USCIS Wants Customer Service to Go Mobile

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is contemplating how to include mobile devices in its system for providing customer service.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a request for information Wednesday on behalf of USCIS for “planning purposes.” DHS wants information on incorporating mobile applications into its customer service avenues. 

DHS said in…

DHS, Idaho National Lab Win Award for Cyber Training Programs

The Department of Homeland Security‘s National Cyber Security Division and the Idaho National Laboratory have won the 2011 U.S. National Cybersecurity Innovation Award for creating a series of training programs on defending the power grid and other utility systems, according to a SANS Institute announcement.

The programs…

NIST Adds DNA, Footprints to Biometric Standard

The National Institute of Standards and Technology has added DNA and footprint information to its biometric standard, which details the type and amount of information that forensic scientists can share across their networks.

NIST said in its announcement that this is the first international standard to address sharing of DNA data. NIST also…

Feds Say Illinois Water Pump Was Not Hacked

Last week, the story broke that a water pump at a Springfield, Ill. utility had failed and hackers were to blame. Now, the Department of Homeland Security is saying that no such thing happened. 

The Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team released a report outlining the steps taken in assessing the situation. The group said…

Contractors Look to Improve DNA Testing, Increase Sales to Security Agencies

Contractors are looking to speed up biometric testing processes and make more sales to government agencies, according to a Washington Post Capital Business report. Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin are both taking steps toward these measures.

A recent contract win for Northrop Grumman furthers the idea that contractors are looking to progress in biometrics offerings…

RedHatGov Symposium Highlights Roadmap to the 25 Point Plan, Open Source

About this time last week, FedScoop and Red Hat were wrapping up the 2011 Red Hat Government Symposium at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Red Hat provided continual updates during the event on its Twitter account, RedHatGov, highlighting key speakers and remarks. 

FedScoop, the event sponsor, reported some 300 government and industry leaders to be in attendance. The…

Did Hackers Shut Down Illinois Water Pump? Feds Looking Into It

A water pump at a Springfield, Ill. utility failed Nov. 8. Usually this would be considered a technical difficulty, but this failure has raised eyebrows of the federal government.

Joe Weiss, a cybersecurity expert, disclosed the incident on his blog Thursday and pointed the finger at foreign cyber attackers. Now the U.S. Department of…

Kratos Expands Cybersecurity Capabilities with SecureInfo Acquisition

Kratos Defense & Security Solutions is expanding its presence in the cybersecurity market, announcing today that it has purchased SecureInfo Corp., a defense and intelligence cybersecurity firm.

SecureInfo provides solutions for cloud security and specializes in operational cybersecurity and cybersecurity risk management services. Some of its major federal customers include the U.S. Defense Department and the U.S. Department of Homeland…

McAfee Security Products Purchased in DHS Agreement

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has awarded immixGroup an enterprise license agreement for McAfee software licenses and incidental services.

Of three software capability areas including application infrastructure, backup and storage, and security, DHS chose immixGroup’s offering to supply McAfee software in the security area. The agreement with immixGroup is a GSA schedule-based Blanket Purchase Agreement for a…

In-Q-Tel to Promote Fiber-Laser-Based Systems for DHS

In-Q-Tel is forming a strategic partnership with Genia Photonics Inc., which specializing in fiber-laser-based systems, to promote Genia’s technology development and provide new opportunities for Genia’s product applications.

The technology is being developed for the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate.

“Our partnership with Genia Photonics will build on the company’s success in the commercial market,”…