Critical Update Nextgov

Before the end of the year, the Defense Department intends to finalize a rule change that will require any contractor it engages with to have obtained a certification of its cybersecurity practices from an approved external auditor. The program—known as Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification—looks to eventually cover 300,000 contractors and subcontractors, many of which are anxiously waiting for the costs and details.

Critical Update contributors Heather Kuldell and Brandi Vincent recently appeared on the GovExec Daily podcast and we’re sharing the full episode with you. Listen to hear about how CISA advice to federal employees for safer teleworking, NSA’s input on how to choose a video conferencing platform and other ways tech may smooth the way for workers to return to offices.

One year into managing IT for the entire State Department—his first government job—the agency’s CIO, Stuart McGuigan, is starting to see his early initiatives pay off. For example, a shift to the cloud paid off during the current COVID-19 crisis, as his staff and bureaus are well-suited to remote, distributed working. McGuigan shares which IT and budget management principles from the private sector he’s found still apply in government and the parts of his management style he’s had to adjust.

The USPTO aims to approve patents and register trademarks as quickly as possible and CIO Jamie Holcombe is leading a massive technology modernization effort to make that happen. Even though the agency still relies on some COBOL and legacy systems, Holcombe’s team is rolling out automation, artificial intelligence tools and user-centered design to allow the workforce to finish their work faster.

Federal agencies can’t just connect their systems to the internet; they must follow a policy called Trusted Internet Connection to ensure a certain level of security. The policy was recently updated and CISA provided use cases and a reference architecture explaining key concepts. The draft for the latter includes a concept called “trust zones,” which caused confusion related to the cybersecurity concept of “zero trust.” Nextgov spoke with people shaping the program and a critic to set the record s

With the coronavirus pandemic gripping the nation, federal employees and contractors are dealing with unprecedented times while trying to work from home. Nextgov reporters came together for a roundtable discussion of our latest reporting on how the federal IT workforce is dealing with COVID-19 and leading the charge in response to a global crisis. GovExec Senior Correspondent Eric Katz also breaks down how the stimulus bill affects the federal workforce.

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