//
Constellis Names Rick Tye as President of Crisis Mitigation; Tim Reardon Quoted
Published on
Constellis Names Rick Tye as President of Crisis Mitigation; Tim Reardon Quoted

Constellis has appointed Rick Tye as president of Crisis Mitigation within the Crisis Response business, where he will lead the company’s COVID-19 Response, Fire and Emergency Services, Emergency and Disaster Response, and other priority programs, Constellis reported on Monday.

Constellis’ Crisis Response business provides organizations and communities with a full range of response and planning services to reduce risk, prepare for hazards and recover from crises. The business delivers rapid, targeted and adaptable crisis management, communications and response solutions.

In his new role, Tye will oversee Constellis’ Crisis Response business, including services that provide rapid response capabilities to enable business continuity. He will also work to mitigate risks that threaten the safety of personnel, property, critical infrastructure and reputation.

Tim Reardon, CEO of Constellis and 2020 Wash100 Award Winner
Tim Reardon, CEO of Constellis and 2020 Wash100 Award Winner

“Rick’s new position as President, Crisis Mitigation, was established to address the need for rapid crisis response solutions within our customer sets,” said Tim Reardon, CEO of Constellis and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient. “This is an important new role for Rick and a vital service in today’s environment.”

In addition to Tye’s appointment, Constellis named Darryle Conway as the company’s chief growth officer, effective immediately, to drive strategy and growth for the company’s customers.

About Constellis

In an ever-changing and complex world, security enables innovation, leads to opportunity, and drives progress. Constellis provides end-to-end risk management and humanitarian solutions to safeguard people and infrastructure globally. Our team of strategic problem solvers has a steadfast moral compass and unwavering dedication to creating a safer world. Constellis is fiercely committed to the success of our customers and partners.

/
Zscaler Launches Security Assessment Program; Jay Chaudhry Quoted
Published on
Zscaler Launches Security Assessment Program; Jay Chaudhry Quoted

Zscaler has launched a security assessment program to enable organizations to assess the SolarWinds supply-chain attack, analyze potential impact on their organization and provide adherence to Zscaler’s recommended best practices, the company recently reported.

“SolarWinds will be remembered as a historic cybersecurity event. It highlights that as organizations embrace digital transformation, they have increased exposure to risk if they rely on traditional approaches to security,” said Jay Chaudhry, CEO, chairman and founder, Zscaler.

Zscaler’s Zero Trust Exchange Platform will modernize enterprise security by reducing the attack surface, preventing attackers from moving freely across the organizations and stopping command-and-control activity to limit the impact supply chain attacks.

The company’s cloud security platform will deliver comprehensive visibility into enterprise internet traffic. It processes over 150 billion daily requests to prevent threats. The Zscaler Security Assessment will also help organizations gain immediate visibility into their security posture and provide support to protect enterprises.

In addition, the Zscaler Security Assessment Program will educate organizations on attacks, leveraging security experts to guide companies through Zscaler’s recommended best practices and how to implement them.

Zscaler’s security experts will also provide advice for securing workload to Internet traffic and perform a security policy audit to ensure organizations adhere to recommended best practices for protection.

“Zscaler is leading the way to transform legacy network security to a  zero trust architecture where you securely connect people and applications. As a trusted advisor, we help our customers and partners securely protect themselves from the threat activity today, and the attacks of tomorrow,” Chaudhry added.

About Zscaler

Zscaler (NASDAQ: ZS) accelerates digital transformation so customers can be more agile, efficient, resilient, and secure. The Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange protects thousands of customers from cyberattacks and data loss by securely connecting users, devices, and applications in any location. Distributed across more than 150 data centers globally, the SASE-based Zero Trust Exchange is the world’s largest in-line cloud security platform.

//
Maria Roat on Upcoming Federal Data Strategy 2021 Action Plan
Published on
Maria Roat on Upcoming Federal Data Strategy 2021 Action Plan

Maria Roat, deputy federal chief information office and a 2020 Wash100 Award winner, said the 2021 Action Plan of the Federal Data Strategy is expected to put emphasis on efforts to advance data skills training, mature data management and strengthen cross-agency collaboration, GovernmentCIO Media and Research reported Tuesday. Roat said agencies will continue efforts to mature data governance in 2021.

“Even though 2020 was a foundational year, we’re building on that foundation in 2021,” Roat said. “We recognize the agencies have diverse needs, resources; they have different missions. So even as we’re looking at the execution of all of those milestones, we have to keep in mind that agencies are at different levels of maturity.” 

Roat said she hopes agencies will set a goal of coming up with master data management programs and that agencies will continue to advance efforts to address the data skills gap.

“Whether it’s just data skills in general or overall data science, there’s going to be continued emphasis, because regardless of your job, you use data, and understanding the importance of that data, the quality of data and what could be done to improve it,” Roat said. “Increasing staff data skills is going to continue to be a push.”

She also called on agencies to assess the quality of their data assets and their inventories to inform their strategic planning efforts.

/
EMURGO Academy Partners with INTELLEQ to Drive Blockchain Ecosystem
Published on
EMURGO Academy Partners with INTELLEQ to Drive Blockchain Ecosystem

EMURGO Academy and INTELLEQ have partnered to deliver Blockchain ecosystem across the nation by providing training and consulting services. The companies will work to build capacity through awareness programs and training initiatives. The partnership will also mentor and consult with start up’s in Blockchain.

“IntelleQ, in partnership with Emurgo Academy, are providing a wide range of courses on Blockchain. These courses are surely going to help transform business processes and enhance mission delivery in the Commercial and Federal Government sectors in the USA,” said Chandra Sabbavarpu, Member, INTELLEQ.

The partnership will offer training courses to developers, students, universities, professionals and leaders to help expand blockchain technology. “This collaboration will also help immensely to build a complete Blockchain Ecosystem in the USA,” Sabbavarpu added.

This strategic business expansion aligns with both EMURGO’s and INTELLEQ philosophy and mission to drive the adoption of blockchain ecosystem.

“EMURGO would be able to leverage its expertise in blockchain and AI/ML to ensure that we are able to train and do capacity building and mentor young aspirants to foster blockchain adoption in USA,” said E. Venkatesan, CEO EMURGO Academy.

/
GSA Awards Brillient OASIS Unrestricted Pool 4 Contract; Paul Strasser Quoted
Published on
GSA Awards Brillient OASIS Unrestricted Pool 4 Contract; Paul Strasser Quoted

The General Services Administration (GSA) has awarded Brillient a One Acquisition Solution for Integrated Services (OASIS) Unrestricted Pool 4 contract, the company recently reported. OASIS, a Best-In-Class (BIC) contract, will enable federal agencies and other entities to procure complex professional services.

Task orders awarded under the multiple award, Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract include Research and Development (R&D) in the Physical, Engineering and Life Sciences as well as in Biotechnology. OASIS is a preferred government-wide contract vehicle that is pre-vetted to meet criteria for management maturity and data sharing.

Paul Strasser, CEO of Brillient
Paul Strasser, CEO of Brillient

“This unrestricted award of OASIS Pool 4 is the culmination of our team’s efforts toward obtaining a Best-in-Class contract vehicle and being a premier provider of R&D solutions for the US Government,” said Paul Strasser, CEO of Brillient.

Brillient has developed innovative solutions, leveraging emerging technologies, to support critical missions. GSA’s OASIS will enable Brillient to provide a Government-preferred BIC contract for its federal clients.

The award follows Brillient’s recent single-award, $112 million blanket purchase agreement (BPA) from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide a comprehensive digital records management system for the USDA’s Farm Production and Conservation mission area.

Brillient secured the BPA in July 2020, and will work to support FPAC by replacing manual paper-based business processes with a full lifecycle, NARA-compliant electronic records management system.

The company will support the digitization of paper-based records, personnel training, cultural and business process changes, a secure, extensible digital records management system and a comprehensive electronic records management program.

About Brillient 

Brillient is an award-winning Solutions Engineering company focused on Digital Transformation, Intelligent Automation, and Business Process Management, which aids government clients achieve improved efficiencies and lower costs in their digital government and IT modernization initiatives.

/
U.S. Army Reserve Names Robert Powell to Serve as Deputy Commanding General of Cyber; Maj. Gen. Stephen Hager Quoted
Published on
U.S. Army Reserve Names Robert Powell to Serve as Deputy Commanding General of Cyber; Maj. Gen. Stephen Hager Quoted

The U.S. Army Reserve has appointed Brig. Gen. Robert Powell to serve as a deputy commanding general of cyber for the 335th Signal Command to supervise cybersecurity initiatives, FedScoop reported on Monday. 

“[Powell] is the first United States Army Reserve General Officer to come from the cyber branch,” said Maj. Gen. Stephen Hager, deputy commander of operations, Cyber National Mission Force, U.S. Cyber Command. “That is significant since it demonstrates to our younger troops that there is a path to general officership.”

In the role, Powell will lead the unit’s cyber activities. Powell has extensive experience in the Army Signal Corps and cyber-related units. He most recently commanded the U.S. Army Reserve Cyber Protection Brigade (CPB) from 2016 to 2019.

The CPB's mission is to defend key terrain in cyberspace to deter threats and deliver effects that ensure freedom of action for friendly forces while denying the same to adversaries. The CPB mans, trains, equips, directs and deploys Cyber Protection Teams (CPTs) to augment supported organizations' organic network defenders for operations and exercises.

Powell's experience as an intelligence officer and commander of the Army Reserve's only Cyber Protection Brigade helped develop some of the Cyber National Mission Force's unique capabilities.

"Rob is well-rounded and as a general officer is much better prepared to help the intelligence, signal, information advantage and the cyber enterprise,” Hager added. Powell will work to enhance cyber-readiness and provide technical expertise.

Powell stated the importance for general officers to have cyber experience as the Army puts greater emphasis on cybersecurity operations and information warfare. “It was very evident in my time at Fort Meade that information warfare is growing in complexity, and we must continue to move in a direction to address these challenges,” Powell said.

/
AFRL to Test New Helmet Tech for Nighttime Rescue Missions; Darrel Hopper Quoted
Published on
AFRL to Test New Helmet Tech for Nighttime Rescue Missions; Darrel Hopper Quoted

The U.S. Air Force's research arm will demonstrate a new helmet system designed to support nighttime personnel recovery missions. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) will use the CubCrafters XCub aircraft to test the Low Altitude Sensing Helmet (LASH) system at St. Mary’s County, Maryland, in spring, the military service branch said Sunday.

LASH includes night vision goggles and a thermal camera to help pilots perform low-speed flights for personnel recovery missions at night. The experiment supports Project Lysander that USAF initiated to create a way of rescuing personnel in either protected or unprotected locations.

Darrel Hopper, project lead at the 711th Human Performance Wing, said LASH is made to provide the situational awareness needed for these operations that require slow, low-altitude night flight.

USAF's Combat Operations in Denied Environment program found that large aircraft cannot effectively perform these recovery missions, and Air Combat Command determined the smaller CubCrafters XCub suitable to test LASH.

“If we can demonstrate that the XCub can be flown safely at night at low speed and low altitude using the LASH night vision aids, then we can expand LASH system kit use to other types of short takeoff and landing general aviation aircraft," Hopper said.

USAF expects LASH to be operational in 2022, given that the planned schedule is met.

//
Year-End Spending Bill Includes Local Gov’t Cybersecurity Language
Published on
Year-End Spending Bill Includes Local Gov’t Cybersecurity Language

The $1.4 trillion spending package approved by President Trump contains a provision that mandates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to help local agencies create online portals and email accounts with the .gov domain.

The DOTGOV Online Trust in Government Act, which became law as part of the omnibus bill, is designed to encourage adoption of the trusted domain at the local level to strengthen agencies’ defense against cybercrimes such as ransomware attacks and imposter sites, the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee said Dec. 28.

Sens. Gary Peters, D-Mich.; Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; James Lankford, R-Okla.; and Ron Johnson, R-Wis. first introduced the bill in October 2019.

The provision directs the DHS’ Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to develop an outreach strategy and make resources available to assist local governments in the .gov transition process.

The measure authorizes implementation efforts as an allowable expense under the department’s Homeland Security Grant Program. DHS will also provide allowances to support web domain transition under the Homeland Security Grant Program.

Johnson, who serves as chairman of Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC), said the passage of the bipartisan bill will also “help Americans and businesses know which government websites are legitimate and better prevent them from distributing sensitive information.”

//
White House Issues National Strategy for Planetary Protection
Published on
White House Issues National Strategy for Planetary Protection

The White House National Space Council has released a new strategy that seeks to protect the Earth and other planetary bodies from biological contamination associated with space exploration activities and ensure safe and sustainable commercialization and exploration of space. 

The National Strategy for Planetary Protection has three objectives and the first calls for the U.S. to avoid “forward contamination” through the development and implementation of risk assessment and science-based guidelines and an update to the interagency payload review process.

The second objective seeks to prevent “backward contamination” through the development of a Restricted Return Program, while the last objective calls for the incorporation of the private sector’s needs and perspective through feedback solicitation and creation of guidelines for private sector activities.

For the first objective, the government should come up with a forward contamination framework and risk-informed decision-making implementation strategies for human missions within one year.

“Meeting the strategy’s objectives will ensure a cohesive national effort that balances scientific discovery, human exploration, and commercial activity in space, while meeting applicable international and domestic obligations,” the strategy’s fact sheet reads.

//
DOJ’s John Demers on Cyber Hack Linked to Russia, Threats Posed by China
Published on
DOJ’s John Demers on Cyber Hack Linked to Russia, Threats Posed by China

John Demers, assistant attorney general for national security at the Department of Justice (DOJ), said the federal government is still in the process of analyzing the damage brought by a massive cyber breach linked to Russia, NPR reported Thursday. Demers shared his observations on threat actors behind the recent hack.

"A lot still to be analyzed in terms of both the scope and depth of this hack," Demers told NPR in an interview. "But as you know, there's a lot of confidential and sensitive information that is transmitted and stored on unclassified systems, a lot of information that would be of interest to a foreign state who was trying to learn about our intentions and our planning." 

"This looks more like what a nation state would traditionally try to do through human means, through spies, but trying to do it through technical means and cyber intrusions," Demers added. 

DOJ launched a program called China Initiative in an attempt to counter the Asian country’s efforts to steal U.S. government secrets and intellectual property. Demers has led the initiative since its inception.

"We do see some other countries engaging episodically in economic espionage, but none of them on the scale and sophistication and persistence of the Chinese government," he said. “It really is an effort to develop the Chinese economy and Chinese companies under this rubric of rob, replicate and replace.”

1 … 1,224 1,225 1,226 1,227 1,228 … 2,629