The onset of a global pandemic forced the federal government to react, change and innovate at a pace no one could have anticipated. While the push to modernize IT systems was well under way, agencies and industry alike had to adopt and adapt to relying on remote workforces while simultaneously seeking ways to quickly provide accessible remote citizen services. There are signs the pandemic will not end quickly, which means continued pressure on...

The importance of data isn’t new. What has changed is the ever-growing number of sources generating data, and how emerging technologies such as 5G and artificial intelligence are being used to unlock its value. Today data comes from everywhere – mobile devices, cloud-based software, IoT sensors, and more. According to an IDC InfoBrief released in May 2020, data created at the edge will grow 6x faster than that from other systems. J...

Program management is one of the most demanding jobs in the Federal government – coordinating multiple projects across a program, all while keeping a sharp eye on overall cost, schedule and performance. A change in one project ripples across the entire program. The pandemic has further complicated this already difficult set of responsibilities, by forcing team members to work remotely and straining communications with industry partners f...

In the last two years, public sector ransomware attacks have exploded in both frequency and sophistication. These attacks pose an urgent national security risk to all levels of government and to critical institutions like schools and hospitals. The Institute for Security + Technology’s Ransomware Task Force issued a report earlier this year that identified almost 2,400 ransomware attacks against public sector agencies and organizations....

The Department of Defense (DoD) and Intelligence Community (IC) have entered a new age of warfighting, where battlefields exist in the digital realm as much as the physical one. This makes moving to the cloud a mission imperative, but the resulting multi-cloud and hybrid landscape can lead to immense operational complexity. Managing that complexity is critical to the success of IT modernization projects both currently underway and contemplated...

Government agencies and private sector companies alike are evaluating ways to embrace and standardize the changes brought about by the pandemic regarding where employees do their work. One often-overlooked aspect is employers’ responsibility for their employees’ well-being, whether they work at home or in an office. In a traditional on-premises environment, most enterprises have well-established policies and programs to keep emplo...

Customer and employee experience (CX) is becoming increasingly important to organizations across the government. Both customers and employees see and participate in technological advances promoted by the private sector, and want to see government make use of the same kinds of tools. A robust digital system to track data from citizens, partners and employees is critical in this modern era, as the federal government moves more and more resources...

In May, the White House issued its Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity. The EO states as policy, “Incremental improvements will not give us the security we need; instead, the Federal Government needs to make bold changes and significant investments in order to defend the vital institutions that underpin the American way of life. The Federal Government must bring to bear the full scope of its authorities and resources...

Ransomware is posing an increasingly urgent threat to U.S. safety and national security interests. In recent years, ransomware attacks have become much more common among State, Local, Tribal, and Territorial governments, as well as threatening critical infrastructure entities. The danger is so great that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security has a web page that gathers recommended be...

In a world where technology provides the winning edge, no one values innovation more than the U.S. military. As a result, enabling best-in-class DevSecOps is an increasing priority across the services. The heart of DevSecOps is built on the teams of programmers, systems operators and cybersecurity professionals who collaborate, share responsibilities, and learn from failures and new ideas. Identifying the right skills for new hires and reskill...