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Tag Archives: Department of Homeland Security
Recent Cyberattacks Further Highlight Need For Action
Recent high-profile and widespread cyberattacks on federal agencies and national infrastructure have further highlighted the need for the government to address this attack and prevent future ones. However, these threats and the challenges in addressing them are long-standing and have … Continue reading
Posted in About GAO, Collections, High Risk List
Tagged Chuck Young, cyber attack, cyber threat, cyberattacks, cybersecurity, Department of Homeland Security, information and communication, information management, information security, Information technology and cybersecurity, ITC, national security
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On the 100th Anniversary of the Women’s Vote, the Debate on Equality Issues Continues
One hundred years ago, on August 18, 1920, Tennessee voted—by a slim margin of 50 to 47—to approve the women’s voting amendment. Tennessee was the last state needed to ratify the 19th Amendment. Ratification of the women’s vote in 1920 … Continue reading
From Search and Rescue to Special Forces: The U.S. Coast Guard’s Many Missions
The U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for conducting a number of essential activities, including protecting ports and safeguarding marine resources. However, since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the Coast Guard’s responsibilities have increasingly focused on homeland security missions, and it has … Continue reading
The Military’s Pandemic Response—Supporting Civil Authorities
The Department of Defense (DOD) often is expected to play a critical role in helping respond to a pandemic or medical disaster. For example, during the Zika virus outbreak in 2016, DOD collaborated with the Department of Health and Human … Continue reading
Federal Information Security: There’s Work to Do
Just about every federal government operation—from processing taxes and protecting national parks to coordinating military operations and delivering foreign aid—relies in some way on computers. Protecting government computer systems and the information stored in them is vital, and a 2014 … Continue reading
Posted in Government Operations, Information Security
Tagged cybersecurity, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Education, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of the Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Communications Commission, Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, Greg Wilshusen, High Risk List, High-risk issues, information security, Information security management, Information security regulations, information systems, information technology, Information technology and cybersecurity, Merit Systems Protection Board, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Office of Management and Budget, Presidio Trust, Small Business Administration, Social Security Administration
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Protecting our Critical Infrastructure
We depend on the nation’s critical infrastructure—such as the systems that provide energy, transportation, communications, and financial services—to provide us with our basic needs. In today’s WatchBlog, we explore federal efforts to protect some of our critical infrastructure from things … Continue reading
Posted in Energy, Homeland Security
Tagged Chemical attacks, Chemical facilities, Chemical weapons, critical infrastructure, Critical infrastructure protection, Critical infrastructure vulnerabilities, Cyber attacks, cybersecurity, Department of Homeland Security, energy, Energy facilities, Energy production, first responders, Gas pipelines, Hazardous materials, Homeland Security and Justice, Natural gas pipelines, Security incidents, terrorism, Terrorist attacks, Transportation Security Administration
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Federal Government Contracting for Fiscal Year 2018 (infographic)
With tax season over, now is a good time to look at how the government uses your tax dollars. About 40% of the government’s discretionary spending goes to contracts for goods and services covering everything from health care to hand … Continue reading
Posted in Budget and Spending, Government Operations, Homeland Security, Infographic, National Defense, Science and Technology
Tagged Bill Woods, budget, CNSA, competitive bids, contracting, defense spending, Department of Defense, Department of Homeland Security, DHS, DOD, federal spending, government contracting, high risk list, NASA, small business
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GAO’s Guide to Saving the Government Billions of Dollars: Reducing Fragmentation, Overlap, and Duplication in Federal Programs
Today we released our 9th annual report on fragmentation, overlap, and duplication in the federal government, adding 98 new actions that Congress or federal agencies can take to improve government programs. For example: The Department of Energy could avoid spending … Continue reading
Posted in Budget and Spending, Duplication and Cost Savings, Government Operations, Podcast
Tagged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, cost savings, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Homeland Security, duplication, fragmentation, Jessica Lucas-Judy, overlap, quantum computing, SI, synthetic biology
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Marking 40 Years of FEMA
In 1979, President Jimmy Carter signed an executive order merging many separate, disaster-related responsibilities into an independent agency called the Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the 40 years since its creation, FEMA has undergone dramatic changes—most notably in 2003, when … Continue reading
Posted in Disaster Assistance, Podcast, Video
Tagged California, Chris Currie, Department of Homeland Security, disaster assistance, disaster management, disaster recovery, disaster response, Federal Emergency Management Agency, federal grants, FEMA, Florida, high risk list, HSJ, Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Maria, Hurricane Sandy, hurricanes, New Jersey, priority recommendations, Puerto Rico, storm damage, wildfires, workforce management
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An Ongoing Risk: Cybersecurity Attacks at Federal Agencies
Similar to how new flu shots come out each year to combat new strains of the virus, agencies must routinely adapt their cybersecurity efforts to address evolving threats. In today’s WatchBlog, we look at the federal government’s approach to and … Continue reading
Posted in Information Security, Podcast
Tagged Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, cyber incident, cyberattacks, cybersecurity, Department of Homeland Security, Greg Wilshusen, information security, Internal Revenue Service, ITC, Office of Management and Budget, phishing, sensitive information
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