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Marc Groman: OMB Updates Guidance for Agencies’ Privacy Mgmt Responsibilities
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Marc Groman: OMB Updates Guidance for Agencies’ Privacy Mgmt Responsibilities


operational-security1The Office of Management and Budget has updated its guidance on the role and responsibilities of senior agency officials for privacy amid advancements in technology and information analytics.

Marc Groman, senior adviser for privacy at OMB, wrote in a blog post published Thursday  the new guidance outlines requirements for the designation of SAOPs and seeks to help agencies address challenges in the digital age.

He said the guide calls for agency heads to evaluate the management and operation of their organization’s privacy efforts and assign an SAOP official.

SAOPs are also required to take a central function in an agency’s policy development and evaluation, privacy compliance and privacy risk management efforts, Groman added.

The guidance complements other measures taken by the administration to protect privacy such as the recently updated Circular A-130 meant to coordinate agency approach to privacy and information security.

The government also established a Federal Privacy Council to share ideas, best practices and approaches for privacy protection across the government.

USPTO Grants Patent for NIST’s Single-Photon Detector; Josh Bienfang Comments
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USPTO Grants Patent for NIST’s Single-Photon Detector; Josh Bienfang Comments


photon detectionA National Institute of Standards and Technology-led research team has obtained a patent from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for a device built to detect individual photons of light in an effort to address sensing and encryption challenges.

NIST said Thursday the method for single photon detection works to read signals from the detector in a process that is based on electronic interferometry, where waves combine to cancel out each other.

The agency believes the method could allow higher rates of transmission of encrypted electronic information and improved detection of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

“Single-photon detectors are useful for sensing the presence of some greenhouse gases in the atmosphere by sending a laser pulse into the air and seeing when photons come back,” said NIST physicist Josh Bienfang.

“Fast-gated detectors are great for this because they can count efficiently and at high rates, but they are only sensitive during the gates because, of course, the returned photons can arrive at any time,” Bienfang added.

USPTO issued the patent for the photon detector and the process for single photon detection July 26.

NIST collaborated with scientists at the California Institute of Technology and the University of Maryland to develop the method that detects photons that arrive when the so-called gates – created when the detector is activated for very short times – are either opened or closed.

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GAO Study: Agencies ‘Generally Satisfied’ With 18F, USDS Support Services
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GAO Study: Agencies ‘Generally Satisfied’ With 18F, USDS Support Services


digital governmentA survey by the Government Accountability Office has found that agency project managers are “generally satisified” with the information technology support services they have received from the Office of Management and Budget‘s U.S. Digital Service and the General Services Administration‘s 18F organization.

GAO said in a report published Thursday it found that 18F provided development and consulting services to 18 agencies on 32 digital service projects reviewed while USDS mainly provided consulting assistance to 11 agencies on 13 projects as of August 2015.

The survey also showed 16 project managers surveyed were “very satisfied” with 18F’s support work, seven respondents were “moderately satisfied” and another three were “moderately dissatisfied.”

Six project managers who responded to the GAO survey said they were “very satisfied” with the assistance given by USDS while three were “moderately satisfied” and four had no response, GAO said.

Auditors called on GSA and OMB to update goals and performance measurement since 18F and USDS’ separate goals are not completely outcome-oriented.

GAO noted OMB has established charters for the digital services teams of six out of 25 agencies that are included in President Barack Obama’s proposed budget for agency digital service teams.

According to the congressional watchdog, USDS aims to establish charters with the Education Department and the Small Business Administration by the end of the current fiscal year.

Eight agencies have told GAO they aim to create digital service teams but have yet to establish charters with USDS while nine agencies said they do not plan to establish digital service teams by September and most claimed that they did not receive requested funds to do so.

GAO also recommended that OMB update its policy on the relationship between agency chief information officers and digital services teams.

GAO: NNSA Should Develop Long-Term Nuclear Weapons Surveillance Strategy
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GAO: NNSA Should Develop Long-Term Nuclear Weapons Surveillance Strategy


Nuclear explosionThe Government Accountability Office has called on the Energy Department’s National Nuclear Security Administration to develop a long-term strategy for the assessment and monitoring of the U.S. nuclear weapons stockpile.

GAO said Wednesday it found that NNSA did not fully implement the agency’s Enhanced Surveillance Program under its 2007 Surveillance Transformation Project, which aimed to test a weapon system and its components to validate standard compliance.

The 2007 initiative also required NNSA to expand Enhanced Surveillance Program tests with the use of computer models to forecast the impacts of aging on weapon components and evaluate diagnostic tools.

GAO also found that the NNSA cut program spending by more than half from fiscal year 2007 to fiscal year 2015, postponed key activities and minimized the program’s scope.

The government watchdog recommends that NNSA develop strategic goals, identify the necessary resources to meet those goals and develop performance measures to monitor progress.

NNSA has agreed with GAO’s recommendation and plans to complete development of a long-term strategy by June 2017.

HHS Issues $87M in Funds for IT Updates at US Health Centers
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HHS Issues $87M in Funds for IT Updates at US Health Centers


EHRThe Department of Health and Human Services plans to award approximately $87 million in funds to support health information technology updates at 1,310 health centers across the U.S. and in Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and the Pacific Basin.

HHS said Thursday the funds will help health centers transition to value-based care models; use and share health information to support decisions; and facilitate engagement in delivery system transformation.

“This investment will help unlock health care data and put it to work, improving health outcomes and building a better health care system for the American people,” said HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell.

The department added health centers must use the funds to buy or update electronic health record systems using technology that is approved by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology.

Funds will come from the Affordable Care Act’s Community Health Center Fund that was extended through the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015, HHS noted.

The complete list of grant recipients is posted on the Health Resources and Services Administration‘s website.

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Rear Adm. Patrick Piercey Appointed Naval Surface Force Chief for US Atlantic Fleet
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Rear Adm. Patrick Piercey Appointed Naval Surface Force Chief for US Atlantic Fleet


Patrick Piercey
Patrick Piercey

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Patrick Piercey, director of maritime operations for the U.S. Pacific Fleet, has been named commander of the naval surface force for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet in Norfolk, Virginia.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus and Adm. John Richardson, chief of naval operations, announced Piercey’s new assignment in a Defense Department news release published Wednesday.

The 31-year Navy veteran has held leadership roles in several maritime assignments, such as commander of the carrier strike group 9 onboard USS George Washington (CVN 73) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) as well as combat systems and weapons officer aboard USS Thomas S. Gates (CG 51).

He served as a special assistant to the deputy director at the Office of Management and Budget, policy planner at the chief of naval operations’ office and the Joint Staff within the directorate for strategy and policy’s space and ballistic missile branch.

The Defense Superior Service Medal recipient is a former deputy director of plans, policy and strategy at the U.S. European Command.

COMNAVSURFLANT is one of the six Navy type commands that operates with approximately 25,000 personnel and more than 60 destroyers, frigates and cruiser ships that work to maintain military readiness against hostile ground, air and maritime targets as well as support drug interdiction operations in the Eastern Pacific and Caribbean Sea.

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Rear Adm. Christopher Grady Nominated to Multiple Navy Leadership Roles
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Rear Adm. Christopher Grady Nominated to Multiple Navy Leadership Roles


headshot-christoper-grady
Christopher Grady

President Barack Obama has nominated Rear Adm. Christopher Grady, commander of Naval Surface Force Atlantic, as commander of U.S. 6th Fleet, Task Force 6, Striking and Support Forces NATO and the European Joint Force Maritime Component Command.

Grady’s nomination also includes deputy commander roles for U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa and a promotion to the rank of vice admiral, the Defense Department said Tuesday.

He began his career in the U.S. Navy as a combat information center officer and antisubmarine warfare officer on USS Moosbrugger and has since served as an officer on USS Princeton, USS Chief, USS Cole and USS Ardent.

He has been deployed to the Arabian Gulf as commander of Destroyer Squadron 22 and sea combat commander for the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group to support the Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom operations.

He is a former executive assistant to the chief of naval operations, executive assistant to the Navy’s chief of legislative affairs, deputy executive secretary of the National Security Council, director of the Maritime Operations Center and commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, Carrier Strike Group 1 and the Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group.

Grady is a recipient of military awards such as the Defense Superior Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal and the Joint Service Achievement Medal.

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Kathy Brown: US Army, Marine Corps Adopts Collaborative Acquisition to Equip Soldiers
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Kathy Brown: US Army, Marine Corps Adopts Collaborative Acquisition to Equip Soldiers


joint-service-corporals-courseThe U.S. Army and Marine Corps plan to continue their collaborative efforts to develop and test uniforms and personal protective equipment for marines and soldiers.

Mathuel Browne of the Marine Corps Systems Command wrote in a blog post published Wednesday that the Cross-Service Warfighter Equipment Board and Improved Personal Protective Equipment System Integrated Product Team are among the forums that help the services to share technologies and develop services to update the equipment and uniforms for service members.

“While the Marine Corps and Army collaborate formally within CS-WEB and IPPES IPT, we continuously participate in each other’s equipment testing exercises to collect and share research data.” said Army Lt. Col. Kathy Brown, product manager for soldier protective equipment at PEO-Soldier.

“Through these formal and informal methods we’re able to share new technology and ideas to keep our service members equipped with the best gear,” added Brown.

Results of the Army and Marine Corps’ collaborative efforts included enhanced PPE, reduced weight, customized uniforms and development of equipment for extreme weather conditions.

The enhanced combat helmet built with lightweight materials and the Three Season Sleep System clothing are a few of the outcomes of the services’ joint efforts, according to Browne.

The Army and the Marine Corps also are currently developing the Plate Carrier Generation III vest to provide comfort and mobility to marines and soldiers, Browne wrote.

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NIST Unveils New Mobile Security Resources; Joshua Franklin Comments
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NIST Unveils New Mobile Security Resources; Joshua Franklin Comments


mobile securityThe National Institute of Standards and Technology has introduced new resources intended to help organizations protect their mobile devices and computer systems from malware threats.

NIST said Wednesday the draft Mobile Threat Catalogue and the draft Assessing Threats to Mobile Devices and Infrastructure seek to respond to the public and private organizations’ request for information on threats and how to mitigate the attacks.

The draft catalogue details the various mobile threats in authentication, supply chains, physical access, payment, ecosystem and network protocols, technologies and infrastructure.

MTC also raises security concerns over the Global Positioning System, WiFi, Bluetooth and mobile payments; and advocates the implementation of mobile security tools and best practices to help secure an organization’s information technology system.

“Often IT shops or security managers will address or secure the apps on a phone and protect the operating system from potential threats,” said Joshua Franklin, an NIST cybersecurity engineer.

“But there is a much wider range of threats that need to be addressed… Enterprise security teams often don’t focus on the cellular radios in smartphones, which, if not secured, can allow someone to eavesdrop on your CEO’s calls.”

The second draft provides background information on mobile device threats and recommends that security perspectives be expanded to include threats that occur through cellular networks, cloud infrastructure and application stores.

NIST collaborated with the Department of Homeland Security’s science and technology directorate to develop the resources with data obtained from responses to a 2015 request for information on mobile threats and defenses and interviews with security professionals.

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Lisa Monaco: DHS Offers Cybersecurity Support to State Election Administrators
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Lisa Monaco: DHS Offers Cybersecurity Support to State Election Administrators


cyber-hack-network-computerLisa Monaco, the president’s assistant for homeland security and counterterrorism, said the Department of Homeland Security has reached out to state election administrators to offer cybersecurity support and boost public confidence in voting systems, Federal News Radio reported Thursday.

Jared Serbu writes Monaco told a Center for Strategic and International Studies forum audience the White House will offer tools that state secretaries can procure through the DHS in an effort to mitigate potential vulnerabilities.

Monaco did not specify Russia as the culprit in recent election hacks, but noted that the country has been a “bad actor” in the cyberspace and emphasized that no country shall have a free pass on terrorist activity.

The FBI has discovered breaches on two state election databases from foreign hackers in August one of which led to voter registration data theft and triggered an investigation on the incidents.

DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson previously announced the department is considering a potential need for the election system to receive security support against potential cyber attacks.

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