Operational Policy

Pay freeze could be limited to a year

Federal employees facing a salary freeze could get a respite if lawmakers are able to persuade colleagues to limit their actions, reports Federal Computer Week.

  • By Alyah Khan

OMB to push for big changes in IT management

The federal government is doing a major rehab on how it oversees and manages the $70 billion in annual IT spending.

  • By Matthew Weigelt and Alice Lipowicz

Army launches 'don't ask, don't tell' inbox

The intent of the inbox is to help the Army assess and consider whether repeal of the law would reduce operational readiness or unit cohesion.

  • By FederalDaily Staff

Government, industry fall short in sharing cyber threat data

Government and industry need to do a better job of sharing information about cybersecurity threats to U.S. critical infrastructure, according to the Government Accountability Office.

  • By Ben Bain

TSA reverses Web site censorship policy

The Transportation Security Administration has retracted its week-old policy of blocking employees' work computer access to Web sites with "controversial opinion."

  • By Alice Lipowicz

Facebook changes privacy controls -- again

Facebook has announced new, simplified privacy controls that CEO Mark Zuckerberg says are in response to user reaction to the last round of privacy changes.

  • By Michael Hardy

Personal data of reservists, veterans at risk in recent thefts

In separate incidents, thieves stole laptop computers containing personal information on reservists and veterans.

  • By Michael Hardy

Senators look to Amsterdam for airport technology

Computer-based auto-detection technology deployed at Amsterdam’s airport to screen passengers for explosives could be useful in the United States, according to some senators.

  • By Ben Bain

HHS wiki airs concerns about planned health network service

The Health and Human Services Department's new wiki on its Nationwide Health Information Network Direct service provides a forum for concerns about the effects of the program.

  • By Alice Lipowicz

Massive botnet may have snared some agency systems

Computer security firm NetWitness discovered a botnet that, according to the firm, has compromised 75,000 systems at 2,500 organizations, including 10 federal agencies.

  • By Ben Bain

DHS falls behind in issuing HSPD-12 ID cards, IG reports

Poor management and not enough funding have caused the Homeland Security Department to fall behind in its distribution of HSPD-12 identification cards to employees and contractors, according to a new report.

  • By Alice Lipowicz

Federal health beneficiaries won't face higher health care tax...yet

Pressure from federal employee unions pushed lawmakers to give rank-and-file feds same deal on health excise tax as state/local counterparts.

Certifications: A false sense of security

FCW readers say a certification program is not the answer to the federal government's concerns about cybersecurity.

  • By John Stein Monroe

Wanted: A Smokey Bear for cybersecurity

U.S. cybersecurity strategy needs to develop a public awareness campaign that permeates the workplace, schools and homes.

  • By Amber Corrin
Featured eBooks

AFCEA branches into federal energy initiatives

Newly focused chapter to facilitate collaboration between industry and government leaders in science, technology and policy.

  • By Amber Corrin

3 basic steps to thwart most cyberattacks, courtesy of NSA

Three key practices can help systems withstand about 80 percent of commonly-known attack mechanisms, according to an estimate from the National Security Agency.

  • By Ben Bain

DHS Web sites vulnerable to hackers, IG says

The DHS inspector general has found vulnerabilities related to uneven security patch management in the department's nine most popular Web sites.

  • By Alice Lipowicz

Federal Register goes XML -- at last

Readers can now browse, reorganize, and electronically customize the Federal Register's contents.

  • By Doug Beizer

Web 2.0 review could lead to restricted use of social networking in DOD

A review on how social media should be used at the Defense Department will likely lead to a policy that allows the use of Web 2.0 tools with restrictions due to security concerns, according to a DOD spokesman.

  • By Doug Beizer

Who is sending mysterious laptops to governors?

The FBI is investigating unsolicited laptop computers sent to several governors’ offices.

  • By Doug Beizer