The federal government has been on a journey to modernize its IT infrastructure in support of the mission and the strategic initiatives that each executive department has identified. This commitment to modernization is driving the federal government to explore new technologies that can enhance its operational capabilities and infrastructure. The implementation of 5G promises to provide faster network speeds, ultra-low latency connectivity, and...

There have been several cyber attacks recently that were launched through users’ mobile devices, often targeting high-profile government officials. For instance, the FBI and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released a joint statement in November 2024 that their ongoing investigation into the People’s Republic of China (PRC) targeting of commercial telecommunications infrastructure revealed a broad and sig...

Drones and robots can extend the capabilities of first responders. In December 2024, a search and rescue team in Colorado used drones to find a 10-year-old boy who was lost in the mountains south of Denver. The team also used a drone to deliver a plastic bag with protein bars, gel packs, water, a winter hat and a thermal blanket for him until authorities arrived at the site. In Alaska, firefighters used a robot to drop needed supplies to crews...

When a disaster strikes, the infrastructure needed to support recovery usually is hit hard, as well. Tornados take down cell towers, buildings, tear up roads; floods damage water treatment plants, homes, bridges; wildfires destroy everything in their path. First responders – the people going into harm’s way to save people and property – need as much information as possible about the conditions they will face. The U.S. Fire Ad...

Data analytics demonstrate their value for both public safety and emergency management every day. The National League of Cities, for example, promotes the usefulness of Data-Informed Community Engagement (DICE), pairing crime data and analytics with community-driven risk concerns. Data-driven policing has been in use since the 1970s, but the advent of the cloud and edge computing has put it at the fingertips of law enforcement. Similarly, emer...

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming cybersecurity for the better—empowering teams to detect threats faster, reduce false positives, and identify risky behavior before it becomes a breach. But there are risks associated with AI: first, that AI tools currently are new to organizations and under-regulated for their own cybersecurity, so require careful review; also, as defenders become more sophisticated with those AI tools, so do...

One of the most beneficial practices any agency can implement is achieving and maintaining Continuous Authorization to Operate (cATO). It allows an organization to maintain ongoing authorization for their systems and software, rather than having to obtain a one-time ATO for each deployment. Gaining a cATO requires agencies to implement continuous monitoring of the security of their systems and practicing active cyber defense measures that proa...

Today’s workforce isn’t tethered to laptops – it’s powered by mobile. It’s often a primary way many employees connect to email and other mission-critical resources but not treated that way from a security standpoint. Traditional Mobile Device Management (MDM) solutions weren’t built to detect advanced threats or align with Zero Trust principles. They offer basic control, but not the telemetry, risk context,...

Katie Arrington, the acting CIO for the Department of Defense, is fiercely determined to enforce the requirements of the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), considering it a primary defense against China’s cyber incursions – and one she expects the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) to meet. Among best practices suggested for achieving CMMC is maintaining a comprehensive, accurate asset inventory, because it defines the b...