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NIST Publishes Draft Revision of Controlled Unclassified Data Guidelines for Public Comment
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NIST Publishes Draft Revision of Controlled Unclassified Data Guidelines for Public Comment

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is seeking public feedback on its draft update of a special publication on protecting controlled unclassified information, or CUI.

NIST on Thursday published its proposed third revision to Special Publication 800-171 for non-government CUI protection, as well as SP 800-171A for CUI security requirement assessment.

SP 800-171r3 includes significant changes in the employment of least privilege principles and monitoring and controlling remote access sessions. NIST proposes to limit authorized system access to users that need to complete assigned organizational tasks. The draft also calls for periodic review of privileges and the removal of access if necessary.

For SP 800-171Ar3, NIST aligned the assessment procedure syntax with the Cybersecurity and Privacy Reference Framework.

Both drafts are open for public comment until Jan. 12.

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NSF Partners With Government, Industry & Academia on AI Resource Sharing Project
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NSF Partners With Government, Industry & Academia on AI Resource Sharing Project

The National Science Foundation convened a workshop on Nov. 7 to begin the process of designing a pilot program for the National Artificial Intelligence Research Resource.

NAIRR envisions the establishment of infrastructure that will work to connect U.S. researchers to AI and other resources they need, with the ultimate aim of democratizing access to the technology and ensuring its trustworthiness, the NSF said Thursday.

The gathering — the first in a series — saw participation from representatives of the private sector, academia and federal agencies, in line with the requirements of Executive Order 14110, which called for the development of the NAIRR pilot.

NSF Director Sethuraman Panchanathan described the initial workshop as “a tremendous success,” adding, “NAIRR builds on a legacy of successful public-private partnerships that have driven American leadership in research and innovation. We are proud to continue to welcome new partners to the NAIRR community in the months to come.”

Successive meetings will aim to further gather input from the broader community regarding the design of the pilot.

DHS Launches New Office to Oversee Data Analysis, Statistical Reporting
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DHS Launches New Office to Oversee Data Analysis, Statistical Reporting

The Department of Homeland Security has launched a new office to expand statistical reporting and analysis capabilities and increase data transparency across the agency.

The Office of Homeland Security Statistics will initially provide reports and statistical data on immigration and add reports and data on law enforcement and international trade in the coming weeks, DHS said Thursday.

“Data-driven decision making is an integral part of everything we do, and this new office will inform our policymaking, enhance our law enforcement and investigative operations, and allow us to distribute resources, including grants, more effectively,” said Alejandro Mayorkas, secretary of DHS and a previous Wash100 awardee.

Marc Rosenblum, a statistical official at DHS, will lead OHSS, which will cover statistical data on cybersecurity, emergency management, maritime response operations and airport screening beginning in fiscal year 2024.

House Bill to Make OSINT Products Available to Federal Agencies, Congress
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House Bill to Make OSINT Products Available to Federal Agencies, Congress

Reps. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, and Mike Gallagher, R-Wis., have introduced legislation requiring the U.S. intelligence community to make unclassified, open-source intelligence available to other federal agencies and Congress.

The Open Source Intelligence Availability Act would require the IC to update the Intelligence Community Directive 208 to streamline the production and dissemination of unclassified intelligence products derived from OSINT sources and determine which agencies need access to the information, Castro’s office said Thursday.

The Director of National Intelligence must submit a plan outlining policies and procedures for sharing OSINT products with covered entities and individuals no later than 180 days after the enactment of the legislation.

“The Open Source Intelligence Availability Act will close critical gaps in our information ecosystem and help all our federal agencies do a better job of serving the American people,” Castro said.

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Senate Finance Committee Leaders Call On Multiple Agencies to Provide Information on AI Use
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Senate Finance Committee Leaders Call On Multiple Agencies to Provide Information on AI Use

Two Senate Finance Committee members have asked U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Health and Human Services to share information on their artificial intelligence practices.

Requested by Chairman Ron Wyden, D-Ore., and Ranking Member Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, the provided information should cover the ways in which the organizations are employing AI and the measures they are taking to make sure these technologies are being used properly, the committee said on Thursday.

Wyden stated that like other new technologies, AI offers “exciting opportunities to better serve the American people,” but could cause harm if it is not regulated.

“The federal government has a responsibility to ensure the systems it is using to make decisions that impact Americans’ daily lives are doing so accurately and without harmful bias,” he added.

Wyden and Crapo wrote one letter addressing DHS and CBP and another to HHS. The first focused on the use of AI in regular CBP operations, including cargo screenings at borders, small package screenings at postal facilities and compliance, among others.

They noted the potential of AI to improve legitimate trade activities, but cautioned that it could “result in trade facilitation and enforcement systems that are ultimately less effective” if necessary restrictions are not put in place.

In the letter to HHS, Wyden and Crapo asked for information on the department’s utilization of AI in sorting and synthesizing large quantities of data for program management, administration and care.

Both letters called upon the organizations to identify any guardrails that have been implemented to detect and address algorithmic bias in AI tools.

“As technological innovations such as AI are used more frequently by government agencies, it is important for us to gain a better understanding of AI applications within the Finance Committee’s jurisdiction,” Crapo said.

Senate Finance Committee Leaders Call On Multiple Agencies to Provide Information on AI Use

The Potomac Officers Club will host its 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21, 2024. At the event, you will have the opportunity to hear from both public and private sector AI leaders, who will come together to consider the implications of AI use in the federal government. Click here to learn more, and click here to register to attend the summit.

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SemiUS, Commerce Department Finalize Agreement for National Semiconductor Technology Center
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SemiUS, Commerce Department Finalize Agreement for National Semiconductor Technology Center

Nonprofit organization SemiUS has finalized an agreement with the Department of Commerce to operate a new research and development center focused on advancing the U.S. semiconductor sector.

The agreement sets the foundation for the National Semiconductor Technology Center’s initial operations and paves the way for the long-term execution of the CHIPS for America Act’s vision and strategy for the NSTC, the National Institute of Standards and Technology said Thursday.

“Today’s announcement is an important milestone in Commerce’s work to stand up the NSTC and is going to ensure the U.S. leads the way in the next generation of semiconductor technologies and empowers the current and future generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators,” said Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.

The deal follows the appointment of seven members to the board of trustees for SemiUS.

NSTC will operate as a public-private consortium dedicated to accelerating the domestic production of semiconductor technology in the U.S.

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Lisa Costa: Space Force Working on Standards for Digital Twins
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Lisa Costa: Space Force Working on Standards for Digital Twins

Lisa Costa, chief technology and innovation officer of the U.S. Space Force, said the service branch is developing standards for digital twins in addition to its work on a new digital modeling strategy, Federal News Network reported Wednesday.

“You would think with the use of digital twins by very large sectors of different industries that there would be commercial standards out there, but there’s not,” Costa said at an event on Wednesday.

“They’re very bespoke, so we’re working toward at least an open standard where we can start to move models from concept. For example, from the Space Warfighter Analysis Center (SWAC), which does mission design, moving that over to our acquisition elements that do costing and analyses of alternatives and then moving that into our operational environment,” she added.

Costa, a previous Wash100 awardee, cited the need for the service branch to utilize its Supra Coders and the importance of upskilling among the Guardians.

“So, making a digital service is all about being fast. And having an organizational structure that allows innovation at the edge, bring that innovation into the enterprise, and then push out more capability to do that,” she noted.

She also talked about the Space Force’s efforts to recruit and retain personnel as well as the service’s data management initiatives.

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NSA, CISA Issue Best Practice Guidelines for Software Bills of Materials
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NSA, CISA Issue Best Practice Guidelines for Software Bills of Materials

The National Security Agency and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency led the publication of guidelines to help players in the software supply chain manage their bill of materials.

The new cybersecurity technical report was formulated by the public-private Enduring Security Framework Software Supply Chain Working Group, which are overseen by the security agencies, NSA said Thursday.

The document includes best practices in operationalizing and scaling the use of software BOMs, supply chain risk scoring and automated sharing and exchanging of SBOMs. It is expected to improve communication throughout the hierarchy of cybersecurity teams to increase software resilience from development to end use.

“Fundamentally, SBOM provides critical software transparency for improved patch and vulnerability management for customers as well as potentially mitigate supply chain risks,” said Jorge Laurel, chief of NSA’s Enduring Security Framework.

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State Department Releases Inaugural Enterprise AI Strategy
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State Department Releases Inaugural Enterprise AI Strategy

The State Department has issued an enterprise strategy to guide the responsible and ethical development, procurement and application of artificial intelligence to advance U.S. diplomacy and foreign policy.

The department said Thursday the inaugural Enterprise AI Strategy outlines four strategic goals to harness AI capabilities: leverage secure AI infrastructure; foster a culture that embraces AI technology; ensure AI is applied responsibly; and innovate.

For the first strategic goal, the State Department will integrate AI technologies into a secure and sustainable AI-enabling infrastructure to establish and scale a variety of AI applications.

Specific objectives under this goal are enabling AI technology integration, fully utilizing infrastructure for AI adoption at department scale and modernizing acquisition of AI tools.

To advance the acquisition modernization objective, the department’s information technology procurement authorities will work with other government officials to streamline the approval and procurement processes for AI tools, such as looking at the IT procurement pipeline to identify efficiencies and maintain safeguards included in approval mechanisms such as the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program and Authorization to Operate process.

“Prior to their acquisition, AI technologies will be evaluated against security protocols and risk assessment processes. The Department’s procurement and open-source approval processes will be further developed to enable flexibility and streamlined deployment of AI,” the strategy states.

POC - 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit

Register here to attend the Potomac Officers Club’s 5th Annual Artificial Intelligence Summit on March 21 and hear federal leaders and industry experts discuss the latest developments in the field.

NASA Introduces Subscription-Free Streaming Service
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NASA Introduces Subscription-Free Streaming Service

NASA+, the space agency’s on-demand streaming service, is now available on the updated NASA app, which can be downloaded via Android or iOS.

NASA said Wednesday that the streaming service, which is ad-free and requires no subscription, is also accessible via Roku, Apple TV and the agency’s website.

NASA+ features original programming like documentaries, children’s shows, series and live event coverage. The NASA app itself also hosts a multimedia collection that includes images, podcasts, news and various articles.

The launch of NASA+ and the updates to the NASA app are part of the agency’s efforts to increase public accessibility and discoverability of its content. Earlier this year, the agency underwent a website redesign.

Marc Etkind, associate administrator for communications at NASA, said, “NASA’s new streaming platform and app are where the world can join us as we explore the unknown.”

He added that the digital platforms will grant everyone 24/7 access to “some of humanity’s greatest stories”.

For her part, NASA deputy administrator and Wash100 winner Pamela Melroy said, “I am excited we have created a powerful trifecta with the recently revamped NASA website, the launch of NASA+, and the updated NASA App that showcases the many benefits our data can have for all humanity.”

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