Top executives at DHS are calling for a renewed focus on passing cyber legislation, and the federal government has expanded its use of critical security controls. In addition, Sandia National Labs is using software to track antibiotic-resistant pathogens, and the Pentagon has updated DISA’s role as a cloud broker. Be sure to read about this and much more in this week’s Federal News Round Up.
Administration Renews Call for Cyber Legislation
With Congress back in session, top officials at the Department of Homeland Security have renewed their calls for lawmakers to pass cybersecurity legislation to strengthen DHS’s ability to mitigate cyber attacks.
Sandia National Labs Battles Bacteria with Software
Researchers at Sandia National Labs area have developed software to help track potentially dangerous antibiotic-resistant pathogens that are creeping into hospital wards.
Government Expands Adoption of Critical Security Controls
A majority of government organizations taking a recent survey by security education provider SANS Institute said they have adopted the Critical Security Controls (CSCs), a roadmap of 20 best practices for computer security developed by a public private consortium.
DoD Updates DISA’s Role as the Department’s Cloud Broker
The Pentagon is refining the Defense Information Systems Agency’s role as the Defense Department’s cloud broker, while outlining how DOD agencies can acquire commercial cloud services.
Department of Energy, Google Back Quantum Computing Research
The Department of Energy is investing in a project to speed the development of unhackable quantum encryption technology that will protect the country’s power grid from cyber attack.
Air Force Wants a Better Way to Map and Analyze its Networks
The Air Force is looking for new technologies for cyber situational awareness under a newly consolidated program called Mission Awareness for Mission Assurance, or MAMA.