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CISA, NSA Issue Guidance to Strengthen Microsoft Exchange Server Security
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Nick Andersen, an official at CISA. Andersen highlighted the value of cybersecurity practices on Microsoft Exchange servers

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the National Security Agency, along with global cybersecurity partners, have issued new guidance outlining best practices to secure Microsoft Exchange servers against cyberattacks. 

The release is part of an ongoing collaboration between U.S. and allied cybersecurity agencies to counter evolving threats to critical infrastructure and national security, CISA said Thursday.

CISA, NSA Issue Guidance to Strengthen Microsoft Exchange Server Security

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The 15-page document, titled Microsoft Exchange Server Security Best Practices, expands on CISA’s earlier Emergency Directive 25-02 and provides technical recommendations for organizations using on-premises Exchange or hybrid environments.

What Are the Roadmap’s Suggested Cybersecurity Steps?

The guidance urges organizations to enforce a prevention posture, emphasizing principles such as least privilege, deny-by-default and timely patching. It calls for maintaining regular security updates and enabling Microsoft’s Emergency Mitigation Service to reduce system vulnerabilities.

It also recommends applying security baselines across Exchange servers, operating systems and mail clients to maintain consistent configurations and quickly identify deviations. Agencies, such as the Defense Information Systems Agency, the Center for Internet Security and Microsoft, have published baseline templates that network administrators can follow.

The document further suggests enabling built-in protections, including Microsoft Defender Antivirus, Antimalware Scan Interface, Attack Surface Reduction, AppLocker and Exchange’s own anti-spam and anti-malware tools.

Additional Guardrails Through Zero Trust Principles

Additional measures—such as restricting administrative access, implementing multifactor authentication, enforcing transport security and adopting zero-trust principles—can further strengthen defenses, according to the guidance. CISA and NSA also warned that some Exchange Server versions have reached end-of-life and urged organizations to take proactive steps to mitigate associated risks.

“With the threat to Exchange servers remaining persistent, enforcing a prevention posture and adhering to these best practices is crucial for safeguarding our critical communication systems,” said Nick Andersen, executive assistant director for CISA’s cybersecurity division. “This guidance empowers organizations to proactively mitigate threats, protect enterprise assets and ensure the resilience of their operations,” the agency official stressed. 

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Hegseth Plans to Shift Pentagon’s Arms Sales Office to Acquisition Leadership
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Pete Hegseth. The DOD secretary is expected to announce a restructuring of the Pentagon’s arms sales operations.

Pete Hegseth, secretary of the Department of Defense and a 2025 Wash100 awardee, is expected to announce a major restructuring of the Pentagon’s arms sales operations on Nov. 7 at a meeting of defense industry executives, Politico reported Wednesday.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which oversees U.S. foreign military sales, will move from under the policy side of DOD led by Elbridge Colby to the acquisition and sustainment office headed by Michael Duffey.

The move is designed to accelerate weapons production and streamline FMS deals. By aligning arms sales with the Pentagon’s $400 billion weapons-procurement office, officials hope to reduce delays that have frustrated allies seeking U.S. equipment. 

Army to Consolidate PEOs Under New ‘Portfolio Acquisition Executives’

The defense secretary is also expected to announce a broader reorganization of the Pentagon’s acquisition bureaucracy.

According to the report, Hegseth’s team is expected to consolidate the U.S. Army’s 13 program executive offices — which oversee the procurement of tanks, artillery shells and other weapons systems — into larger portfolios overseen by new senior officials known as “portfolio acquisition executives.” These leaders will report directly to the Army secretary and chief of staff, giving top officials a clearer picture of the service’s most critical programs.

Similar changes are anticipated for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force as part of Hegseth’s push to improve oversight, speed up decision-making and better coordinate weapons production with global demand.

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Trump Administration Scores Major Maritime, Tech Deals With South Korea
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White House. The Trump administration secured deals with South Korea in technology and shipbuilding.

The Trump administration has announced key investments and agreements with South Korea to strengthen U.S. exports, advance American leadership in technology and energy, and build up maritime partnerships.

How Will South Korea’s Maritime Investments Strengthen American Shipbuilding?

The White House said Wednesday President Donald Trump secured multibillion-dollar investments from South Korean companies to modernize and expand the capacity of the U.S. shipbuilding industry during the final stop of his Indo-Pacific trip.

HD Hyundai and Cerberus Capital Management will partner on a $5 billion investment program to upgrade U.S. shipyards, strengthen supply chains and advance the use of automation, digitalization, autonomous navigation and other new technologies.

Hanwha Ocean unveiled a $5 billion infrastructure plan to expand Pennsylvania’s Philly Shipyard workforce and boost production capacity. 

Samsung Heavy Industries will work with Vigor Marine Group on naval vessel maintenance, repair and overhaul efforts, as well as U.S.-flagged ship construction and shipyard automation initiatives.

What Will US-South Korea Technology Cooperation Deliver?

To advance innovation and strengthen technological leadership, the U.S. and South Korea are signing a Technology Prosperity Deal focused on artificial intelligence, 6G, biotech supply chains, research security and quantum innovation. 

Amazon will invest $5 billion through 2031 to develop South Korea’s cloud infrastructure, supporting U.S. exports and advancing the country’s leadership in AI.

According to the White House, NASA’s Artemis II mission will include the deployment of a Korean satellite to measure space radiation. Both countries have committed to diversifying the critical mineral supply chains through public-private partnerships.

South Korea’s air force tapped L3Harris Technologies for a $2.3 billion program to build an airborne warning and control aircraft. The agreement is expected to support more than 6,000 U.S. jobs.

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Vice Adm. Thomas Allan Nominated as Coast Guard Vice Commandant
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USCG's Thomas Allan. Vice Adm. Thomas Allan has been nominated as Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The White House has nominated Vice Adm. Thomas Allan Jr. for vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard.

A congressional notice confirmed that Allan’s nomination by President Trump was officially submitted to the Senate on Thursday and has been assigned to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation for review.

Allan has been serving as acting vice commandant since July 3. His prior roles include acting deputy commandant for operations, deputy commandant for mission support, director of operations at U.S. Southern Command and commander of the Coast Guard’s First District.

Get all the latest updates on the Coast Guard from Sec. Kristi Noem herself at Potomac Officers Club’s 2025 Homeland Security Summit on Nov. 12! This all-day GovCon networking conference is essential for industrial base members looking to develop or deepen partnerships with DHS.

Who Are the Other Coast Guard Officials Nominated?

Aside from Allan, the White House sent other nominations for top Coast Guard positions to the Senate, including Adm. Kevin Lunday as commandant of the Coast Guard.

Vice Adm. Nathan Moore, commander of the Atlantic Area, was nominated to serve as deputy commandant for operations, while Acting Deputy Commandant for Operations Rear Adm. Douglas Schofield was nominated as chief of staff.

Rear Adm. Jo-Ann Burdian, currently serving as the director of the Joint Interagency Task Force South, and Rear Adm. Joseph Buzzella, Jr., commander of Coast Guard Pacific, were nominated for promotion to vice admiral.

Vice Adm. Thomas Allan Nominated as Coast Guard Vice Commandant
Government Shutdown Could Cost US Economy Up to $14B
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US Capitol. CBO warned that the shutdown could permanently erase up to $14 billion from the U.S. economy.

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the ongoing government shutdown, which began on Oct. 1, could result in a permanent economic loss of between $7 billion and $14 billion in 2025 dollars even after most federal spending and activity resume.

In a letter to House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington, R-Texas, CBO Director Phillip Swagel said the lapse in discretionary appropriations will temporarily lower U.S. economic output and increase unemployment, with the severity of the impact depending on how long the shutdown continues and which federal activities remain suspended.

How Much Will the Shutdown Affect the Economy?

CBO projected that the shutdown would lower annualized real gross domestic product growth in the fourth quarter of 2025 by 1 to 2 percentage points, depending on whether it lasts four, six or eight weeks. Although output will rebound once funding is restored, some of the decline in real GDP will not be recovered.

The GDP slump is primarily attributed to fewer government services, delayed federal spending on goods and services, and reduced private-sector output caused by lower aggregate demand. While activity will recover as federal workers receive back pay and agencies restart operations, some lost productivity from furloughed employees will be permanent.

How Will the Shutdown Affect Workers and Businesses?

The shutdown is expected to temporarily raise unemployment as most furloughed workers are counted as unemployed. 

Businesses dependent on federal spending or tourism, especially those near closed national parks and monuments, will experience income losses.

What Broader Effects Could the Shutdown Have?

Beyond lost output, CBO warned that the shutdown could undermine confidence in federal operations.

The agency noted that some activities, such as pay for active-duty military and certain law enforcement officers, continue under exceptions, but prolonged disruption could lead to deeper operational and economic consequences.

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DOT Awards $89M Contract to Google Under GSA’s OneGov IT Strategy
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Josh Gruenbaum. GSA official highlighted OneGov strategy's taxpayer savings

Google has secured a five-year, $89 million contract to provide the Department of Transportation workforce with the cloud-based productivity and collaboration tools available in Google Workspace. The company booked the deal under the General Services Administration’s OneGov Strategy enabling volume discounts on federal agencies’ IT acquisitions and procurement, NextGov/FCW reported Wednesday.

What Are the Details of the DOT Contract?

According to the report, the contract was awarded Sept. 27 through Carahsoft. It will provide to DOT’s more than 50,000 employees access to the tools in the Google Workspace suite, including Gmail, Drive, Docs and Meet. Artificial intelligence features, such as Gemini and NotebookLM, will also be available to the department’s personnel.

Google became the first vendor to sign a OneGov agreement in April, offering federal customers temporary discounts of up to 71 percent through Sept. 30. The program treats the government as a single large buyer, enabling agencies to secure lower prices and simplified procurement.

More than a dozen other tech firms, including Oracle, have since followed with similar OneGov arrangements.

“We’re excited to see agencies using the OneGov offerings to help deliver on their missions while also saving taxpayer dollars,” Josh Gruenbaum, commissioner of GSA’s Federal Acquisition Service, told Nextgov/FCW. “This outcome shows how diversity in the federal marketplace yields efficiency, prioritizing American taxpayers first,” added Gruenbaum, a 2025 Wash100 Award winner.

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FCC Head Seeks Comment on Proposed Rules to Auction Additional Upper C-Band Spectrum
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Brendan Carr. FCC chairman released for comment a draft on rules on auctioning additional Upper C-Band spectrum

Federal Communications Commission Chairman Brendan Carr is seeking comment on a proposal to auction additional mid-band spectrum in the Upper C-Band to support next-generation wireless services.

Under a draft notice of proposed rulemaking Carr circulated on Wednesday, input is being solicited on auctioning up to 180 megahertz of spectrum in the 3.98–4.2 gigahertz range, the commission said. The proposal aims to maximize available spectrum as upgrades continue in the neighboring aviation band.

The rulemaking also responds to the Trump administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill directing FCC to complete a competitive bidding process for at least 100 MHz of Upper C-Band spectrum by July 2027. The commission will vote on the draft notice at its open meeting in November.

Goal: Restore US Leadership in Wireless Services

“President Trump has been clear that America is going to lead the world in next-generation technologies. That is why the FCC’s Build America Agenda prioritizes the work needed to restore U.S. leadership in wireless,” Carr said. 

He noted that the Trump-backed bill provides the tools for the commission to deliver on the U.S. leadership goal. “Specifically, the bill authorizes and requires the FCC to auction prime, mid-band spectrum in the Upper C-Band, and my proposal aims to maximize the amount of spectrum available for 5G and 6G services,” Carr pointed out.

The FCC is specifically requesting feedback on how much spectrum beyond the 100 MHz minimum could be repurposed, potential coexistence measures with radio altimeters, and the technical and licensing rules that would govern new wireless operations. The proposal builds on the commission’s 2020 auction of the Lower C-Band, which expanded 5G access nationwide.

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NVIDIA Introduces NVQLink to Connect Quantum & GPU Supercomputers
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NVIDIA logo. NVIDIA has introduced NVIDIA NVQLink to develop accelerated quantum supercomputers.

NVIDIA has introduced NVQLink, an open system architecture designed to seamlessly integrate graphics processing unit, or GPU, computing with quantum processors, enabling the development of accelerated quantum supercomputers.

How Does NVQLink Advance Quantum Computing?

The artificial intelligence and accelerated computing company said Tuesday NVQLink aims to accelerate quantum computing by enabling low-latency, high-throughput connections between classical and quantum systems, supporting advanced applications across scientific and defense sectors. The platform delivers an open architecture for quantum integration, connecting 17 quantum processor developers, five controller developers and nine U.S. national laboratories.

Quantum computing’s building blocks—qubits—are highly sensitive and prone to errors, requiring precise calibration, error correction and control algorithms that depend on ultra-low latency and high-throughput links to classical supercomputers. NVQLink is built to provide this critical interconnect, creating the infrastructure to manage qubit performance and unlock transformative quantum applications across industries.

Which DOE National Laboratories Collaborated on NVQLink?

NVIDIA collaborated with researchers from the Department of Energy’s national laboratories — including Brookhaven, Fermilab, Berkeley, Los Alamos, MIT Lincoln, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest and Sandia — to develop the NVQLink platform. The laboratories will utilize the platform to drive breakthroughs in quantum computing.

Remarks From NVIDIA CEO

“In the near future, every NVIDIA GPU scientific supercomputer will be hybrid, tightly coupled with quantum processors to expand what is possible with computing,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. “NVQLink is the Rosetta Stone connecting quantum and classical supercomputers — uniting them into a single, coherent system that marks the onset of the quantum-GPU computing era.”

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Lorrie Owens Selected as Acting Deputy PEO Land Systems
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Lorrie Owens Acting Deputy PEO Land Systems. Lorrie Owens has been appointed acting deputy PEO Land Systems.

Lorrie Owens announced on LinkedIn Monday that she has been appointed U.S. Marine Corps acting deputy program executive officer land systems. She will also continue serving as chief of staff at PEO Land Systems.

Who Is Lorrie Owens?

Owens is a 20-year industry veteran with extensive experience in defense acquisition and logistics. She was appointed chief of staff at PEO Land Systems in June.

In July 2020, she was selected as the product manager for medium and heavy tactical vehicles, or MHTV, of the USMC Systems Command. Before that, she was the product manager for medium tactical vehicles of PEO Land Systems.

In 2019, Owens was the team lead for Utility Task Vehicle and Ultralight Tactical Vehicle programs, managing UTV sustainment and modifications along with the ULTV acquisition strategy. She was also named program manager for light tactical vehicles, PEO and systems, PEO Land Systems.

Owens started her civil service career in 2009 as a project officer supporting program manager assault amphibious vehicle modification programs, including AAV command and control vehicle upgrades and the AAV survivability upgrade program.

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US, Japan Strengthen Defense, Technology Ties
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White House. The Trump administration announced agreements with Japan to boost cooperation across defense and technology.

The Trump administration has outlined a set of U.S.-Japan agreements and investment commitments intended to strengthen cooperation across defense, manufacturing, energy, technology and supply chains.

Deepening US-Japan Defense Relationship

The White House said Tuesday that President Donald Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi committed to deepening the U.S.-Japan defense ties to strengthen deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

The U.S. accelerated deliveries of advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles for Japan’s F-35 fighter jets as part of efforts to improve deterrence and burden sharing along the First Island Chain.

Discover international military research and development opportunities at the Potomac Officers Club’s 2026 Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 29!

Science & Technology Initiatives

The U.S. and Japan also committed to advancing cooperation in science and technology through several landmark agreements. The two countries signed a memorandum of cooperation for the U.S.-Japan Technology Prosperity Deal to accelerate the adoption of AI and drive innovation.

Collaborative efforts will focus on pro-innovation AI policies, research security, 6G, quantum information science, fusion energy, biotechnology and pharmaceutical supply chains, and space technology. 

The two countries will establish a joint working group of government agencies to enhance mutual understanding of technical standards and requirements, drawing on U.S. expertise to promote secure and sovereign cloud development.

How Are US Manufacturing & Supply Chains Being Strengthened?

Japan committed billions of dollars to investments in U.S. critical infrastructure and manufacturing. This includes up to $332 billion to support the construction of small modular reactors, power plants, transmission systems, substations and other critical energy infrastructure. Other projects are optical fiber networks, energy storage systems and advanced electronic components. 

Critical minerals initiatives will support ammonia, urea and copper production in the U.S. Meanwhile, investments in ports, logistics and high-tech manufacturing facilities aim to expand export capacity and strengthen U.S. industrial supply chains. 

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