The increasing use of artificial intelligence technology – both from security threat and protection improvement perspectives – are among the top look-ahead issues for 2025 among officials with providers of security technologies to the Federal government. […]
Former Department of Defense (DoD) chief information security officer (CISO) David McKeown has been tapped as the agency’s first-ever special assistant for cybersecurity innovation, DoD’s CIO Office (CIO) said. […]
As 2024 gives way to the new year, MeriTalk is taking a look back at the year’s biggest tech and cybersecurity policy moves at the Department of Defense (DoD) that set the stage for the Pentagon’s IT priorities in 2025. […]
As 2024 comes to a close, the push for post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum technology is accelerating. With Federal officials warning that quantum threats are approaching sooner than expected, Congress, Federal agencies, and industry have made significant strides toward becoming quantum-ready this year. […]
The Biden-Harris administration released its artificial intelligence (AI) executive order (EO) at the end of 2023, but most of the work to implement the directive took place in 2024. As MeriTalk reflects on the past year – and looks toward the future of Federal IT work during the Trump-Vance administration in 2025 and beyond – AI is positioned to make impactful strides across agencies, policy, and defense. […]
With President-elect Donald Trump set to take office on Jan. 20, the future of CHIPS and Science Act funding flows remains unclear as the incoming president has recently criticized the law. […]
President Joe Biden signed an executive order on Monday to make the 2.0 percent pay raise for civilian Federal employees in 2025 official, marking a significant decrease from last year’s 5.2 percent pay raise. […]
The General Services Administration’s (GSA) Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is exploring creating a new funding source by potentially charging cloud providers as part of their efforts to go through the FedRAMP process. […]
Six new pilot projects will test quantum technologies and further progress in harnessing quantum phenomena for real-world applications, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on Monday. […]
A bipartisan pair of senators is asking the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for more information on the agency’s efforts to protect Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies from foreign threats to their operation. […]
After a months-long pause of its next-generation background investigation system, the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) has outlined a plan to get the system back on track. […]
President-elect Donald Trump announced key appointments on Sunday for his incoming technology team, including leadership for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST), and a new “Crypto Council.” […]
President-elect Donald Trump has named his picks for several top positions at the Pentagon including deputy secretary of defense, and other high-profile acquisition, research, and policy posts. […]
The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) once again confirmed it has a special mission on Dec. 24: to track Santa Claus’ Christmas journey, marking its 69th year of tracking Santa’s whereabouts as he and his reindeer travel around the world. […]
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) announced on Friday that it plans to resume the rollout of its Electronic Health Records Modernization (EHRM) program in mid-2026 by deploying the Federal EHR system to four Michigan facilities: Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Detroit, and Saginaw. […]
The Department of Defense (DoD) Cyber Crime Center (DC3) announced this week that it has tapped Lesley Bernys to serve as its new executive director. […]
MeriTalk recognized 17 Federal agencies for their excellence in IT during the FITARA Awards ceremony at Tech Tonic on Thursday evening, with Federal chief information officers (CIOs) taking home awards to celebrate their success on the 18th edition of the FITARA Scorecard. […]
The Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) Direct File pilot – a new online tax return filing service for individual taxpayers – was successful in its initial pilot in 2024 but should be expanded to improve equity and address challenges, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) said in a new report. […]
A new bipartisan bill filed by senators on Dec. 19 is calling for the Department of Commerce to establish an AI Safety Review Office, led by a White House-nominated under secretary of Commerce for AI safety. […]
The Biden administration’s top economic advisor is praising progress made in strengthening semiconductor supply chains over the last few years and urging President-elect Donald Trump’s team to maintain efforts to strengthen those supply chains. […]
As the U.S. Space Force marks its fifth anniversary today, its top leaders are setting their sights on the future with the establishment of a new Futures Command, a move intended to bolster the service’s analytical capabilities and better justify its programs and spending. […]
As current authorities for the government to intercept and track unauthorized drones are set to expire on Friday, Dec. 20, Federal agencies are urging Congress to enact counter-drone legislation. […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) needs to update its AI risk assessment guidance for agencies that protect critical infrastructure, as a new report reveals that DHS’s initial guidance didn’t have agencies fully measure how much harm an attack could cause, or gauge the probability of an attack. […]
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) unveiled its consolidated 2024 Federal AI use case inventory this week – noting that agencies have reported over 1,700 use cases – more than doubling the 757 AI tools reported in 2023. […]
President Biden today delivered most Federal workers an early holiday present in the form of a day off on Dec. 24 – the day before Christmas that is celebrated by many. The Federal government is already closed for Dec. 25. […]
The Department of Energy (DOE) is using artificial intelligence (AI) tech for missions that range from responding to emergencies to planning energy investments and determining the risks of nuclear weapons, the department’s new principal deputy chief information officer said on Dec. 18. […]
Government officials at both the Federal and state levels are working on a wide range of new AI use cases with focuses on administrative efficiency and improving decision-making, several Federal and city officials said this week. […]
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is gearing up to release a new white paper on how the Federal government can improve collaboration with industry to bolster the security of the subsea cable network, according to DHS Assistant Secretary for Trade and Economic Security Christa Brzozowski. […]
The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) announced today that the Biden-Harris administration has delivered over $100 billion in savings and cost avoidance through the work of category management – an enterprise-wide approach to Federal contracting that makes the government a more organized, better-informed buyer. […]
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released guidance today to protect “highly targeted” individuals – senior government and political officials – against the cyber espionage activity of Salt Typhoon. […]