Weekly Wrap-Up
Week of November 8, 2021
Federal Agency CIOs Crave Larger TMF Funding Stream
(MeriTalk) Federal agency CIOs agreed during a November 9 panel discussion at ACT-IAC’s Imagine Nation conference that the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) is a vital source of funding for IT modernization and cybersecurity projects, and said they want more of it from Congress.
Infrastructure Bill Includes $1.9 Billion for Cybersecurity
(CSO Online) On Friday, Congress passed one of President Biden's signature pieces of legislation, the $1 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. This landmark bill promises not only massive upgrades to the nation's aging infrastructure but also boosts government cybersecurity spending by $1.9 billion.
GAO: Treasury, OMB Must Improve Data Reporting on USASpending.gov
(MeriTalk) The Department of Treasury and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) have made progress in validating data received from Federal agencies, but both of the agencies need to improve how that data is reported online, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Pentagon Announces Version 2.0 of its Controversial CMMC Program
(CSO Online) Last week, the Pentagon announced version 2.0 of its controversial and complex Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC). The CMMC is a training, certification and third-party assessment framework for defense industrial base (DIB) contractors. The goal of the CMMC is to provide cybersecurity requirements that DIB contractors must implement.
Feds Likely to Fall Short of Deadline for Strengthening Encryption, Multifactor Authentication
(CyberScoop) A winning streak of hitting deadlines under President Joe Biden’s ambitious May cybersecurity executive order is widely expected to end Monday, affecting changes that administration officials have touted most: implementing multifactor authentication and encryption at all civilian federal agencies.
Bureau of the Fiscal Service Lowers Grant Reporting Burden Through Blockchain
(Federal News Network) The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service is testing out ways to streamline grant payment processes through blockchain.

The bureau spent years on several blockchain pilots, but is now partnering with the National Science Foundation to help reduce the reporting burden for grant recipients, while improving transparency around federal spending.
US Government Offers $10M Bounty for DarkSide Ransomware Hackers
(TechCrunch+) The U.S. Department of State is upping the ante in its fight against ransomware by offering a reward of up to $10 million for information that helps identify or track down leaders of the notorious DarkSide ransomware group.
A Simple User Agreement is Changing How the Air Force Looks at Software
(Federal News Network) Last month, Air Combat Command (ACC) and Kessel Run did something many people do every day when they download an app or join an online service — they signed a user agreement.

That legal handshake of a task may seem mundane to most, but for the Air Force it opened up a new world of software development that could revolutionize ACC’s programs.
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