The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Cybersecurity, the Cloud, and More in Federal Agencies

Weekly News Round Up
Written By Fareeha Khan

Monday November 8, 2021

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.

CISA Orders Federal Agencies to Take Action on Cyber Vulnerabilities

The Cybersecurity Infrastructure and Security Agency this week released a binding operational directive requiring Federal agencies to patch known exploited vulnerabilities carrying "significant risk" to the Federal enterprise. The directive also established a catalog of nearly 300 vulnerabilities, each with an accompanying due date for taking action. Roughly a third of those due dates fall within two weeks.

TSA Considers Rulemaking Process for Cybersecurity in Transportation Sector

The Transportation Security Administration is exploring use of the rulemaking process to create a more enduring approach to its cybersecurity objectives.

Republican Senators Question the Security of Collecting Health Information from Airline Passengers

A group of Senators questioned the security of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s continued order to collect personal data from airline passengers in an effort to contract trace COVID-19 cases.

Presidential Advisers Recommend Agencies Invest in Automating Software Assurance

Government entities should pursue artificial intelligence and machine learning to screen software for security vulnerabilities, according to key representatives from the information and communications technology industry.

Building a Cloud-Savvy Workforce May Mean Rethinking Degree Requirements

Government and industry officials question how they can keep cloud positions filled when they require various degrees and certifications. 

Bill to Codify FedRAMP Set for Vote in Senate Committee

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee is about to vote on a bipartisan bill seeking to expedite agencies’ use of secure clouds through the General Services Administration’s Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP.

Biden Nominates Kurt DelBene as Chief Information Officer at VA

President Biden has nominated Kurt DelBene as assistant secretary for information and technology and chief information officer at the Department of Veterans Affairs, the White House announced Wednesday.

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