Federal agencies’ systems are targeted by hostile interests all the time, whether it’s through a vulnerability in their networks or through a third-party product. The complexity and dynamism of the digital glass houses built on cloud platforms require significant time and effort to rebuild after a breach or a ransomware attack. And most impacted agencies or organizations don’t have an automated virtual blueprint to begin the...

In 2023, 725 data breaches were reported to the Department of Health and Human Services, according to HIPAA Journal. More than 133 million records were exposed or impermissibly disclosed. That’s just one risk in healthcare ecosystems. The dangers extend beyond that: every hospital bed is connected to the internet. People die when hospitals lose power – and if a hospital’s IT systems are compromised all the electronic pieces t...

The compute environment is getting more and more complicated for government agencies. Public cloud and private cloud, on-premises data centers, edge locations, government-owned assets and BYO devices – and now with the integration of AI and advanced cloud services – agencies face the critical task of orchestrating a vast array of data, applications, networks, and systems across increasingly intricate control planes. Blending all th...

The state of Ohio is pursuing an integrated customer approach that improves the user experience, such as creating a digital identity to simplify interactions with agencies while keeping information private and secure. Among its efforts, the Ohio Office of Information Technology is pursuing a “cloud smart” strategy, including acting as a broker for agencies looking at Infrastructure-as-a-Service and Platform-as-a-Service. At the sam...

Rapidly evolving AI technologies offer tremendous opportunities to help federal agencies address today’s most pressing challenges, from the effects of climate change and responding to natural disasters, to improving public health services, to strengthening public safety and national security. The Office of Management and Budget recently released policy guidance to remove unnecessary barriers that hinder agencies’ responsible implem...

In today’s interconnected digital landscape, application programming interfaces (APIs) play a pivotal role in facilitating seamless communication and data exchange between various applications and systems. However, with this increased connectivity comes heightened security risks, particularly concerning the protection of sensitive data in those APIs. One of the most notorious examples of API risk is the Cambridge Analytica scandal in the...

As the use of artificial intelligence has exploded throughout both the public and private sectors, much of the attention has been focused on its risks, because the technology is still developing and has the potential to cause harm. Less attention has been paid to how AI can be utilized to improve cybersecurity. The research firm IDC in its report, AI and Cybersecurity in Federal, State, and Local Governments, noted that AI is already having an...

In today’s interconnected digital landscape, cyberattacks have become a constant threat, impacting individuals, organizations, and nations alike. As technology advances, so do the methods and sophistication of cyber adversaries, making it crucial for all stakeholders to stay informed and up to date on the latest mitigation strategies. The cyber threat landscape continues to evolve and nothing ever goes away. Phishing scams have been arou...

5G networks have become more common over the past few years. At the 5G Americas conference in October 2023, the keynote speaker said the U.S./Canada region leads the world in 5G subscription penetration (41%), followed by China (33%), and Europe (just 13%). Additionally, while 33% of US. devices use 5G, 51% of data traffic is 5G. Government agencies have been slower to adopt 5G for their networks, however, in part because of the higher costs a...

Power grids, water systems, transportation networks and other vital services are essential to communities but lack substantial cyber defenses. Their vulnerabilities make them tempting targets, whether for nation-states or cybercriminals. For instance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a warning earlier this year that a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group already has footholds in multiple networks operated by...