The Fed Mission Success Round Up: Automation, Cybersecurity, Supply Chain, and More in Federal Agencies

Weekly News Round Up
Written By Fareeha Khan

Monday November 15, 2021

Welcome to the Fed Mission Success News Round Up brought to you by Makpar. Each week, we will provide a summary of actionable news and insights to help aid in overall mission success for Federal agency IT decision-makers and influencers.

USDA Set to Grow Its ‘Strategic’ RPA Program in Fiscal 2022

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Robotic Process Automation Branch expects to grow its number of automations in fiscal 2022 with 29 more in development.

CMMC 2.0 to pare down cybersecurity requirements for contractors

The Department of Defense’s cybersecurity compliance program for contractors will be pared down in scope and expectations, according to an acquisition regulation document. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) will no longer require every contractor to get a third-party certification if they do not touch controlled unclassified data, a change that could reduce the cost of compliance for thousands of contractors.

Beyond Biden Cyber Directive, Government Agencies Need to Manage Their Attack Surface

Last week the Biden Administration put out one of the most sweeping cybersecurity directives in history, compelling all Federal agencies to rapidly patch hundreds of known cyber vulnerabilities that attackers have targeted (since as far back as 2014).

White House Highlights Cybersecurity Benefit in Infrastructure Package

President Joe Biden is set to sign into law a $1.2 trillion bill aimed at improving the resilience of the nation’s infrastructure in the face of physical and cyber threats, including a massive investment to defend against malicious attacks.

Biden Signs into Law Bill to Secure Telecommunications Systems Against Foreign Threats

President Biden signed into law bipartisan legislation to secure telecommunications systems against potential foreign threats, particularly from those linked to China. The Secure Equipment Act will ban the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from considering or issuing authorization for products from companies on the FCC’s “covered list,” which includes Chinese telecommunications groups Huawei and ZTE.

Harris Calls for Global Action on Cyber Threats After US Joins International Effort

Vice President Harris called on global leaders to work together to counter cybersecurity threats and protect an open internet following a turbulent year of major cyberattacks.

Working to Secure the Technology Supply Chain

From security-first design to safe device disposition, an industrywide initiative called Compute Lifecycle Assurance is making technology more secure for all users.

NIST Seeks Feedback on Cybersecurity Labels for Software

The National Institute of Standards and Technology is looking for input on new cybersecurity guidance for consumer software in a bid to increase the public’s safety and awareness. NIST officials want feedback on labeling criteria for certain software products to ensure the general public find the labels user-friendly.

Maryland Appoints First Chief Data and Privacy Officers

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan on Wednesday named the state’s first-ever chief data and chief privacy officers, following a pair of executive orders he signed earlier this year expanding the state’s cybersecurity governance policies.

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