Tag Archives: cyber security

Pentagon Approves Use of Advanced Devices from Apple and Others – but Don’t Expect Quick Change

Chris Carroll (@ChrisCarroll_), Stars and Stripes. On Friday the Defense Information Systems Agency announced the long rumored approval of the Security Technical Implementation Guide, or STIG, for Apple iOS6 devices to be used on the Defense Department’s networks. This move effectively clears the department’s various entities to purchase products like iPhones and iPads officially for the first time joining previously approved Samsung Android devices. While there is some excitement among Apple diehards, Carroll points out that it won’t be an overnight change by any means. BlackBerry clearly owns the government market…

Economy Grew at 2.5 Percent in 1^st Quarter, Amping Fears of a Stalled Recovery

Ylan Q. Mui (@ylanmui) and Marjorie Censer (@CommonCenser), Washington Post. The sequester cuts haven’t really settled in yet, most federal employee furloughs are only just starting, yet the 1^st quarter economic data is already showing a slowed growth from expectations. Gross domestic product grew at annual rate of 2.5% for the first three months of the year thanks to an 11.5% annualized drop in military spending. This makes it two quarters in a row of massive defense cuts and represents the steepest declines in military spending since the Korean War. Things simply won’t…

Senators to Probe Air Force’s $1 Billion Failed Software

Tony Capaccio (@ACapaccio), Bloomberg. The Senate Armed Services Committee is investigating the failure of a $1 billion software project by Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) for the Air Force that was canceled in November. The program was reorganized three times in three years and a new review found that to fix the program would cost yet another $1.1 billion on top of that already spent and still bring it in past the deadline needed. To their credit the Air Force is taking a percentage of the blame for shifting requirements, failed acquisition processes and other management issues and not just leaving…

Defense Secretary Defense Leon Panetta warned of a potential “cyber-Pearl Harbor” yesterday in a speech at the Intrepid Museum in New York while making a push for cyber security legislation.

While some may say this is overstatement, the threat is real. It comes to life when you listen to FBI agents and cyber security experts talk about real world examples. Earlier this week the Government Technology & Services Coalition, the FBI Washington Field Office and the local Infragard chapter presented a focus on cyber threats and vulnerabilities that face our digital infrastructure.

The threat goes beyond destructive actions in a cyber Pearl Harbor. Our economy is based on…

Sequestration Ground Zero: ‘Fayette-nam’

Stephanie Gaskell, Politico. Politico’s @SGaskell traveled down to Fayetteville, North Carolina to see how sequestration is playing in one of the largest military communities in the country and discovered its not playing too well at all. With over $640 million in government contracting dollars flowing into the local economy the automatic cuts could prove to be devastating to many small companies and individuals as contracts are cut and employees laid off. Most recognize the mess is thanks to Congress’ inability to find a solution to head off the ‘meat axe’ associated with last year’s budget agreement and aren’t interested in hearing excuses or attempts to pass…