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Cost Estimating NewsBrief: August 26, 2022
Creating a technology risk and cyber risk appetite framework
(McKinsey & Co.) When it comes to technology risk and cyber risk, financial institutions are increasingly shifting toward a risk-based approach to determine their priorities for controls. Those controls should be based on their current security capabilities, the likelihood of threats, and the impact of any potential cyber breach. However, the question remains: can organizations really make strategic, objective decisions about which controls they should and should not implement, given their appetite for technology risk and cyber risk? Read More
DHS eyes plan to use self-assessments to evaluate contractor cybersecurity
(Federal News Network) The Department of Homeland Security is preparing a rule to ensure contractors are meeting cybersecurity requirements, with DHS touting a process for evaluating its vendor base through self-assessments rather than relying on a third-party certification program like the Pentagon.DHS has spent the past year conducting multiple “pathfinders” to test out a method for ensuring companies are meeting cyber hygiene clauses in their contracts. DHS issued a self-assessment questionnaire to a subset of its contractors last fall. The questionnaire was geared at measuring whether the companies were complying with a 2015 Homeland Security Acquisition Regulation for safeguarding sensitive information. Read More
DHS’s Intelligence Information Security Program is ‘Ineffective,’ According to Watchdog
(NextGOV) The Department of Homeland Security fell back in its intelligence systems’ rating under the Federal Information Security Modernization Act for fiscal year 2021, according to a recent summary issued by the agency Office of Inspector General. Specifically, OIG evaluated the department’s security program for Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information intelligence systems. The evaluation examined DHS’ security program and security controls for its enterprise-wide intelligence system Classified Local Area Networks, in accordance with FISMA. OIG performed its evaluation between June 2021 and March 2022. Pursuant to which, it issued the “ineffective” rating for the department’s intelligence system’s compliance with FISMA requirements. Read More
Cybersecurity skills shortage has led to a talent war between agencies says Commerce CIO
(FedScoop) Federal agencies including the Commerce Department have resorted to poaching staff from other departments because of a shortage in cybersecurity skills across government, the agency’s chief information officer André Mendes said. “We’re basically hiring people from one federal agency to another. We’re stealing people from each other, that’s what it’s come down to,” Mendes told FedScoop. “It’s a very, very tough situation with cybersecurity hiring. It’s extremely difficult getting the right people with the right skills right now,” said Mendes who spoke at the FedTalks tech conference on Wednesday, hosted by FedScoop. Read More
Industry Awaits Potential Congressional Resolution to ‘Extremely Difficult’ Procurement Process
(NextGOV) The federal government’s IT procurement process could be getting a facelift with the Advancing Government Innovation with Leading-Edge—AGILE—Procurement Act of 2022, which experts viewed as a positive approach to address issues facing the process. The act aims to improve government IT procurement by modernizing the process and making it more efficient, in addition to removing roadblocks for small technology businesses to contract with the government. So far, the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs has advanced the bill to full consideration on the Senate floor. Read More
Jupiter’s auroras look radiant in new James Webb Space Telescope images
(Space.com) The James Webb Space Telescope has only been operating for several weeks, but it’s already impressed with its early observations. The newest release from the James Webb Space Telescope team is a pair of highly detailed images of Jupiter that show its auroras around the poles. Both images are composites, meaning they combine multiple images taken with the telescope’s Near Infrared Camera (NIRCam) — each using a different filter — into a single, high-definition image. In the wide-field image, you can see Jupiter’s faint rings, as well as two of its moons: Amalthea is the bright dot on the far left, while Adrastea is the faint dot at the edge of the rings, located between Amalthea and Jupiter. Behind the three celestial bodies, the faint dots of light are suspected to be galaxies. Read More
How scientist established a two-stage solar flare early warning system?
(Spacedaily.com) Solar flares are solar storm events driven by the magnetic field in the solar activity area. When the flare radiation comes to the Earth’s vicinity, the photo-ionization increases the electron density in the D-layer of the ionosphere, causing absorption of high-frequency radio communication, scintillation of satellite communication, and enhanced background noise interference with radar. Statistics and experience show that the larger the flare, the more likely it is to be accompanied by other solar outbursts such as solar proton event, and the more severe the effects on the Earth, thus affecting spaceflight, communication, navigation, power transmission and other technological systems. Read More
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