Back To School: FITARA’s Latest Assessments
Originally passed in 2014, the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) was designed to improve the management of all-things-IT across federal agencies. It essentially realigned how the government purchases and updates its technology, with an aim at grading agencies based on their ability to adhere to and improve on the following categories:
2024 Higher Education Outlook: The Role of Technology in Institutional Resilience
The annual EDUCAUSE conference highlighted higher education technology trends, goals, challenges, and how to identify a way ahead for higher education institutions to be successful in today’s modern world.
K-12 Education: Security Challenges and Solutions for the Modern World
Over the last few months, there have been several recent cybersecurity initiatives at the federal level, aimed at bridging gaps in K-12 cybersecurity policy and strategy.
China, China, China and the Race for IT-Enabled Air Superiority
The Air Force hosts an annual summit known as Department of the Air Force Information Technology and Cyberpower (DAFITC) in Montgomery, Alabama, right next to Maxwell Air Force Base. It’s an opportunity for Guardians, Airmen, academics, and IT industry to come together to discuss pain point remedies and high-level plans and strategies. It is also an opportunity for branch heads to strike deals that lead to the adoption of modern and effective systems, meant to enable air superiority. Ms.
Navigating the Crossroads: The Intersection of IoT and Infrastructure in a Security-First World
IoT and Its Impact on Infrastructure and Governance
The Internet of Things (IoT) revolutionizes how governments, organizations, and citizens interact with the physical world. This wave of interconnected devices promises a transformative infrastructure and governmental operations shift. However as the reach of IoT grows, the implications — especially related to security — become even more profound.
The Navy’s Latest Cybersecurity Pursuits and How to Bring Your A-Game
The Department of Navy (DON) recently held its annual WEST Conference, this year with a strong emphasis on cybersecurity. The conference brought together key decision-makers from the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard, along with experts from various industries and government officials. The discussions were broad-ranging, covering topics related to naval warfare, technology, innovation, and cybersecurity.
Navigating the Evolving Threat Landscape: State and Local Governments Prioritize Cybersecurity in 2023
2022 was a noteworthy year for the technology sector, particularly as it relates to cybersecurity. The post-pandemic era of modernization exposed the fragility of U.S. public sector technology infrastructure and systems, widening attack surfaces and posing additional challenges for state, local and education leaders. We have witnessed the whole gamut of continually evolving security threats, ranging from election security breaches, nation-state actors, threats to critical infrastructure, ransomware attacks, hacktivism and more.
Vulnerability in SLED: How the Threat Landscape is Changing to Target Education, Small Municipalities
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has seen increased malicious activity with ransomware attacks against K 12 educational institutions. Malicious cyber actors target school computer systems, slowing access, and rendering the systems inaccessible to essential functions, including remote learning. In some instances, ransomware actors stole and threatened to leak confidential student data unless institutions paid a ransom.
Ransomware attacks on US government organizations cost $18.9bn in 2020.
Summer’s Over, But the HEAT is On
TD Synnex Public Sector’s Chief Cybersecurity Technologist, Don Maclean sat down with Mark Guntrip, Senior Director of Security Strategy at Menlo Security, to discuss one of the latest emergent security threats.
Interoperability and the Air Force
“We must find fresh ways to connect forces, allies, and partners that provide an effective response to the challenge of a highly contested environment not seen in the last 20 years. Given the challenges we face today and in the future, we simply have no choice but to become more interoperable,” said General CQ Brown JR., U.S. Air Force Chief.