the algorithm they are using thoroughly and test its performance in their own work environment.” 

Ngan said that subsequent tests are scheduled for later this summer. DHS components that took part in the study include the Science and Technology Directorate, Office of Biometric Identity Management and Customs and Border Protection.

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President Trump Eyes Nomination of Retired Col. Craig Duehring as DoD Deputy Secretary
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President Trump Eyes Nomination of Retired Col. Craig Duehring as DoD Deputy Secretary

President Trump intends to nominate Retired Col. Craig Duehring, a 28-year U.S. Air Force veteran, to serve as deputy secretary for personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense (DoD), the White House said Monday.

Most recently, Duehring served as assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs at USAF. Prior to his previous role, Duehring assumed the position of principal assistant secretary for reserve affairs at DoD.

He also flew more than 1,200 hours aboard the A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and logged over 800 missions during the Vietnam war as a forward air controller.

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GAO: DoD Must Consider Climate Resiliency in Supply, Acquisition Procedures
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GAO: DoD Must Consider Climate Resiliency in Supply, Acquisition Procedures

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is recommending the Department of Defense (DoD) to establish a “climate resiliency” framework to ensure that its facility operations and logistics activities are not impacted by dangers resulting from climate change.

GAO said in a report released Monday that DoD failed to routinely assess climate risks faced by contractors during the procurement and supply of goods and services. In addition, the watchdog found that the department’s supply chain guidance does not “systematically identify and consider" climate-related risks to the acquisition of weapons systems.

According to the report, the military departments also failed to implement DoD’s climate change directive seeking to include extreme weather or other climate disruptions like flooding.

DoD also has a mission assurance guidance that includes minimum requirements for conducting all-hazards threat assessments at non-DoD or contractor facilities.

Military officials have noted that DoD is “limited in its ability to conduct such assessments” due to access restrictions in commercial facilities.

GAO suggests that DoD incorporate climate risks in its acquisition and supply guidance for government- and commercially-owned and operated locations to “fulfill key missions dependent on such facilities.”

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Cyware Integrates VMware Carbon Black to Automate Responses; Tom Barsi, Amit Patel Quoted
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Cyware Integrates VMware Carbon Black to Automate Responses; Tom Barsi, Amit Patel Quoted

Cyware has partnered with VMware Carbon Black to integrate automated threat detection and remediation to mutual customers, Cyware reported on Tuesday.

"This integration brings complex endpoint queries and response tasks from the Carbon Black Cloud to Cyware's automated playbooks," said Tom Barsi, VP of Alliances for VMware Carbon Black. "Through this integration, we believe our mutual customers can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of their existing SOC workflows."

The partnership will enable customers to customize security playbooks in the Cyware Security Orchestration Layer (CSOL) platform. Cyware’s offering will leverage components of the Carbon Black Cloud to detect and remediate threats at the endpoint.

CSOL is a universal Security Orchestration Automation and Response (SOAR) Platform that will execute and automate on-demand or event-triggered tasks across deployed security tools and environments. The offering will provide security teams with customized automation playbooks to complete manual tasks.

The platform will also enable machine-to-machine, human-to-machine and machine-to-human security orchestration through integrations with a wide range of deployed security tools and technologies.

"Cyware's automated playbooks are a major value-add to the market and this recent integration with VMware Carbon Black is the latest example of our company's continuous pursuit of security-focused innovation for our customers," said Amit Patel, VP of Sales Americas, at Cyware. 

About VMware

VMware software powers the world’s complex digital infrastructure. The company’s cloud, app modernization, networking, security, and digital workspace offerings help customers deliver any application on any cloud across any device. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to being a force for good, from its breakthrough technology innovations to its global impact.

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SAP NS2 Rebrands FedRAMP, Offers SAP Analytics Cloud; Harish Luthra Quoted
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SAP NS2 Rebrands FedRAMP, Offers SAP Analytics Cloud; Harish Luthra Quoted

SAP National Security Services (NS2), a subsidiary of SAP, has rebranded its FedRAMP Marketplace to SAP NS2 Cloud Intelligent Enterprise, which will include a JAB approved service, SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC), the company reported on Tuesday. 

"With SAC's machine learning technology and embedded artificial intelligence, customers can discover, analyze, plan, and predict in one experience across all devices. Government agencies need a simple way to access critical information to make informed decisions," said Harish Luthra, president of NS2 Cloud.

FedRAMP will enable SAP NS2 to save time and costs by enabling rapid procurement of information systems and services for consistent application of information security standards across all government organizations.

SAP NS2 Cloud Intelligent Enterprise will provide a suite of intelligent applications and experience management tools for managing operational transactions, HR and people management, analytics and other innovative capabilities. 

The applications will include embedded intelligence and offer a consistent user interface. SAP NS2’s solution will offer SuccessFactors, Employee Central Payroll and SAP Analytics Cloud (SAC). 

SuccessFactors is an enterprise HR and People management Software as a Service (SaaS) solution that delivers business results by driving business alignment, optimizing people performance and building a competitive advantage through people.

Employee Central Payroll is a secure, industry-based payroll engine that is integrated to the core HR system. SAP NS2 will provide customers with enhanced availability, compliance and customer support to deliver a mission critical edge.

The SAC is a business intelligence platform SaaS solution that will connect people and information to enable fast end-to-end decision making.

About SAP NS2

At SAP NS2®, we support the mission of national security by providing innovative computing, analytics, and cloud solutions, all delivered by U.S. persons on U.S. soil. From custom development to secure cloud, and virtually everything in between, SAP NS2 powers the secure intelligent enterprise.

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CenturyLink Wins Contract to Support Arizona Network Connectivity; Sonia Ramsey Quoted
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CenturyLink Wins Contract to Support Arizona Network Connectivity; Sonia Ramsey Quoted

CenturyLink has secured a five-year contract with the State of Arizona to provide network connectivity and managed IT services to support state government agencies services, the company reported on Tuesday. The contract has two one-year options.

"The State of Arizona placed its trust in CenturyLink again to deliver a next-generation version of its mission-critical network known as AZNet," said Sonia Ramsey, CenturyLink vice president for the state and local government and education market.

Under the contract, CenturyLink will provide local and wide area network management, WiFi, security, unified voice communications, contact center communications, IT management, data center and cloud-based services to the state.

 CenturyLink also won the previous AZNet contract. With today’s announcement, the company has  expanded its commitment to AZNet to support modern, cloud-based integrated security, automation and orchestration services. 

"This is a great example of how we're helping government agencies of all sizes capitalize on the latest technologies to upgrade their networks and transform the delivery of vital services to citizens," added Ramsey. 

CenturyLink was also awarded a similar managed services contract with the State of Texas Department of Information Resources (DIR) to integrate the company’s comprehensive managed services in March 2018.

Under the contract, government organizations can leverage CenturyLink's managed services to reduce costs and preserve IT department resources since CenturyLink provides full operational support. The contract has also simplified the order and fulfillment process by allowing organizations to source multi-functional solutions from one vendor.

About CenturyLink

CenturyLink (NYSE: CTL) is a technology leader delivering hybrid networking, cloud connectivity, and security solutions to customers around the world. 

Through its extensive global fiber network, CenturyLink provides secure and reliable services to meet the growing digital demands of businesses and consumers. CenturyLink strives to be the trusted connection to the networked world and is focused on delivering technology that enhances the customer experience.

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