/
NCCoE Seeks Public Feedback on Draft for Manufacturing Cybersecurity Project
Published on
NCCoE Seeks Public Feedback on Draft for Manufacturing Cybersecurity Project

National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence has drafted a document that describes the scope, software, hardware and project requirements of a laboratory environment for demonstrating cyber attack response.

NCCoE now seeks feedback to refine the scope of the project description titled “Responding to and Recovering from a Cyber Attack: Cybersecurity for the Manufacturing Sector,” the National Institute of Standards and Technology said Monday.

The center seeks to demonstrate response to and recovery from a cyber attack in a manufacturing setting. The demonstration would use commercial technologies to perform the following cybersecurity activities: event reporting and analysis, log review and incident handling and response.

The project aims to inform a future cybersecurity practice guide to be published by NIST. Interested parties may submit comments through April 14th.

/
Space Force Adds University of Southern California to Partnership Program; Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein Quoted
Published on
Space Force Adds University of Southern California to Partnership Program; Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein Quoted

The U.S. Space Force has signed a memorandum of understanding to include the University of Southern California in its program for training students to become future guardians.

USC’s membership in the University Partnership Program provides over 49,000 graduates opportunities for research, scholarships and advanced academic degrees that are related to the military’s space missions, the Space Systems Command said Tuesday.

USC, now the 14th member of the collaboration program, spends nearly $900 million every year to finance research on topics such as computer science, engineering and health.

Lt. Gen. Michael Guetlein, SSC commander, explained in a signing event that the partnership will enable the Space Force to tap into a potential workforce that could provide the technical expertise and problem-solving skills needed for developing advanced space systems.

“Advanced research in space-applied topics and technologies is critical to national security, and this new University Partnership Program is another important way for the Space Force to connect with future Guardians – tomorrow’s leaders — and the world-class research conducted at USC,” added Guetlein.

Following the MOU signing, the Space Force and USC will proceed to define implementation milestones as part of their partnership.

/
GSA Introduces 25 New Presidential Innovation Fellows; GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan Quoted
Published on
GSA Introduces 25 New Presidential Innovation Fellows; GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan Quoted

The General Services Administration has announced the 25 technology and corporate leaders selected for the 2022 class of Presidential Innovation Fellows and the addition of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the PIF program.

The new class of fellows will work at 14 agencies for a year to help improve the way the government delivers services to citizens and serve as strategic advisers to assist agencies in modernizing technology capabilities, GSA said Monday.

The 2022 fellows will bring to the agencies their expertise in various areas such as engineering, data science, artificial intelligence, change management, customer experience and digital strategy. They will also work on several projects, including Federal Data Strategy development and implementation and modernization of public health data systems.

“We’re thrilled to have these experienced professionals coming to us from private industry who want to do a year-long tour in public service, helping the government uncover new and better ways to deliver for taxpayers,” said GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan.

The PIF program is under GSA’s Technology Transformation Services and was established by the White House Office of Science and Technology in 2012. As of February, the program has recruited over 200 fellows to help advance innovation in more than 40 agencies.

The 2022 fellows and their agency partners are:

  • Abby Nydam, Executive Office of the President
  • Altin Ilirjani, CDC
  • Andrea Levy, FEMA
  • April Chen, EOP
  • Awalin Sopan, Small Business Association
  • Becky Slogeris, Department of Justice
  • Bennett Gebken, U.S. Agency for International Development
  • Cen Liu, Centers of Medicare and Medicaid Services
  • Charles Borges, CDC
  • Daniel Jason, CDC
  • Emilia Ndely-Ogundipe, Department of Labor
  • Ha-Hoa Hamano, NASA
  • James Villarrubia, NASA
  • Jay Davis, Department of Transportation
  • Jeff Lee, GSA
  • Jim Rymarcsuk, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  • Karin Underwood, EOP
  • Kevin Luo, FEMA
  • Olivia Zhu, Office of Management and Budget
  • Pamela Jennings, DOT
  • Peter Marks, GSA
  • Renata Phillippi, Department of Veterans Affairs – Veterans Experience Office
  • Ryan Harrison, CDC
  • Stefany Holguin, VA
  • Varoon Mathur, VA
/
GAO: CISA Should Improve Identification of Critical Infrastructure Priorities
Published on
GAO: CISA Should Improve Identification of Critical Infrastructure Priorities

The Government Accountability Office has offered six recommendations to help the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency improve its prioritization activities and related efforts.

GAO said Tuesday CISA should enhance its process for identifying critical infrastructure priorities to reflect existing threats and solicit feedback from states that have not yet offered updates when it comes to determining critical infrastructure.

Under the National Critical Infrastructure Prioritization Program, CISA should come up with a list of assets and systems that would result in catastrophic effects on a national or regional level if disrupted or destroyed, according to the report.

The congressional watchdog interviewed CISA officials and infrastructure stakeholders and found that majority of them questioned the usefulness and relevance of NCIPP. They also said that the program’s list did not reflect the most prevalent threats, including cyberattacks. 

Other recommendations for CISA in the GAO report are involving stakeholders in the development of the National Critical Functions framework; documenting strategies and goals for the framework; improving efforts to coordinate cybersecurity services; and sharing regionally specific threat information.

/
NSA Releases Network Infrastructure Security Guidance
Published on
NSA Releases Network Infrastructure Security Guidance

The National Security Agency has issued a report on best practices for ensuring the security of network infrastructure and protection of individual network devices.

The Network Infrastructure Security Guidance report deals with the design and configurations that safeguard against common weaknesses and vulnerabilities on networks and seeks to help network administrators lower the risk of cyber incidents and mitigate potential impacts of a cyberattack, NSA said Tuesday.

The report classified the best practices into several areas, including network architecture and design; security maintenance; authentication, authorization and accounting; remote logging and monitoring; and administrator accounts and passwords.

For network architecture, recommended best practices include installing perimeter and internal defense devices, removing backdoor connections, using strict perimeter access controls and limiting and encrypting virtual private networks.

When it comes to security maintenance, NSA calls on organizations to verify software and configuration integrity, maintain updated operating systems and software, stay current with vendor-backed hardware and maintain proper file system and boot management.

//
Raytheon Technologies to Deliver Second Payload for Lockheed Martin-Designed NGG Satellite System
Published on
Raytheon Technologies to Deliver Second Payload for Lockheed Martin-Designed NGG Satellite System

Raytheon Technologies has been chosen to supply a missile warning satellite system under development by Lockheed Martin with a second mission payload after it completed a first round of design.

The payload is in preparation for a 2025 launch of the first of three Lockheed Martin-designed Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared Geosynchronous Earth Orbit Block 0 (NGG) satellite systems, the Bethesda, Maryland-based company said Tuesday.

The new agreement is an extension of an existing contract under which Raytheon and Northrop Grumman have been commissioned for one payload apiece. Lockheed Martin, in turn, is contracted by the United States Space Force to design and construct the NGG satellite systems.

So far, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman’s payloads have attained approval for their critical designs but it is undecided whose model will fly on the 2025-launched satellite.

“For this ‘Go-Fast’ program, both teams had to meet stringent schedule and performance requirements – which they’ve done. I want to congratulate and thank both teams for their tireless work,” said Joseph Rickers, vice president of the NGG program at Lockheed.

Rickers went on to emphasize the intensity of the schedule the companies are under to develop and design their payloads. Raytheon and Northrop Grumman were reportedly tapped for the assignment just 45 days after Lockheed received their contract to construct the satellites in 2018.

There were then hard deadlines in 2020 and 2021 involving multi-stage design reviews and environmental testing that the companies devoted their energies to meet.

The NGG satellites are intended to enable resiliency and preemptive communications about potential military threats, especially missile warnings. If all goes according to plan, Raytheon and Northrop Grumman’s payloads will be equipped for Lockheed Martin’s LM2100 Combat Bus space vehicle.

/
NASA’s Howard Hu Promoted to Orion Program Manager
Published on
NASA’s Howard Hu Promoted to Orion Program Manager

Howard Hu, formerly the deputy manager of NASA’s Orion Program, has been promoted to succeed Catherine Koerner as the spacecraft’s program manager.

Hu holds over three decades of NASA experience including technical and leadership work for the International Space Station, the Space Shuttle Program, the Vehicle Integration Office and human exploration initiatives, the space agency said Tuesday.

He previously held managerial roles spanning Orion’s avionics, software and power systems.

Koerner will go on to serve as the deputy associate administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at the space agency’s Washington, D.C.-based headquarters.

The Orion spacecraft is scheduled to perform an uncrewed lunar flyby this year in the first mission of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to eventually revive manned space exploration.

“With the upcoming Artemis I mission, we are on the cusp of another major milestone toward NASA’s goals of landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and preparing for human missions to Mars,” Hu said.

/
DISA Leads Pentagon’s Public Safety Communications Modernization Initiative
Published on
DISA Leads Pentagon’s Public Safety Communications Modernization Initiative

The Defense Information Systems Agency is taking on a lead role in the implementation of the Department of Defense’s nationwide public safety communications network modernization effort designed to enhance emergency response capabilities.

DISA said Monday it was assigned as an executive agent for the PSC information technology architecture implementation and will be responsible for designating an Office of Public Safety Communications.

The proposed office will be tasked with facilitating the IT architecture and other PSC-related information with DISA’s mission partners and other federal and state emergency management agencies.

The modernization effort will employ 5G-enabled technology, LTE broadband network and P25 compliant land mobile radio to provide wireless capabilities on smart devices for first responders. It will also establish an enterprise mass warning notification system.

Overall, the PSC initiative is aimed at improving communications for mission areas such as fire, medical, law enforcement and counterterrorism and bringing enhanced network capabilities for defense contractors, military and civilian personnel and their families.

/
U.S. Army Veteran John George Joins Leidos as Strategic Account Executive; CBDO Debbie Opiekun Quoted
Published on
U.S. Army Veteran John George Joins Leidos as Strategic Account Executive; CBDO Debbie Opiekun Quoted

Retired Major General John George has been named army strategic account executive of science and technology services company Leidos.

George will leverage his over three decades of experience in the U.S. Army to act as a liaison between Leidos and the service branch in order to create growth opportunities for his new employer, the Reston, Virginia-based company said Tuesday.

“General George brings a distinguished career and wealth of international, military and technology experience to our growing team here at Leidos,” said Debbie Opiekun, chief business development officer of Leidos.

In his time with the Army, George occupied strategic and administrative positions while stationed in the Middle East, Asia, Europe and the United States. George was chief of force issue and requirements for NATO while deployed in both Kosovo and Afghanistan.

During his various assignments, George won the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters and the Joint Service Commendation Medal.

His most recent position with the Army, pre-retirement, was commander of the Combat Capabilities Development Command. In this role, George managed a $13 billion budget for science and technology modernization and research and development under the branch’s most sizable technology developer.

The retired Major General’s new job at Leidos looks to build on his previously established communication and networking skills, particularly in the latter position, where he accessed a worldwide network of government agencies, academic institutions and commercial industry players.

In the process, George’s future work is aimed to “expand [Leidos’] global presence,” Opiekun shared.

The new hire follows Leidos’ appointment of Patrick Shanahan to its board of directors in February and former Air Force exec Terry Phillips as its senior vice president and chief security officer in January.

/
Cybersecurity Organizations From Across the Globe Form Nonprofit Coalition
Published on
Cybersecurity Organizations From Across the Globe Form Nonprofit Coalition

An international group of cybersecurity nonprofits has established a new coalition dedicated to improving cybersecurity across the globe.

The Nonprofit Cyber coalition said Wednesday it will prioritize raising global awareness on the work of cyber-focused nonprofits and maximizing the impact of their work through alignment.

The coalition’s 22 founding members include CREST International, the Cyber Readiness Institute, the Anti-Phishing Working Group and the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

Nonprofit Cyber requires members to be tax-exempt under the Internal Revenue Code if organized under U.S. law or hold an equivalent approval in other countries. The coalition prioritizes nonprofits that implement best practices and technologies, rather than those focused on advocacy, policy and lobbying.

“I applaud that this consummate consortium of nonprofits has formed to actively protect us against security threats to our digital infrastructure and uphold our open internet, combining their knowledge, skills and tools for the greatest effect,” said Govind Shivkumar, Omidyar Network’s director of responsible technology.

1 … 919 920 921 922 923 … 2,665