The state of Texas wants to accelerate the use of next-generation technology to deliver secure digital services. To that end, it has released its 2022-2026 State Strategic Plan for Information Resources Management, which sets four overarching goals: Secure IT service delivery Advanced data management Strategic digital transformation Proactive approach to emerging technologies Just as Texas agencies are looking to modernize and transform their...

The federal government continues to encourage agencies to move to the cloud. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in June published Cloud Security Technical Reference Architecture v.2 (TRA), which strengthens its guidance to meet cybersecurity standards laid out in Executive Order 14028, "Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity." The TRA includes an introduction to the concept of “cloud security posture manageme...

Providing for our national defense, responding to natural disasters, and securing our infrastructure are just a snapshot of the kinds of services Americans expect of their government. Behind these activities are the 2.1 million federal civil servants who bring government agencies to life. These organizations are only as strong as their workforces are empowered and motivated. That motivation must be built on a combination of an unbreakable comm...

The upheaval in the American workforce due to the Covid-19 pandemic and volatility in the nation’s economy provide a perfect opportunity for the government to retain the next generation of employees. Gen X workers are generally between 40 and 54 years old, in the prime of their lives, concerned with stability and opportunities to improve their own and their families’ quality of life. The Gen Z cadre, roughly 20 to 24 years old, are...

Ransomware continues to be one of the single biggest threats to government networks, and IT professionals are increasingly worried about employees who work remotely ignoring security guidance and clicking on malware-infested links or attachments. Their concerns are justified, particularly with regard to highly evasive adaptive threats that target web browsers and take active measures to avoid detection by current-generation security. These att...

There is increased focus within agencies at all levels of government on “environmental, social and governance” (ESG) policies – already making an impact in the business world – as a framework for agencies to minimize their environmental impact while creating an inclusive and values-led culture for employees. It’s also about creating equitable experiences for the people and organizations they serve. For instance, i...

Government’s Journey to IPv6 – What It Means for Agencies Federal agencies have been mandated to migrate to IPv6 – the next-generation Internet protocol, designed to replace version 4 (IPv4) that has been in use since 1983. The depletion crisis that exists with IPv4 unique addresses requires the shift to the robust, 128-bit IPv6 with its 340 undecillion or 340 trillion trillion trillion unique addresses. The explosion of Inte...

Government guidance on cybersecurity is gaining momentum but it's still unable to keep pace with current trends. Changes in how we work (such as remote working) and evolving cyber threats will continue to endanger state, local, tribal, territorial, and educational networks. Today’s threat landscape means that private and public sector organizations can no longer rely on their users or on detection-based security tools to protect their us...

5G for Government – From Warehouses to Virtual Reality The advent of 5G – fifth-generation mobile communications – is creating a host of opportunities for government applications. A "smart warehouse" at Naval Base Coronado is delivering on optimization of the facility’s operations, including identification of materials and supplies, organization, storage, retrieval and transportation. Meanwhile, the U.S. Army is develop...

It’s that time of year again, when agencies must deal with the effects of operating under a congressional Continuing Resolution. This is not a new exercise – according to an August report by the Government Accountability Office, the federal government has had to operate under CRs in 43 of the past 46 years. While a CR generally continues the funding levels set in the previous fiscal year’s budget, it hurts agencies’ abi...