Microsoft Active Directory is a critical tool that helps system administrators manage user privileges and secure their IT infrastructure, yet Active Directory presents several security challenges. Most problematic is that Active Directory’s attack surface is huge. Targets for attack include every domain name user account, admin and security group, domain controller, backup, admin workstation, and admin delegations and privileges. If any one of these targets is compromised, your entire Active Directory can be compromised too.

The Threats

Automation, more specifically IT Automation. What is it, who's using it, why is it important?

Lets start with what it is. . . IT Automation is the use of software to create repeatable instructions and processes, also known as a playbook, with the intention of replacing or reducing the amount of human interaction required with IT systems.

But wait. . . Doesn't that mean they're coming for our jobs?!?! No, but it does mean that instead of running around your environment putting out fires, you can spend more time focusing on big picture items and other processes.

When it comes to network modernization and security, federal IT may be experiencing a case of dueling personalities. On one side, network modernization is essential to a better security posture. This is because outdated legacy IT systems are more prone to vulnerabilities and were never designed to handle today’s threat landscape. However, the very act of modernizing networks may actually be making those networks less secure, at least in the short term.

It’s ironic, but true: software-defined networking (SDN) is tough to define. SDN solutions are not things you can touch, like a hardware gateway. They are not made of plastic or metal. They do not physically plug into anything.

Building an engaging workplace is a key mission of any government agency. Engagement matters. Not only are engaged employees more innovative, productive, committed, and satisfied, they are also less likely to leave. And we all know that the cost of employee turnover is high in terms of monetary and knowledge loss.

But what building blocks do you need to nurture an employee’s sense of purpose and committed role to the mission?

When you think about smart cities what springs to mind? Perhaps it’s a city app that lets you know the location of available parking spots or a transit company that can automatically re-route buses away from congested areas based on a network of fleet- or city-wide sensors. In reality, the definition of a smart city varies, depending on who you talk to.

When it comes to enhancing their cybersecurity postures, federal agencies have to wade through an entire alphabet soup of regulatory compliance guidelines. From the RMF (Risk Management Framework) to FISMA (Federal Information Security Management Act) and DISA STIGs (Defense Information Systems Agency Security Technical Implantation Guides), there are a number of requirements that agencies must implement to satisfy the government’s definition of a secure environment.

Federal fiscal year-end (FFYE) is a harried time for the federal procurement system. As agencies hustle to spend their “use-it-or-lose-it” budgets, contracting officers are under peak pressure to obtain maximum value for the money they spend on property and services, ensure compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements in awarding contracts, and so on.

Digital Experience Monitoring (DEM) is a relatively new concept. It was not that long ago when agencies measured digital service performance simply by how fast a web page loaded. Today, things are far more complex.

Federal fiscal year-end (FFYE) is the busiest season for government IT spending and with ongoing squabbles about budgets and fiscal accountability, the pressure is on to spend prudently and procure efficiently.