Author Archive
Lauren C. Williams
Senior Editor

Lauren C. Williams is senior editor for Defense One. She previously covered defense technology and cybersecurity for FCW and Defense Systems. Before then, Williams has reported on several issues, including internet culture, national security, health care, politics and crime for various publications. She has a master's in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park and a bachelor's in dietetics from the University of Delaware. She can be contacted at lwilliams@govexec.com or follow her on Twitter @lalaurenista.
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Cybersecurity
Satellite data could boost border security, disaster response
Homeland Security relies on satellite imagery for its missions—and it wants more.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Pentagon outlines upcoming contractor cybersecurity plan
Expect the congressionally mandated strategy by year’s end, DOD CISO says.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
A ‘stronger, faster’ intelligence community is possible with AI
But caution is needed to make sure the technology doesn’t go off the rails.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
A classified cloud is headed to the Indo-Pacific
It’s part of DISA’s effort to bring continental-U.S.-level computing resources to U.S. military forces around the world.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Acquisition
The Pentagon wants to peer inside its cloud providers’ infrastructure
Recent leaks have the CIO’s office contemplating red teams and more IP scanning.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Pentagon network chiefs are putting automation to work
Tireless cyber tools can patrol parts of DOD’s networks, tools, and applications where hackers like to hide.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Inside the never-ending race to update the Pentagon’s IT
The Joint Service Provider, charged with handling the defense secretary’s IT, is laser-focused on improving security and making sure infrastructure doesn’t obstruct the mission.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
The Army is putting all its network efforts under one roof
By October, Program Executive Office Command, Control, Communications-Tactical is expected to absorb network portfolios from its sister PEO for enterprise services.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
The Marines are launching a software factory
Factory director Lt. Col. Charlie Bahk discussed plans to launch at the Army’s facility in Austin, Texas.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Vendors prepare to spend more on cybersecurity under new rules
Despite some complaints about the White House's new tack, industry leaders say most recognize the need for better defenses.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Sketching out the rules for offensive cyber operations
The White House released the first-ever National Cybersecurity Strategy this week. It leaves the door open for more defined use cases for cyber operations.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Could the Pentagon use a little ChatGPT?
The Air Force’s top tech leader said the AI technology, or something like it, could help “rapidly pull together information” such as figuring out who’s in charge of an organization.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Send me software, not hardware, Navy infowar leader says
“Boxes of computers” aren’t so helpful aboard space-limited ships, Rear Adm. Doug Small said.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Navy ‘setting the pace’ among services, principal cyber advisor says
Chris Cleary touts prototype tools and readies a new cyber plan.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Tougher cybersecurity rules may be more than a year away—but don’t wait to get ready
Contractors should prepare for independent checks on their data systems, and maybe for more reporting requirements as well.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
The Pentagon’s innovation shop wants more influence in 2023
The agency wants to be part of program executives’ acquisition strategies and to spread more commercial-based tech across the department.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
A wireless intelligence community ‘on the horizon,' official says
Getting there is a matter of appropriately protecting data and tweaking policies to allow for wireless secret- and top-secret networks.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
For DOD, 2023 is all about proving it can build a tactical cloud
The plan is to develop and deploy a prototype, possibly in the Pacific region, in the next six months. The newly awarded Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability will help.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Let’s make it easier to share top-secret data with allies, intel leader says
The Defense Intelligence Agency’s CIO wants to expand collaborative workspaces—and resist the urge to mark everything NOFORN.
- By Lauren C. Williams
Defense
Expect AR/VR on the battlefield, Air Force CIO says
Augmented- and virtual-reality gear will become more than just a training tool, Knausenberger says.
- By Lauren C. Williams