Government IT News For VARs — November 5, 2014
By Christine Kern, contributing writer
In news this week, a Pew Study finds the impact of cyberattacks could worsen by 2025, and inspectors identified flawed federal cloud contract procedures. Also, the Veterans Administration (VA) is buckling down on cybersecurity and program management.
Pew Study Says Results Of Cyberattacks Could Become Severe By 2025
A new report released by the Pew Research Center found that cyber-attacks in the next 10 years could potentially cause major destruction of human lives and tens of billions of dollars in property damage, according to the e-Commerce Times. The growing number of attacks against businesses and consumers was also cited by those who anticipated major future attacks as a sign that a dire event was on the horizon, with financial and energy sectors being identified as the most vulnerable.
Flawed Contract Procedures Could Impact Federal Cloud Projects
This article from the e-Commerce Times found that millions of dollars in federal cloud projects could be vulnerable due to flawed contract procedures. In September, the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, an umbrella group whose members include inspectors general at multiple cabinet departments and major federal agencies, reported that a number of federal agencies have struggled to meet federal requirements and guidance that regulates cloud contracts with IT vendors. Among the CIGIE’s concerns were contract gaps in information security, service level agreement provisions, investigator access to vendors, and contractor performance standards.
VA Buckles Down On Cyber Security, Program Management
Information Week reported that the VA has refocused its IT priorities to combat cyber security and improve program management to overcome past poor performance. The VA has revamped how it delivers services and refocused its priorities, so that it can better execute its IT programs with better results, explained Stephen Warren, executive in charge and CIO of the VA’s Office of Information Technology. Some of the changes include a structured defense in-depth system for data protection and continuous monitoring.
Government IT Talking Points:
According to a new study by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation (ITIF), imposing taxes on information and communication technologies (ICT) can actually cost countries more money that it raises. The e-Commerce Times reported that the report suggests that taxing mobile devices, computers, broadband, and Internet services is actually a losing strategy. The ITIF examined 125 global tax and tariff policies to assess their impact on ICT adoption and productivity growth.
For more news and insights, visit BSMinfo’s Government IT Resource Center.