Tech

What Happens If NASA Finds Life on Mars?

A philosopher argues that now is the time to figure it out, before we make the inevitable discovery of extraterrestrial life.

Nextgov

Congress Scrutinizes DHS, DOD Silicon Valley Offices

Both departments have until mid-June to provide briefings on their West Coast efforts.

Nextgov

Privacy Groups -- and Uber -- Challenge FBI’s Attempt to Bypass Privacy Act

Under a proposed exemption, people whose information was stored in FBI’s massive biometric database would not be permitted to know.

Nextgov

White House Cracks Down on Software Spending

Agencies will have to appoint software managers to centrally manage their software buying.

Nextgov

Lawmakers Want Review of VA’s VistA Modernization Efforts

Earlier this year, the VA CIO said the agency needed to "take a step back" from a planned upgrade of its long-running electronic health records system.

Oversight

Have Twitter Bots Infiltrated the 2016 Election?

Some say Donald Trump has boosted his massive online following with automated accounts. There’s more to it than that.

Nextgov

Report: Federal ‘Internet of Things’ Spending Up by 20 Percent

Agencies spent $8.8 billion on connected technology in the 2015 fiscal year, mostly on wireless devices and sensors.

Nextgov

Pentagon IG: Timeline for New Electronic Health Records System ‘May be Unrealistic’

The timeline is shaky "because of the risks and potential delays involved in developing and testing the interfaces needed to interact with legacy systems," the IG said.

Nextgov

TSA Wants New Scanners That Will Allow Fliers to Keep their Shoes On

The agency also asked for proposals for a different breed of carry-on luggage screener that would use advanced computer algorithms to spot suspicious liquids and laptops.

Nextgov

Why Didn't Anyone See Leidos as the 'No-Brainer' Winner in Multibillion EHR Deal?

New analysis reveals hallmarks that should have signified a clear-cut victory for the Leidos team.

Tech

Don’t Let Cybercriminals Hide From the FBI

If a computer search would qualify for a warrant if its whereabouts were known, why should simply hiding its location make it legally unsearchable?

Nextgov

Why Car-Hacking Could Threaten the Federal Government

A report on vehicle cybersecurity found that modern cars, especially those made in 2015 or later, are highly susceptible to hacking.

Nextgov

OPM’s Troubled IT Upgrade Project on Track to Get Millions More in Funding

A new watchdog report finds funding for the project remains an issue in part because of poor planning by the agency.

Tech

Carter to Engineers: Give 'New Capabilities to Old Platforms'

At a Navy R&D lab, the defense secretary reveals a deeply layered concept of 'innovation' — and a geek's love for tech