Author Archive

Dan Verton

People

Turning over control

The information technology services the National Security Agency plans to outsource to a private contractor under its Project Groundbreaker contract include:

People

Breaking the mold

The National Security Agency readies a mega IT outsourcing pact in hopes of retooling its backoffice information systems

People

GAO gives Navy go-ahead on intranet

A General Accounting Office report gives a green light to the Navy's planned $16 billion Navy/Marine Corps Intranet contract

People

Defending digital empires

In the early 19th century, the British Empire seemed unassailable to any and all who dared challenge it. Because of its military prowess, the 'sun never set on the British Empire.'

People

Navy secures supply lines

The Naval Supply Systems Command has tapped nCipher Corp. to help secure its online transactions.

People

Intercepts

Montgomery, Ala. James Adams, chief executive officer of iDefense Inc., a network and computer security consulting firm, last week told a crowd of Air Force communicators at the Air Force Information Technology Conference here that Russian officials recently confided to him that they consider World War III to be taking place right now with the United States.

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Clinton passes on NMD decision

Whether to proceed with construction of missile defense program will be up to the next president

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Internet enables surfing for secrets

The Internet is one of the primary vehicles by which classified information often falls into the wrong hands, a Pentagon study shows

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Cohen: Superpower status has a downside

Cyberwarfare and other security threats simply come with the territory when your country is the world's only remaining 'superpower,' Defense Secretary William Cohen told a group of veterans last week.

People

Intercepts

Final N/MCI Episode? Believe it or not, the Navy has one final box to check before the winner of the longawaited Navy/Marine Corps Intranet contract can be announced.

Digital Government

The path to sharing

Obstacles to intelligence sharing:

Digital Government

CIA uses technology to reform culture of distrust

Intelligence experts and critics argue that the Internet has turned the notion of 'central intelligence,' as in the Central Intelligence Agency, into an oxymoron.

People

Superpower status risks cyberattack

Cyberwarfare comes with the territory when your country is the world's only remaining 'superpower,' Defense Secretary William Cohen said

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DOD audit: Osprey may pose 'severe hazard'

The Marines Corps proceeded to develop and fly one of its most advanced hightech aircraft despite nearly two dozen known deficiencies in onboard computer systems and other equipment, according to an internal Pentagon report.

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Eyeing a solution

Educators have a ninepoint cooperative plan among government, industry and academia to address the demand for information assurance professionals

People

When demand exceeds supply

Report urges renewed government focus on infosec education to meet future demand

People

Navy opens some IT ops to vendors

The ongoing debate about how the Defense Department should organize to support the emerging hightech field of information operations took an unexpected turn last month when the Navy published new guidance that opens up certain portions of the IO field to civilian contractors.

People

Naval Academy tests laptop learning

The U.S. Naval Academy set sail last week on an experimental program to determine if laptop computers can provide students with the same support in their coursework as traditional desktops.

People

Intercepts

The Navy issued new guidance July 25 on how to identify information technology jobs that are 'inherently governmental' and others that are open to being outsourced.

People

Study cites Osprey IT deficiencies

A DOD inspector general report lists 'major deficiencies' in IT systems that received a waiver during testing of the Marines' Osprey aircraft