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Census Bureau Deploys AI to Process Survey Data, Customer Feedback
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Census Bureau Deploys AI to Process Survey Data, Customer Feedback
Census Bureau Deploys AI to Process Survey Data, Customer Feedback

The Census Bureau is launching a pilot effort to deploy artificial intelligence and machine learning to identify operational data that employees may have missed, Fedscoop reported Wednesday.

Zachary Whitman, chief data officer of the bureau, said at an AFCEA event that employees previously reported difficulties when processing survey data that are handled through siloed programs.

“How do you get people to translate into information they might not know about but would be very valuable to them?” said Whitman. “That’s where a lot of our AI is coming into play, not only with our search services, but also with our user engagement.”

The bureau is also implementing AI algorithms to segregate customer feedback and identify positive and negative input.

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NASA to Deploy Instrument for Atmospheric Radiation Data
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NASA to Deploy Instrument for Atmospheric Radiation Data
NASA to Deploy Instrument for Atmospheric Radiation Data

NASA plans to use a space-based instrument to sustain data gathering on the radiation balance in Earth’s atmosphere.

Libera, the new selected instrument, would generate data on absorptions, emissions, reflections and atmospheric entries of solar radiation that serves as a factor of Earth's climate, the space agency said Thursday.

The instrument gathers wavelength range data that scientists can use to study different instances of climate change.

NASA is pursuing Libera to address the 2017 National Academies’ Earth Science Decadal Survey that identified science priorities based on community expertise.

The instrument will launch with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Joint Polar Satellite System-3 satellite in late 2027.

“This highly innovative instrument introduces a number of new technologies such as advanced detectors that will improve the data we collect while maintaining continuity of these important radiation budget measurements,” said Sandra Cauffman, who leads NASA's Earth science division on an acting basis.

NASA will publicly release Libera's data after commissioning.

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Navy Department to Create Acquisition Modernization Office
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Navy Department to Create Acquisition Modernization Office
Navy Department to Create Acquisition Modernization Office

Officials from the Department of the Navy have signed an agreement to stand up an office that would modernize procurement management.

The new Acquisition Modernization Office, part of Naval Facilities Engineering Command, would look into approaches that support procurement across U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps installation commands, DON said Wednesday.

AMO's establishment also aims to bolster DON's capacity to pursue contractual matters and installation-related leases.

“This Acquisition Modernization Office will assist our base commanders in partnering with defense communities and private industry to identify and develop non-traditional solutions for traditional infrastructure, utility and base operating support requirements in order to increase Naval shore capabilities and resilience,” said Rear Adm. John Korka, who leads NAVFAC and will oversee AMO's creation.

The signed agreement grants AMO an initial three-year operating term that the office would use to demonstrate viability.

“AMO provides Navy a new capability to finance unprogrammed shore requirements with greater speed and agility by partnering with the private sector on strategic joint ventures,” said John Kliem, who will lead AMO as director.

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DIA’s James Sullivan Talks US Cyber Offense, Supply Chain Security Needs
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DIA’s James Sullivan Talks US Cyber Offense, Supply Chain Security Needs
DIA's James Sullivan Talks US Cyber Offense, Supply Chain Security Needs

James Sullivan, the defense intelligence officer for cyber at the Defense Intelligence Agency, has said that the U.S. should also prioritize cyber offense efforts aside from defense-focused activities.

DIA said Wednesday that Sullivan spoke at this year’s RSA Conference in San Francisco on how mitigating supply chain risks is key to fortifying U.S. cybersecurity.

According to Sullivan, DIA operates a threat analysis center for supply chain risk management that works to analyze vulnerabilities in embedded software.

“I think if you understand the tactics, techniques and procedures [of adversaries] of how they go about discovering and exploiting vulnerabilities, then I think that goes a long way mitigating risk,” said Sullivan.

“The cyber domain is very much becoming an aspect of war and warfare in this country and globally,” he added.

Sullivan’s comments come as part of his “Digital Risk Management” breakout session at the conference.

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IBM Security Releases Survey Results Showing Concerns of Cyberattacks; Wendi Whitmore Quoted
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IBM Security Releases Survey Results Showing Concerns of Cyberattacks; Wendi Whitmore Quoted
IBM Security Releases Survey Results Showing Concerns of Cyberattacks; Wendi Whitmore Quoted

IBM Security has released the results of a new poll, the IBM Harris Poll, that examined company preparedness for dealing with cyberattacks, the company reported on Thursday.

"The data in this new study suggests local and state employees recognize the threat but demonstrate overconfidence in their ability to react to and manage it. Meanwhile, cities and states across the country remain a ripe target for cybercriminals," said Wendi Whitmore, VP of Threat Intelligence, IBM Security. 

The report covered cyberthreats within the 2020 elections, public education and U.S. government. The study found that 73 percent of government employees surveyed are concerned about impending ransomware threats to cities across the country and fear of cyberattacks to the respective community than natural disasters and terrorist attacks.

The IBM Harris Poll study found 63 percent of respondents are concerned that a cyberattack could disrupt the upcoming elections, with the majority of government employees placing their local Board of Elections among the top three most vulnerable systems in their communities.

Public schools have also emerged as a growing target for cybercriminals in 2019, ranking as the 7th most targeted industry in IBM's X-Force Threat Intelligence Index. Of respondents within the public education sector, 44 percent said they hadn't received basic cybersecurity training, and 70 percent said they hadn't received adequate training specifically on how to respond to a cyberattack. 

Within the government sector, the report stated that government employees claimed they had seen more improvements than not, and nearly 70 percent concluded that employers are currently taking the threat of cyberattacks seriously. 

"The emerging ransomware epidemic in our cities highlights the need for cities to better prepare for cyberattacks just as frequently as they prepare for natural disasters," added Whitmore. 

About IBM Security

IBM Security offers one of the most advanced and integrated portfolios of enterprise security products and services. The portfolio, supported by world-renowned IBM X-Force® research, enables organizations to effectively manage risk and defend against emerging threats. 

IBM operates one of the world's broadest security research, development and delivery organizations, monitors 70 billion security events per day in more than 130 countries, and has been granted more than 10,000 security patents worldwide.

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Iridium Communications Debuts Iridium Certus 700 to Provide Enhanced L-Band Speeds; Bryan Hartin, Matt Desch Quoted
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Iridium Communications Debuts Iridium Certus 700 to Provide Enhanced L-Band Speeds; Bryan Hartin, Matt Desch Quoted
Iridium Communications Debuts Iridium Certus 700 to Provide Enhanced L-Band Speeds; Bryan Hartin, Matt Desch Quoted

Iridium Communications has released Iridium Certus 700 service to provide the most efficient L-band speeds within the industry, the company reported on Thursday. The service has become commercially available after its initial launch in 2019. 

 "As we see this increasing adoption, we also look ahead to our coming Iridium Certus midband class of devices currently in development, which opens the door to enhanced capabilities for autonomous systems, remote sensors and a new generation of satellite-powered personal communicators," Matt Desch, CEO of Iridium and six time Wash100 Award recipient, commented. 

Initially, Iridium Certus provided L-band upload and download speeds of up to 352 kbps after its first launch. With the upgrade to Iridium Certus 700, the company has improved the download speeds to up to 704 kbps.  

The faster speeds available can enhance applications, including telemedicine for remote aid workers, command and control or situational awareness updates for militaries, and remote database access or video monitoring for first responders and police

Iridium Certus is the only broadband service that will provide global, weather-resilient coverage for on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access.  Certus has been delivered through small form factor, cost-effective antennas and terminals from Cobham and Thales, and has reported a growth in its maritime and land-mobile/connected vehicle customer base.

For maritime integration, Iridium Certus serves as either a primary ship communications solution or as a VSAT companion service.  Regardless of a vessel's location at sea, Iridium Certus 700 delivers high-speed L-band connectivity, enhancing ship business applications, IoT services and connected ship communications.

"Iridium Certus is now the standard when it comes to providing primary maritime or VSAT companion service, and a reliable weather-resilient broadband solution for mobile applications supporting railways, first responders, and any industry regularly working beyond the reach of terrestrial coverage,” said Bryan Hartin, executive vice president, Iridium.

Iridium Communications Inc. 

Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. 

In 2019, the company completed a generational upgrade of its satellite network and launched its new specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus®. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM.

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VMware Publishes ‘2020 Cybersecurity Outlook’ Report to Reveal Cyber Attacker Behaviors, IT Security Team Relationship; Rick McElroy Quoted
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VMware Publishes ‘2020 Cybersecurity Outlook’ Report to Reveal Cyber Attacker Behaviors, IT Security Team Relationship; Rick McElroy Quoted
VMware Publishes ‘2020 Cybersecurity Outlook’ Report to Reveal Cyber Attacker Behaviors, IT Security Team Relationship; Rick McElroy Quoted

VMware has released the Carbon Black ‘2020 Cybersecurity Outlook’ report on Thursday, which has provided a holistic analysis of how attackers have evolved, what defenders have done to stay ahead of the curve and how security and IT teams can work together to enhance its protective software moving forward. 

“We need IT teams to look toward security solutions that are built in and not bolted on. It’s time for security to become part of our organizational DNA. It’s time security becomes intrinsic to how we build, deploy and maintain technology,” said Rick McElroy, one of the report’s authors.

VMware utilized the MITRE ATT&CK framework to conduct Section I of the research. The report analyzed the top attack tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) throughout 2019 and provided specific guidance on ransomware, commodity malware, wipers, access mining and destructive attacks.

In Section II of the report, VMware Carbon Black collaborated with Forrester Consulting on a 624-person survey, including IT and security managers, CIOs and CISOs to explore the current state of IT and security relationship dynamics from the C-level to the practitioner level, and how they will evolve.

The report revealed that attacker behavior has become more evasive, showing that attackers are increasingly attempting to circumvent legacy security solutions. Defense evasion behavior was seen in more than 90 percent of the 2,000 attack samples we analyzed.

Defense evasion behaviors have been continuously used in ransomware; the report found it was integrated in 95 percent of analyzed samples. These ransomware attacks are heavily targeting organizations in energy, government and manufacturing sectors.

VMware noted that IT and security teams generally share common goals, including preventing breaches, efficiency and incident resolution, but 77.4 percent of survey respondents said IT and security currently have a negative relationship. 55 percent of survey respondents said that fostering collaboration across IT and security teams should be the organization’s top priority. 

Additionally, over 50 percent of survey respondents said that both security and IT will share responsibility for key areas like endpoint security, security architecture and identity and access management.

“Defenders must stop thinking about how to achieve results on their own. Defenders must continue to build bridges with IT teams. The time for cooperation is now. We can no longer afford to go at this problem alone,” added McElroy. 

About VMware

VMware software powers the world’s complex digital infrastructure. The company’s cloud, networking and security, and digital workspace offerings provide a dynamic and efficient digital foundation to customers globally, aided by an extensive ecosystem of partners. Headquartered in Palo Alto, California, VMware is committed to being a force for good, from its breakthrough innovations to its global impact.

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Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, NASA Complete Final ACM Tests for Artemis II Mission; Pat Nolan Quoted
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Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, NASA Complete Final ACM Tests for Artemis II Mission; Pat Nolan Quoted
Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, NASA Complete Final ACM Tests for Artemis II Mission; Pat Nolan Quoted

Northrop Grumman, NASA and Lockheed Martin have successfully completed the third and final qualification test of the Attitude Control Motor (ACM) integrated into NASA’s Orion spacecraft Launch Abort System (LAS), Northrop Grumman announced on Thursday. 

“Completion of this milestone emphasizes Northrop Grumman’s commitment to deliver innovative and reliable technology that will keep our astronauts safe during launch,” said Pat Nolan, vice president of missile products with Northrop Grumman.

Northrop Grumman’s team performed the test under cold operating conditions to complement the earlier tests conducted at nominal and high-temperature conditions. The company ignited the motor using one of the two initiators and simulated high altitude vacuum conditions to demonstrate worst case conditions.

The reported results revealed that the motor showed excellent performance and met the design criteria for the application. All eight high thrust valves operated nominally over the 35 second motor burn time. The valves provided more than 7,000 lbs. of thrust during the high thrust portion of the duty cycle. 

The ACM is one of three motors comprising Orion’s LAS. The system is designed to carry astronauts inside the spacecraft to safety if an emergency arises on the launch pad or during Orion’s climb to orbit. 

The attitude control motor would steer the Orion crew module away from the launch vehicle in the case of an abort. The ACM also orients the capsule for parachute deployment once the crew module is clear of all hazards.

Orion is part of NASA’s pillars of deep space exploration, along with the Space Launch System rocket and Gateway in orbit around the Moon. Orion will sustain astronauts in deep space, provide emergency abort capability, and support a safe re-entry from lunar return velocities.

“The qualification test is a critical step toward Artemis II, Orion’s first flight with astronauts,”  added Nolan. 

About Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) is an American global aerospace and defense technology company. With over 85,000 employees and an annual revenue in excess of $30 billion, it is one of the world's largest weapons manufacturers and military technology providers.

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BAE Systems Receives $126M Task Order From USMS to Provide Mission Critical Sustainment, Engineering Services; Mark Keeler Quoted
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BAE Systems Receives $126M Task Order From USMS to Provide Mission Critical Sustainment, Engineering Services; Mark Keeler Quoted
BAE Systems Receives $126M Task Order From USMS to Provide Mission Critical Sustainment, Engineering Services; Mark Keeler Quoted

The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) has awarded BAE Systems a $126 million task order to provide mission critical sustainment and engineering services to the USMS’ Information Technology (IT) Division, the company announced on Thursday.

“We are a leading systems integrator with strong experience unifying the people, processes, and tools needed to deliver advanced solutions for our nation’s IT security challenges,” said Mark Keeler, vice president and general manager of BAE Systems' Integrated Defense Solutions business. 

BAE Systems will provide IT infrastructure engineering, deliver full lifecycle operations, and execute comprehensive portfolio management. The company will also provide service desk support and modernize IT tools and capabilities through cloud service innovations and process improvement.

The task order was awarded under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center’s Chief Information Officer–Solutions and Partners 3 (CIO-SP3) Government-Wide Acquisition Contract. The Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract is intended to provide information technology solutions and services.

BAE Systems continues to provide a broad range of services and solutions, enabling militaries and governments to successfully carry out their respective missions. The company has supported large-scale systems engineering, integration, and sustainment services across air, land, sea, space, and cyber domains. 

“We have supported the U.S. Department of Justice for more than two decades and look forward to partnering with the U.S. Marshals in their critical mission,” added Keeler. 

BAE Systems has also secured a $300 million contract from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in Feb. 2020. Under the contract, the company will provide support to FEMA’s IT infrastructure and maintain enterprise systems. 

The company has supported the agency’s Office of the Chief Information Officer over the past two decades and will expand the scope of support through the FEMA Operations and Maintenance contract, which includes network, help desk and telecommunications services.

BAE Systems will implement agile IT approaches to help ensure the integrity of mission-critical agency systems. “FEMA leads our nation’s emergency management preparedness and response and we are proud to support them in their important mission,” Keeler stated.

About BAE Systems

A career at BAE Systems will ignite your passion to improve security, defend freedom and make the world a safer place. BAE Systems, Inc. is the U.S. subsidiary of BAE Systems plc, an international defense, aerospace and security company which delivers a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, security, information technology solutions and customer support services.

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Matthew Donovan to be Nominated as Full-Time DoD Undersecretary for Personnel, Readiness
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Matthew Donovan to be Nominated as Full-Time DoD Undersecretary for Personnel, Readiness
Matthew Donovan
Matthew Donovan

President Trump intends to nominate three-decade U.S. Air Force veteran Matthew Donovan as undersecretary of personnel and readiness at the Department of Defense, the White House announced Wednesday.

Donovan, who has held DoD’s top personnel post on an acting basis since Jimmy Stewart stepped down early in December, was acting secretary of USAF from June to October 2019 and undersecretary of the service branch from October to December of the same year.

He logged nearly 3K flight hours with the F-15C and F-5E Tiger II platforms as a command pilot.

The retired colonel worked at Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) as a senior defense policy analyst after his retirement from military service in 2008. After SAIC, he held civil service positions such as director of staff in USAF’s Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs.

He helped oversee military fixed-wing fighter, mobility, bomber and special mission aircraft programs during his tenure as a professional staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

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