National Institute of Standards and Technology

  • Cyber coordinator Michael Daniel released updated goals for TIC, HSPD-12 and continuous monitoring on Performance.gov. He said by adding new goals to the portal, performance improvement officers will pay more attention and influence how agencies meet the targets.

    March 15, 2013
  • The newly issued Executive Order gives NIST, DHS several goals and corresponding deadlines over the next year. NIST will work with industry to create a cybersecurity framework. DHS is expanding the information sharing program so industry can receive classified and unclassified cyber threat data more easily and more quickly.

    February 14, 2013
  • Senior administration officials say the Executive Order is not a replacement for comprehensive cybersecurity legislation, but the start of a new conversation for how best to protect the nation's critical infrastructure. NIST released an RFI Tuesday as part of its effort to create a voluntary, flexible framework. And DHS will expand the number of companies the government shares classified and unclassified cyber threat information with through the Defense Industrial Base pilot.

    February 13, 2013
  • Ron Ross of the National Institute of Standards and Technology wants feedback on the agency's IT security and privacy controls. Deputy Commissioner Wanda Rogers of the Treasury Department's Financial Management Service talks about the final transition to E-Payments. Philip Lohaus is a research fellow with the American Enterprise Institute and former Defense Department analyst who has studied and blogged about how the CIA is two organizations in one.

    February 11, 2013
  • Through the Digital Government Strategy, several initiatives are underway to address IT security concerns. DHS created a security baseline architecture and is testing it through five use cases. GSA created a new secure online content platform for agencies to move websites and applications into a mobile environment.

    February 08, 2013
  • The department is creating and trying out a universal curriculum for five foundational cyber roles in 2013. DISA is leading the effort and will add new roles next year as it refines the training. The agency says it is doing all it can to synchronize its training not just across DoD, but across the entire federal government in line with the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE).

    January 21, 2013
  • OMB and NIST are seeking help from industry and academia on how to integrate cloud computing and the large amount of information that is created from mobile computing. The goal is not just to know what data agencies have, but the value the data brings. With all this focus on cloud and big data integration, could agencies be on the hook for a new "big data" strategy?

    January 16, 2013
  • The Postal Service issued a draft solicitation for the Federal Cloud Credential Exchange. The goal is to create a cloud-based service to perform identity authentication and verification. Agencies could plug into the service, integrating it with any application that adheres to the standards.

    January 11, 2013
  • IT Lab Director Charles Romine said the organization collaborates with an ever-growing number of agencies on technology challenges. He said the Lab also is focusing on questions around cloud, cybersecurity, mobile computing and big data. January 10, 2013

    January 10, 2013
  • Dr. A. Hunter Fanney talks about a house the NIST Engineering Lab is using to study green technologies. Dr. Cheryl Martin discusses the Energy Department's recent round of grants to foster new technology. Financial Planner Arthur Stein discusses the impact of FERS over the last 25 years. Pete Kasperowicz of The Hill newspapers reviews upcoming legislation on Capitol Hill.

    December 12, 2012
  • The mobile revolution isn't new to many agencies. Laptops and BlackBerrys have been standard issue for many government executives for the last decade. What is different, however, is the widespread use of smartphones and tablet computers. Both agencies and citizens hold new and more immediate expectations because of these devices, and the government must adapt to this technololgy. In our special report, Gov 3.0: It's Mobile, Federal News Radio explores how some agencies are meeting the demand internally and externally for mobile devices and apps. The challenge, like any new technology, is ensuring these devices actually help meet mission goals and don't become just another shiny toy.

    December 07, 2012
  • OMB Controller Danny Werfel explains how agencies have been able to cut improper payments. Also, the VA's Mary Santiago discusses the hurdles to hiring more veterans into the federal workforce.

    November 29, 2012
  • Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) describes the bipartisan support around the DATA Act. Michael Courts of the GAO recaps his testimony on diplomatic security related to the attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi. Charles H. Romine of NIST explains how medical professionals can make meaningful use of electronic records.

    November 20, 2012
  • Identity management, standup of Cyber Command, and information sharing with the industrial base have been cited as key cyber accomplishments in the Department of Defense. But much work remains, experts say.

    October 25, 2012