The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Agencies on Track With AI EO; IRS Changes Public Password Policies; and IoT Security Standards

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

Agencies on Track With AI Executive Order Deadlines, White House Says

The White House confirmed it has met all of the 90-day benchmarks it set out to achieve in President Joe Biden’s October 2023 executive order on AI, with a focus on corralling the private sector into participating in public sector regulatory efforts absent binding law.

GAO: Federal Agencies Lack Insight on Ransomware Protections for Critical Infrastructure

The Government Accountability Office finds that agencies overseeing key critical infrastructure sectors don’t know whether protections against ransomware have been implemented. 

IRS Changes Public Password Policies to Match NIST Guidance

The IRS will no longer require password changes every 60 days for public-facing portals and is now enforcing a minimum length of 14 characters, moves that align the tax agency with NIST guidelines and are intended to improve efficiencies.

Justice Department Discloses FBI Project with Amazon Rekognition Tool

The Department of Justice has disclosed that the FBI is in the “initiation” phase of using Amazon Rekognition, an image and video analysis software that has sparked controversy for its facial recognition capabilities, according to an update to the agency’s AI inventory.

‘Relatively Few’ Agency Policies Met Standards for IoT Security, OMB Reports

Most agencies did not have policies in place to address a swath of federally mandated cybersecurity requirements for procured internet of things devices at the beginning of last year, according to an Office of Management and Budget letter sent to Congress.

Agencies Are Losing Out on Software Savings, GAO Finds

Federal agencies need to improve how they track software licensing specifics to be able to save money on duplicative or unneeded purchases, the Government Accountability Office says in a new report.

Interior Department Taps First-Ever Chief Digital Experience Officer From OMB

Andy Lewandowski, who has been a digital experience advisor to the federal CIO for over two years, is starting a new role at the Department of Interior as the Chief Digital Officer.