We’re off and running into the new government fiscal year! Here’s the latest on the topics capturing the attention of the Government Tech Media:
Final CMMC Rule Issued
Late this week, the news arrived that the Pentagon issued the final Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) rule for verifying that contractors are adhering to requirements for protecting critical DOD information. The development spurred nearly immediate coverage in the government tech media:
- The rule comes “after a lengthy series of revisions and what feels like an eternity in regulatory limbo,” as reported by Lisbeth Perez in MeriTalk.
- Justin Doubleday at Federal News Network noted that the rule represents a major step forward for CMMC implementation.
- In DefenseScoop, Mikayla Easley reported that the final rule is expected to be published in the Federal Register on October 15.
- Nick Wakeman cautions in Washington Technology that regulatory steps and congressional review still loom before the rule takes effect.
Cyberthreats from Foreign Adversaries
Elsewhere in the world of government cybersecurity, multiple media outlets reported on threats from U.S. nation-state rivals.
- An anonymous source from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) told Nextgov/FCW’s David DiMolfetta that they are expecting post-election cyber meddling from Russia, Iran and China as well as Cuba to create confusion around election results next month.
- DiMolfetta also reported on actions by Congress and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to look into the recent Chinese hack into the systems of major U.S. broadband providers.
- Cate Burgan of MeriTalk shared a sobering report from the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warning that the U.S.is “unprepared” for a cyber conflict with China.
- National Cybersecurity Director Harry Coker also sounded the alarm about China this week, calling out Chinese ransomware and infiltration of U.S. critical infrastructure and software supply chain, as relayed by Jonathan Grieg in The Record.
- And if all the nation-state threats weren’t bad enough, Burgan reported on comments this week from ODNI’s Dana Madsen that cybersecurity leaders must look beyond threats from China and other adversaries to remain vigilant against less sophisticated bad actors who nevertheless can inflict great damage.
The “Perils” of AI
AI continues to dominate the government tech news space. Last week, we saw several articles about agencies implementing AI to help achieve their missions. This week, we noted multiple articles about potential pitfalls.
- Madison Alder of FedScoop analyzed compliance documents from 29 government agencies and noted that many view challenges related to data, talent and funding as barriers to successful AI implementation.
- The Department of Homeland Security’s annual threat assessment report noted that using generative AI may produce the “unintended consequence of adding layers of complexity to the threats we face,” as reported by Burgan in MeriTalk.
- FedScoop’s Matt Bracken wrote about comments from CISA’s Chief AI Officer (CAIO) Lisa Einstein expressing reservations about AI tools, noting that they are “still imperfect, and they still need to have a human in the loop.”
- Grace Dille of MeriTalk reported on comments from Kevin Walsh of the Government Accountability Office raising questions about whether newly-established CAIOs will be positioned to affect change in their organizations.
- The FCC’s Brendan Carr is worried about regulatory overreach when it comes to regulating AI-generated political content, according to an article by Alexandra Kelley in Nextgov/FCW.
- And if you think all of these concerns indicate a need for legislation, Senate Intelligence Committee Chair Mark Warner says, “don’t hold your breath” regardless of who wins the next election, according to an article by Dille. “They all say they want regulation until you put words on a page,” Warner said.
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