Tech

Why You Can’t Shoot Terrorists With Lasers, Yet

Military leaders are eager to have the precision of a directed-energy weapon — yet plenty of legal and practical obstacles remain.

Nextgov

OPM Pays Too Much Protecting Breach Victims from Identity Theft, Watchdog Says

Congress required OPM to provide identity theft insurance up to $5 million, but claims rarely exceed a few thousand, GAO says.

Tech

The Founding Fathers Encrypted Secret Messages, Too

Centuries before cybersecurity, statesmen around the world communicated with their own elaborate codes and ciphers.

Nextgov

Trump Team Seems to Stay the Course With the Last Administration’s Cyber Efforts

Two recent moves suggest the Trump White House isn’t seeking a sea change in international cyber policy.

Nextgov

FEC and 18F Team Up to Save Agency $1.2M

The commission's new website, hosted by Cloud.gov, will reduce spend on internal systems.

Nextgov

AT&T Scores $6.5B Contract to Build Nation's First Public Safety Broadband Network

The company will spend about $40 billion on building, deploying and operating the network.

Nextgov

NIST Cyber Framework for Federal Agencies Coming Soon

The guidance is expected in the next two months or so, a NIST official said.

Nextgov

IT Subcommittee to Focus on Buying Better Tech Faster

“It’s time we align best practices in government with industry in acquisition,” Rep. Will Hurd said.

Nextgov

Border Patrol Sniffs Out High-Tech Collars for Canine Agents

Homeland Security's K-9 teams might use wearable devices to ensure the dogs aren't injured on the job.

Nextgov

DHS Seeks to Reboot Relationship with Election Officials as Cyber Fears Loom in 2018

DHS wants to ensure election systems are secure against Russian hackers before the 2018 election.

Tech

A Bot That Can Tell When It's Really Donald Trump Who's Tweeting

Using machine learning to figure out when the president is writing his own tweets

Nextgov

NARA Rethinks How to Store Presidential Records

The agency is currently transferring about 532 million Obama administration files into its archives.

Nextgov

DHS Cyber Strategy Delayed for Trump Team Review

The department sees a "generational" opportunity for security in IT modernization, cyber lead says.

Defense

Russia Joins U.S. in Race to Field Gun-Launched Swarmbots

A pair of Russian programs hastens the day that drone swarms may meet each other over the battlefield.

Nextgov

IT Modernization Bill Could be Reintroduced in Congress This Week

Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, could introduce a tweaked version of the Modernizing Government Technology Act, which passed the House in September but stalled in the Senate during the lame-duck session.