Strengthening Internet of Things Security at the Federal, Local, and Consumer Level

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"Our world is more connected than ever." This phrase can be interpreted in many ways, one being the growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices. Traditional materials and devices, including bridges, streetlights, water processing machines, home refrigerators, and even our doorbells, are now connected to the internet and to users who need to track how they are functioning. However, this cyber connection also means that these devices are open for others to access and use in ways we never envisioned.

Cybersecurity practices must now extend to non-cyber products to ensure that operational technology does not compromise information technology or the networks that connect them. In fact, 1.5 billion attacks were launched against IoT devices in a single year.

Efforts to secure IoT devices must happen across all levels of users, from the federal government through state and local agencies to even citizen consumers. Continue reading →

Grading the FAFSA Roll-Out

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The Department of Education underwent a complete overhaul of its Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online system to improve the user experience. The existing form consisted of 108 questions, and the Department saw that many applicants were abandoning the process out of frustration and confusion.

The FAFSA Simplification Act was passed in 2020. The act helped fund the work needed to simplify the form and update how aid was calculated. The system rolled out in December 2023, more than a year later than expected and at the height of college application season. While the new system did reduce the number of questions to a maximum of 36 and the intake of 3.1 million forms in the first month alone, the rollout has been marred by some glaring issues that have made the customer experience worse, not better, for many, already stressed college-bound students. Continue reading →

Ensuring Broadband for All

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Ensuring broadband access for all citizens has been a key government focus, particularly since the pandemic accelerated the move to digital-first services. No longer a nice-to-have service, high-speed internet access is critical for education, healthcare, and access to government services. Ensuring this access means building out the infrastructure from urban centers to the most rural spots of the country and making access to broadband service affordable.

Broadband as a Utility

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is working to restore net neutrality policies that were canceled in 2017. These policies prohibit internet service providers (ISP) from throttling speeds to accelerate or degrade the delivery of online content. This practice can impact how underserved communities receive broadband access, allowing, for example, ISPs to prioritize certain traffic in exchange for user or content provider payments. With net neutrality, internet access is treated as a utility, similar to water or electricity, with equal access. Continue reading →

How the Healthcare Industry Is Working to Become Immune to Ransomware

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The first known ransomware attack occurred in 1989 and was targeted at the healthcare industry. The attention and attractiveness of healthcare organizations to ransomware hackers have not waned in the decades since. In fact, attacks are growing by 70-100 percent year over year. In 2023, there were over 460 ransomware attacks impacting U.S. health organizations, making it the most targeted industry.

This year, a major attack delayed prescription fillings and led to cash flow issues at facilities across the country. The American Healthcare Association said that 94% of hospitals have reported financial impact from the incident, with some losing upward of $1 billion per day in revenues. Continue reading →

Developing an AI Training Plan for the Government Workforce

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In talking about AI, there is a lot of discussion about "training the models"--feeding large amounts of data into an algorithm and then examining the results to ensure they are accurate. Once the models are deployed, the training does not stop for the models, and even more importantly, for its users.

A study from Deloitte estimates that generative AI could help boost productivity tenfold. However, this jump in efficiency will only be realized if AI and its outputs are being used correctly. Working with AI and AI-generated content requires a different set of skills that include critical thinking, algorithmic understanding, data analysis, deeper domain knowledge, cyber/data hygiene, and more. Continue reading →