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Government Technology/News
Motherboard: Hacker Claims Access to FBI, DHS Employee Contact Info, DOJ Email
by Anna Forrester
Published on February 9, 2016
Motherboard: Hacker Claims Access to FBI, DHS Employee Contact Info, DOJ Email


cybersecurityA hacker claims to have gained access to the email addresses and phone numbers of thousands of FBI and Department of Homeland Security employees using a compromised Justice Department email account, Motherboard reported Sunday.

Joseph Cox writes that the hacker plans to release the obtained information on 20,000 FBI and 9,000 DHS personnel to the public.

An update to the report on Monday noted that a pro-Palestine account on Twitter has already published the details of the DHS employees.

“We are looking into the reports of purported disclosure of DHS employee contact information,” a DHS spokesman told Motherboard in an email.

“We take these reports very seriously; however, there is no indication at this time that there is any breach of sensitive or personally identifiable information.”

Cox reports that the hacker said he used the credentials of the compromised DOJ email account to log in to an online virtual machine, which provided him access to the user’s documents and others in the local network.

The hacker added that he downloaded 200 GB of data — including the job titles and contact information of the FBI and DHS workers — from a DOJ intranet, the report said.

Acquisition & Procurement/News
Sens. Kirk, Gillibrand Push New Bill to Speed Up Electronic Warfare Acquisition
by Jane Edwards
Published on February 9, 2016
Sens. Kirk, Gillibrand Push New Bill to Speed Up Electronic Warfare Acquisition


ElectronicWarfareSens. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) have proposed a bill that seeks to provide the Defense Department with more flexibility in terms of allocation of funds for electronic warfare platforms.

The proposed Electronic Warfare Enhancement Act would also incorporate EW platforms into the Rapid Acquisition Authority Program in an effort to speed up the acquisition process for such technologies, Kirk’s office said in an announcement published Thursday.

The inclusion of EW systems into the RAA program aims to allow program managers to facilitate technology deployment within two years through waiver of procurement rules and regulations.

“It is critical that the United States military dominates the offensive and defensive ends of electronic warfare,” Kirk said.

Gillibrand said the proposed bill aims to provide uniformed personnel access to new EW platforms in an effort to reduce their vulnerability to national security threats.

DoD’s electronic warfare executive committee will need to submit a strategic plan to Congress that details the budget and procurement process for EW, training improvements and how military branches plan to collaborate on the development of EW platforms, according to the proposed legislation.

News
CBO Sees $29B Decline in Federal Deficit Over 4 Months
by Mary-Louise Hoffman
Published on February 9, 2016
CBO Sees $29B Decline in Federal Deficit Over 4 Months


budget analysis reviewA new Congressional Budget Office report shows that federal budget deficit amounted to $165 billion after four months of fiscal 2016, about $29 billion lower than the figure for the same period in fiscal 2015.

CBO said Friday total amount of revenues earned by the government through individual and corporate income taxes and Federal Reserve remittances rose 3 percent to nearly $1.1 billion.

Federal spending totaled $4 billion over the past four months, which was unchanged from the prior year period’s outlays due to a shift in the timing of certain payments, CBO noted.

The federal government posted a budget surplus of $50 billion for the month of January 2016, compared with an $18 billion shortfall recorded in January last year, the report states.

CBO has forecast the annual U.S. budget deficit measured as a percentage of gross domestic product will reach $544 billion “if lawmakers enact no further legislation affecting spending or revenues” for the rest of the current fiscal year.

DoD/News
Adm. Michael Rogers: NSA Aims to Integrate Capabilities, Talents Under Reorg Initiative
by Mary-Louise Hoffman
Published on February 9, 2016
Adm. Michael Rogers: NSA Aims to Integrate Capabilities, Talents Under Reorg Initiative


Adm. Michael Rogers
Adm. Michael Rogers

The National Security Agency has announced it will undergo a restructuring in a move to bolster the agency’s technological innovation, workforce and core missions of foreign signals intelligence and information assurance.

The NSA in the 21st Century initiative is a two-year process to reshape the agency and  address challenges triggered by asymmetric national security threats, global communications network evolution, an increase in demand for agency services and its changing cyber mission, NSA said Monday.

NSA Director Adm. Michael Rogers said the NSA21 initiative “will enable us to consolidate capabilities and talents to ensure that we’re using all of our resources to maximum effect to accomplish our mission.”

The agency plans to form six new directorates focused on workforce and support activities, business management and acquisition, engagement and policy, operations, capabilities and research areas.

Dustin Volz of Reuters reported NSA will also integrate its foreign intelligence gathering and cyber defense functions into a single organization as part of the restructuring effort.

The initiative came after a White House-formed review board has identified a potential “conflict of interest” between the offensive and defensive missions at NSA, Volz reports.

Following its review, the board also recommended that the agency collaborate with the technology industry to better secure enterprise computer systems, the report said.

DoD/News
John McCain: Silicon Valley Should be Flexible in Data Privacy-Natl Security Matters
by Anna Forrester
Published on February 8, 2016
John McCain: Silicon Valley Should be Flexible in Data Privacy-Natl Security Matters


John McCain
John McCain

John McCain (R-Ariz.), chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, believes the technology industry in Silicon Valley should consider measures that balance encryption and information sharing with the government on cyber threats.

McCain said in a guest piece published Friday on Bloomberg View that Silicon Valley’s stance on privacy through data encryption impacts the government’s efforts against threats to national security.

“Developing technologies that aid terrorists like Islamic State is not only harmful to our security, but it is ultimately an unwise business model,” he wrote.

The senator urged technology leaders to work with government and adopt flexible measures that protect both their business needs and national security.

He also called on the administration to develop a concrete strategy and Congress to pass legislation to address the use of encryption and facilitate lawful access to what he calls “digital criminal evidence.”

News
GSA Debuts Online Acquisition Tool to Public; Tom Sharpe Comments
by Jay Clemens
Published on February 8, 2016
GSA Debuts Online Acquisition Tool to Public; Tom Sharpe Comments


Tom Sharpe
Tom Sharpe

The General Services Administration has unveiled its new online acquisition tool to the public designed to provide information resources to contracting officers.

GSA built the Acquisition Gateway portal to help federal employees engage with acquisition officers and examine various contract vehicles.

“The public will have access to as much of the Acquisition Gateway as possible and will experience the same user-centric design as federal users,” said Tom Sharpe, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service.

“The Gateway will enable that access while protecting the integrity of critical federal data and the security of private information supplied by contractors and others,” Sharpe added.

The public can access information on service categories such as the project center, solutions finder, statement of work library, TechFAR hub, news and events feeds, releasable category-curated articles, Buy Online button and Contribute and Share button.

GSA initially created the portal in October 2014 to provide government employees access to information on goods and services by category.

DoD/News
DoD News: Ashton Carter Eyes Lethality in Planned 2017 Investments for Navy, Marines
by Jay Clemens
Published on February 8, 2016
DoD News: Ashton Carter Eyes Lethality in Planned 2017 Investments for Navy, Marines


Ashton Carter
Ashton Carter

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has outlined the Pentagon’s planned investments in fiscal year 2017 as part of efforts to bolster U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps capabilities, DoD News reported Thursday.

Cheryl Pellerin writes the Defense Department’s fiscal 2017 budget proposal calls for new lethality to ships, submarines, aircraft and munitions.

Carter told audiences at Naval Base San Diego in California the Navy will receive a major chunk of the defense budget because of the service’s “centrality” to the department’s strategy, according to the report.

The budget request also proposes modification to the SM-6 missile in order to extend its target range, the purchase of nine Virginia-class attack submarines over the next five years and updates to the USS Spruance Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and USS Princeton Ticonderoga-class cruiser, Pellerin reports.

The Pentagon also plans to invest $600 million in unmanned undersea vehicles over the next five years and buy 13 additional F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighters and 16 F-18 Super Hornets for the Navy and Marine Corps, DoD News reported.

Terri Moon Cronk reports the department also wants to increase funding for the tactical air fleet in order to sustain the Marines’ F-18 fighter jets and spend more on full-spectrum training for the service, according to the report.

Profiles
Profile: Shantanu Agrawal, CMS Program Integrity Deputy Administrator
by Mary-Louise Hoffman
Published on February 8, 2016
Profile: Shantanu Agrawal, CMS Program Integrity Deputy Administrator


Shantanu Agrawal
Shantanu Agrawal

Shantanu Agrawal is the deputy administrator for program integrity at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and has led efforts to reduce costs and eliminate wasteful spending, abuse and fraudulent activities across the Medicaid and Medicare healthcare programs since he took the role in 2014.

Agrawal also directs the agency-run Center for Program Integrity, where he previously served as chief medical officer from 2011 to 2013 and helped implement data transparency, analytics and payment models.

During that time, he also managed partnership between private payers and CMS.

Before he joined the agency, Agrawal held a management consultant role at McKinsey & Co. and worked with healthcare organizations, hospitals and biotechnology and pharmaceutical firms to help them develop strategies for care delivery.

He has contributed articles to various medical journals and delivered presentations on healthcare cost and policy issues.

Agrawal is currently also an assistant professor for emergency medicine at Medstar Health‘s Washington Hospital Center and a fellow at the American Academy of Emergency Medicine.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and biomedical ethics from Brown University and a master’s degree in social and political sciences from Cambridge University.

He completed his medical education at Cornell University.

Civilian/News
NASA Appoints Jerry Cook as Space Launch System Program Deputy Director
by Jane Edwards
Published on February 8, 2016
NASA Appoints Jerry Cook as Space Launch System Program Deputy Director


Jerry Cook
Jerry Cook

Jerry Cook, formerly deputy director at NASA’s Stennis Space Center, has been appointed deputy director of the Space Launch System program at the agency’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

Cook assumed the role in December 2015 and oversees procurement, technical planning, testing, production, evaluation and testing operations related to the SLS program, NASA said Saturday.

The 31-year NASA veteran’s career includes roles such as test engineer at Marshall center’s technology evaluation department, chief engineer for exploration systems development and test conductor for the Space Shuttle Main Engine Test Program.

Cook is an advisory board member of the University of Alabama’s mechanical engineering department and has written books on propulsion and aerospace.

News
DoD, YMCA Sign 1-Year Military Outreach Program Extension
by Mary-Louise Hoffman
Published on February 8, 2016
DoD, YMCA Sign 1-Year Military Outreach Program Extension


DoD logo resizeThe Armed Services YMCA has been awarded a one-year contract renewal to continue providing physical fitness and respite child care services at no cost to eligible U.S. military personnel and their families.

The nonprofit group will extend its Military Outreach Program for the agency through March 2017, the Defense Department said Friday.

Rosemary Williams,  deputy assistant defense secretary for military community and family policy, noted the initiative reflects the department’s commitment to help geographically dispersed military families.

“This initiative is especially valuable for those living in areas distant from a military installation, allowing them to access services in their own communities,” Williams added.

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