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Civilian/News
Inspector General: DHS Must Update Financial Mgmt Systems, IT Security Programs
by Ramona Adams
Published on July 5, 2017
Inspector General: DHS Must Update Financial Mgmt Systems, IT Security Programs


Inspector General: DHS Must Update Financial Mgmt Systems, IT Security ProgramsThe Department of Homeland Security‘s inspector general has said DHS’ chief information officer and acting chief financial officer must work together to update financial management systems and associated information technology security programs.

KPMG was contracted to perform an audit of fiscal 2016 DHS financial statements as well as evaluate general information technology controls and business process application controls at the office of financial management and office of the CIO, according to a report published June 28.

The accounting firm found internal control deficiencies at OFM and OCIO that contributed to a DHS-wide material weakness in IT controls and financial systems.

“Specifically, with respect to financial systems at DHS, we noted certain matters in the general IT control areas of access controls, security management and configuration management,” KPMG told DHS’ IG in a written letter.

The deficiencies have affected OFM and OCIO’s capacity to maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of financial and operational data, the report noted.

KPMG also identified instances in which OFM and OCIO employees did not completely meet requirements to protect sensitive assets from unauthorized access or disclosure.

Government Technology/News
Jeremy Palmer: DARPA Eyes Experimental Small Satellite Mission Launch Aboard India’s Rocket
by Jane Edwards
Published on July 5, 2017
Jeremy Palmer: DARPA Eyes Experimental Small Satellite Mission Launch Aboard India’s Rocket


Jeremy Palmer: DARPA Eyes Experimental Small Satellite Mission Launch Aboard India’s RocketThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency plans to launch a mission for experimental small satellites, also known as satlets, aboard a rocket from India, Space News reported Monday.

The eXperiment for Cellular Integration Technologies mission seeks to demonstrate the capability to establish a satellite bus around a sensor and other payloads through the use of satlets.

Jeremy Palmer, program manager for DARPA’s tactical technology office, said Thursday at Milsatcom USA conference in Washington that the agency plans to launch the EXCITE mission on the Indian Space Research Organization’s Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle by the first half of fiscal 2018.

“We have 14 of these satlets aggregated together in a 155-kilogram secondary payload satellite intended for low-Earth orbit at an inclination of 98 degrees with an elliptical orbit of 450-kilometer perigee,” Palmer said.

Tech startup Novawurks has begun development work on the spacecraft through the use of its Hyper-Integrated Satlet platform, while Cubesat maker Pumpkin has started delivering “snap-on” solar wings for the satlets.

DoD/News
DoD IG: Army Needs to Train Black Hawk Helicopter Pilots on New Equipment
by Jane Edwards
Published on July 5, 2017
DoD IG: Army Needs to Train Black Hawk Helicopter Pilots on New Equipment


DoD IG: Army Needs to Train Black Hawk Helicopter Pilots on New EquipmentThe Defense Department‘s inspector general has called on the U.S. Army’s vice chief of staff to provide new equipment training to pilots that operate Sikorsky-built H-60 Black Hawk helicopters.

The Army Aviation and Missile Command should collaborate with the Army Forces Command to facilitate compliance with guidelines on airframe condition evaluation among H-60 unit commanders and identify helicopters that did not undergo review during the evaluation period, DoD IG said in a report published June 27.

The IG made the recommendations after it found that the Army failed to offer adequate funds and training to helicopter pilots on the new equipment.

The report said the service needs $152.9 million in additional funds to support equipment training of 1,390 Black Hawk pilots from fiscal 2018 through fiscal 2035.

The Army National Guard could face a shortage of 160 trained aviators by fiscal 2026 if the military branch fails to initiate actions on new equipment training.

The service branch also failed to evaluate the airframe condition of 460 H-60 helicopters between March 1, 2016 and Feb. 28, 2017.

The IG also urged the Project Management Utility Helicopters to appoint a manager to oversee training on H-60M and H-60V equipment.

Acquisition & Procurement/News
OMB, Commerce Dept Issue New Memo on ‘Buy American Laws’ Compliance
by Jane Edwards
Published on July 5, 2017
OMB, Commerce Dept Issue New Memo on ‘Buy American Laws’ Compliance


OMB, Commerce Dept Issue New Memo on 'Buy American Laws' ComplianceThe Office of Management Budget and the Commerce Department have released a new memorandum on the enforcement and evaluation of domestic preferences in compliance with an executive order that seeks to direct federal agencies to procure U.S.-made products and materials.

The memo aims to guide agencies on how to minimize the use of waivers and exceptions in order for the federal government to optimize the potential impact of Buy American Laws, OMB Director Mick Mulvaney and Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross wrote in the document released Friday.

The memo directs agency chiefs to submit to the Commerce Department and OMB a report that details their assessment of the implementation of Buy American Laws within their agencies by Sept. 15 in compliance with the executive order’s section 3.

The report should contain information on how agencies review the use of waivers “by type and impact on domestic jobs and manufacturing.”

The memo also requires agency heads to develop policies that seek to ensure that federal procurements and financial grants maximize the use of U.S.-made products.

The section 3 report should include information on training, internal reviews, marketing and outreach as well as guidance and procedures that seek to facilitate compliance with Buy American Laws and Trade Agreements Act.

DoD/News
Reports: US, UK, Norway Eye Trilateral Partnership on P-8A Operations
by Ramona Adams
Published on July 5, 2017
Reports: US, UK, Norway Eye Trilateral Partnership on P-8A Operations


Reports: US, UK, Norway Eye Trilateral Partnership on P-8A OperationsThe governments of U.S., U.K. and Norway have agreed to establish a trilateral partnership on the operation of Boeing-built P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, Defense News reported Monday.

The Defense Department said the three countries have formed a statement of intent to create guiding principles for a trilateral P-8A coalition and lay down a framework “for further cooperation in areas such as readiness, enhancing defense capability and interoperability.”

A DoD official told Defense News that the partnership has not been finalized and that areas of cooperation could include operations in the North Atlantic, information sharing and co-location of maintenance and training assets.

The U.K. seeks to procure nine P-8A aircraft while Norway looks to buy five copies of the P-8A platform.

USNI News reported Friday some naval analysts believe the three countries plan to boost joint anti-submarine warfare operations in response to Russia’s submarine activities in the North Atlantic.

Bryan Clark, an analyst at the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, told USNI News the agreement could allow for sharing of airfields, maintenance facilities and equipment.

DoD/News
Rex Tillerson: Global Action Needed Against North Korea’s Nuclear Weapon Pursuit
by Jane Edwards
Published on July 5, 2017
Rex Tillerson: Global Action Needed Against North Korea’s Nuclear Weapon Pursuit


Rex Tillerson: Global Action Needed Against North Korea’s Nuclear Weapon PursuitSecretary of State Rex Tillerson has called on countries to launch a global action in response to North Korea’s efforts to advance nuclear weapons, Reuters reported Tuesday.

“All nations should publicly demonstrate to North Korea that there are consequences to their pursuit of nuclear weapons,” Tillerson said.

His statement comes after North Korea test-launched Tuesday an intercontinental ballistic missile designed to carry a nuclear warhead.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said the test concluded the East Asian country’s strategic weapons capability that includes ICBMs, hydrogen and atomic bombs and that his government would not drop those weapons until the U.S. cancels its policy against North Korea, according to North Korea’s state news agency KCNA.

KCNA noted the ICBM – Hwasong-14 – flew at a range of 580 miles and at an altitude of 1,741 miles during its 39-minute flight test.

U.S. and South Korea also performed a ballistic missile test to demonstrate capability against North Korea.

The United Nations Security Council will conduct an emergency meeting Wednesday at 3 p.m. Eastern time in response to the call of the U.S., South Korea and Japan.

North Korea’s ICBM test comes days before state leaders meet this week for the G20 summit in Germany, the report added.

Government Technology/News
Soldiers, Vendors Participate in Army Cyber Quest Drill
by Scott Nicholas
Published on July 5, 2017
Soldiers, Vendors Participate in Army Cyber Quest Drill


Soldiers, Vendors Participate in Army Cyber Quest DrillThe U.S. Army has conducted a month-long cybersecurity exercise that aimed to test soldiers’ ability to detect unusual network activities and avert cyber attacks, Defense Systems reported Monday.

Twenty-seven vendors and more than 300 service members took part in the service branch’s Cyber Quest event, according to the report.

Soldiers were tasked to deflect simulated attacks and other automated actions that represented potential intrusions, malicious actors and various threats as part of the drill.

“We want to defend networks and provide the operational edge with an ability to detect new attacks and remediate those attacks in a rapid fashion,” said Lt. Col. Stephen Roberts, Army officer in charge of Cyber Quest 2017.

Maj. Gen. John Morrison, commanding general of the Army Cyber Center of Excellence at Fort Gordon, noted the exercise included a combination of simulated cyber and electronic warfare attacks.

Results of the drill will be included in a special report for the Army Training and Doctrine Command.

Government Technology/News
UN Survey: Nearly 100 Countries Lack National Cyber Strategy
by Scott Nicholas
Published on July 5, 2017
UN Survey: Nearly 100 Countries Lack National Cyber Strategy


UN Survey: Nearly 100 Countries Lack National Cyber StrategyThe United Nations’ International Telecommunication Union has found that 50 percent of 195 countries surveyed have not implemented a national cybersecurity strategy, Reuters reported Wednesday.

ITU has also identified a gap between countries in terms of capacity to implement appropriate cybersecurity tools, strategies and programs.

“Cybersecurity is an ecosystem where laws, organizations, skills, cooperation and technical implementation need to be in harmony to be most effective,” ITU said.

Singapore was ranked in the survey as the top country in cybersecurity, followed by the U.S., Malaysia, Oman, Estonia, Mauritius, Australia, Georgia, France and Canada.

UTI based the ranking on the countries’ data sharing networks; educational and research programs; and legal, organizational and technical institutions.

Government Technology/News
NSA Updates Patent Portfolio Under Tech Transfer Program
by Scott Nicholas
Published on July 5, 2017
NSA Updates Patent Portfolio Under Tech Transfer Program


NSA Updates Patent Portfolio Under Tech Transfer ProgramThe National Security Agency has updated a list of patented tools NSA aims to bring into the commercial market through a technology transfer program, Nextgov reported Monday.

NSA’s updated patent portfolio covers multiple research and development projects that aim to address big data, cyber, internet of things and mobility challenges.

The list includes big data search, software integrity evaluation systems, electronic component tracking, speech and language recognition, simultaneous voice detection and maritime communications support technologies.

The TTP program works to help companies commercialize agency-developed tools through patent licensing agreements.

Civilian/News
DoD Vet Kevin Scheid Assumes Leadership of NATO’s Network Security Arm
by Mary-Louise Hoffman
Published on July 5, 2017
DoD Vet Kevin Scheid Assumes Leadership of NATO’s Network Security Arm


DoD Vet Kevin Scheid Assumes Leadership of NATO's Network Security Arm
Kevin Scheid

Kevin Scheid, who served as Defense Department deputy comptroller from 2006 to 2009, has begun a three-year term as general manager of the NATO Communications and Information Agency, Bloomberg reported Monday .

The report said he will oversee the agency that operates electronic networks designed to help NATO’s 29 member states thwart cyber attacks, secure airspace, conduct maritime operations and counter terrorist activity.

NCI Agency was formed in July 2012 to consolidate the international alliance’s consultation, command and control; air command and control system management; communication and information systems services; and active layered theatre ballistic missile defense program agencies.

Scheid previously served as senior adviser to the president and CEO of Mitre, acting deputy chief management officer at DoD and deputy general manager and director of acquisition at NATO C3 Agency.

His government career also includes various positions at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Office of the Director of Central Intelligence and Office of Management and Budget.

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