Nessel opposes Trump’s SNAP restrictions, calls rule ‘entirely unacceptable’

Attorney General Dana Nessel filed a comment letter against the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) arguing that President Trump’s restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would violate federal law and be detrimental to public health. The proposed rule, called Revision of Categorical Eligibility in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, would end the state’s ability to set eligibility regulations for SNAP recipients based on the needs of the communities.

Spotlight

Innovative Federal Strategies

Innovative Federal Strategies is a bipartisan firm whose members have over 150 years of combined federal service in the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the Departments of Agriculture, Air Force, Commerce, Navy, and Treasury. We understand the complex federal planning, programming, budgeting, contracting, and regulatory processes used in the Executive Branch.

OTHER ARTICLES
Cybersecurity

Washington’s Nightmare

Article | March 23, 2022

The Russian-Chinese strategic partnership (RCSP), indoctrinated in 1996, is Eurasia’s geopolitical anchor in the 21st century, shaping its evolution and entrance into the Multipolar World. No other political relationship between the two continents’ actors even comes close, with the RCSP’s only formidable rival being the US via its privileged military alliances with NATO, the Gulf Kingdoms, and Japan. In this century’s struggle for the supercontinent, the interplay between the RCSP and the US will come to define global politics. Western media has been a lot of noise is being raised up, and some have stressed the importance of the Washington consensus, while others believe that it is Moscow's dependence in Moscow. The first is often trumpets Americans and prove the aggression of their government against Russia and China, while others are intended to promote the disinformation campaign to divide Russia and China from each other. The rare mention of the warning is raised up, and the United States to slow down its rules, which is the most responsible way for this development is the western voter. The purpose of this article is to provocatively state that being raised up are becoming a reality in the development and manifestation of a Washington nightmare, and which go beyond Eurasia, also from North Africa and Latin America. It strives to challenge the West's position, but to a direct transition to a multi-polar world, and this is the goal that both countries have expressed 1997 to show solidarity. The United States is not willing to recognize the tectonic changes that have occurred in the world since then, and its stubbornness in expanding the unipolar moment of depression is the largest source of global destabilization. Despite the fact that patients have difficulty with fear and the disorder is raised up quieter, more defensive and more consistent than ever. Discovering links with Russian-Chinese politics in Eurasia and beyond, art proves that lifted up and developing, is actively working on what the world is multi-polarizing for us. AND PART: Structure Russian-Chinese talks in Beijing, May 2014 Before starting geopolitical details, RCSPE must determine its structural basis. There are the role of Russia and China, the principles of their cooperation and institutional activities for the transformation of the international order. Russian balance and Chinese gate There are several roles segmented with which both partners communicate. Russia has a military and political balance in all of Eurasia, which represent an alternative (either the United States or China), the great powers, developing countries and interested organizations. This shows that Russia is working closely with China to ensure that this balance in line with the strategic goals of both sides, sometimes the dynamics of "good policeman, bad cop." China this year moves to the largest economy in the United States and is the dominant economic force in developing countries. Deep and privileged relations in the development of commodity and agricultural commodity markets in Africa, Latin America and Pearl economically valuable for Russia, especially in the light of recent events. So that Russia can provide military and political balance in China in key regions of the world, you can restore economic opportunities and facilitate trade through the established Chinese elite connections and networks. Of course, the tandem of energy between Russia and China is far from perfect, and its strategic use of the whole world, but the general theory of this approach is "hand in hand": Russia is balancing the Chinese gate. More and more people moving from these two countries, such as the Middle East and Latin America see more clearly the multipolar objectives and close cooperation in these countries; Just as two Eurasian seeds are getting closer and closer, relationships are increasingly difficult to understand. Cooperation cradle The Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) is at home, where he was born and grew up is raised. Founded in Shanghai in 1996. In 2001, with Uzbekistan, it was transformed into SCO. Since then he has started cooperation with Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iran, and has established a partnership with Sri Lanka, Turkey and Belarus. These countries are directly under the direct influence of the PRSP, where Russia and China could have a significant impact on a greater or lesser degree.

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Emerging Technology

3 Ways Analyzing Patent Trends Pays

Article | July 16, 2022

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issued its 10 millionth patent number in June 2018 and continues to go strong. In fact, according to a PatentlyO.com-published report, “We are about three-fourths of the way through fiscal year 2019 (ends September 30, 2019) and the USPTO is on-track to issue the most patents ever in a single year period,” with the author forecasting, “330,000 issued utility patents, which is up about five percent from the prior one-year high in 2017.” While these kinds of milestones have created much ado about patents that have changed the world, including a number of popular culture pieces, the unfortunate truth remains that a great number of organizations don’t really understand how powerfully advantageous a tool patents can be. As the pace of patent filings quicken—noting that it took fully 121 years to issue the first million patents but only three years to move from nine to ten million—businesses that understand how to analyze, identify and capitalize on various intellectual property (IP) trends can dramatically hasten and increase value creation, and valuation, within their companies. This is according to patent attorney and IP authority JiNan Glasgow George, a former USPTO patent examiner and engineer turned entrepreneur who launched the Magic Number Patent Forecast software —a comprehensive intelligence tool leveraging machine learning to uncover silent trends sweeping the business landscape, revealing who is filing patents, when and in what sectors. With this kind of AI-driven data, organizations can easily detect early-stage shifts and pinpoint other trends and marketplace insights to give companies a tremendous competitive edge. “Intellectual property is not just an idea, concept or invention, but rather a financial asset that can render tangible results,” JiNan notes. “Organizations need to shift their mentality away from patents being seen as merely a way to protect their own idea and, instead, regard them as a means to grow a business and create wealth through intellectual property-driven analytics and key business assets that drive revenue. This can include analyzing the competition through a uniquely telling lens, deciding which products to build next, identifying 'white space' industry opportunity and more.” After more than two decades managing legal matters pertaining to patents and trademarks, JiNan has helped hundreds of entrepreneurs and innovation-based companies understand how to parlay patents into assets that give them an edge. Below are three of her key reasons why analyzing patent trends can pay off in a big way: 1. Enhanced Competitive Intelligence. Did you know that large banking institutions like Bank of America and payment card companies like Mastercard and Visa hold large amounts of patents in cryptocurrency? Or that a pharmaceutical company is the leading patent owner in the cannabis sector? Or that consumer sleep is among the newest IP-heavy categories, with Apple emerging as a primary player? Or that early stage companies such as Luminar may be outpacing automotive giants? “Because investment in patents always leads market activity, we can see investment trends before they’re visible in market activity,” JiNan explains. “Every sector contains strategic insights that can translate into mission critical assets. We also find evidence of investment that might seem contradictory—like a major bank investing heavily in its supposed competitor: cryptocurrrency. It’s data science that allows companies to predict the next waves of innovation within their particular industries and markets.” 2. Drastically Increased Valuation. IP isn’t just for tech and consumer product companies, as even service businesses can pursue IP protection through patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets. Unfortunately, many businesses are highly undervalued because the owner or executive has not created any IP or cultivated what they have. This is a grave error given that IP plays a huge role in an entity’s valuation. In fact, IP is the one thing that impacts the valuation multiple beyond the profitable business, itself. As such, using trend data to determine with greater accuracy how and where to allocate IP-related resources is key, as “getting it right” can be a significant boon to the bottom line. “Some start-up companies I’ve worked with have IP portfolios that are more efficient and valuable than large corporations in the same markets,” JiNan notes. “That gives them a high valuation—a vital factor also making these companies attractive targets for investors, mergers and acquisitions. Some companies invest a lot in patents that ultimately are not very valuable, while other companies file for inventions that yield significant returns. The profitable ones can produce impact that multiplies their IP investment—even early stage companies can have IP valuations that are $10 million, $50 million, even $100 million or more. A data-driven IP strategy that considers present inventions in market context can create a five times or more increase in valuation.” 3. Maximized First Mover Advantage. Prior to 2013, the first to invent was entitled to patent rights. The current system—established through the Leahy-Smith America Invents Act—is a “first-to-file” system, meaning that patent rights are given to the first person or entity to file an application whether or not they were the first inventor of the technology, product or service. With access to patent trends and other IP-driven data, companies can not only make smarter investments and develop better strategies to target emerging markets, but also aptly identify underserved or even entirely unexploited facets within those markets. “Patent data offers huge insight into who is investing in what kind of technology and where and how those funds and efforts are being allocated, long before commercial activity,” JiNan says. “Any company preparing to enter a new market will leave evidence of their intentions in areas that represent opportunity. If you are looking to capitalize on gaps in the market, it’s important to remember there’s no second place in patents—you need trend data to be continuously updated and analyzed. The companies and individuals who profit most from intellectual property are often not the ones who initially created it. ” According to JiNan, one of the most significant areas of opportunity loss for entrepreneurs and corporate executives is a lack of understanding of patent strategy and undervaluing the pursuit thereof. Because p atents are often the highest value intellectual property assets, she asserts that having an inside track on this kind of activity—and taking proactive measures to interpret and capitalize on that data—can be a real game-changer for an organization. Ways to gain that “inside track” as well as other ways to maximize patent ROI and profit from your IP endeavors will be explored at the annual Eclipse IP Conference this October in Cary/RTP, North Carolina. Founded in 2013, Eclipse brings together global thought leaders in IP to discuss best practices in patent investment, with this year’s theme being “Own Your Zone, Leveraging IP to Increase Marketshare.” These days, it’s not just about procuring the data. It’s what you strategically do with that data that really counts. The conference includes the likes of New Orleans Saints all-time yardage leading wide receiver Marques Colston, supply chain expert Irfan Khan, Eugene Gold (who grew his business by a staggering 4,400%) and bestselling author Randy Nelson. With patents among the most important and valuable assets a business can hold, said to serve as “the lifeblood of innovation,” when employed well they can proffer a remarkable return on investment—especially when facilitating market, category or process exclusivity. With JiNan’s insights above, it’s clear that deciphering and mapping early-stage patents and market data can be a powerfully effective means toward this end.

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Government Business

TOP 5 TIPS FOR ADOPTING ENTERPRISE MACHINE LEARNING

Article | March 11, 2022

When you first got your business off the ground, you may or may not have paid much attention to the technologies that would be available to you in the years to come—like machine learning. Machine learning was the stuff of science fiction just decades ago; now it’s practically everywhere. So, what is machine learning? Simply put, machine learning is a subset of artificial intelligence in which computer algorithms learn from large datasets in order to make more accurate predictions over time. Obviously, it’s a lot more complicated than that, but it poses numerous benefits to business owners—assuming it’s used the right way. Here are five tips for successfully adopting machine learning technologies in your day-to-day operations.

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Emerging Technology

Government as a driving force

Article | July 13, 2022

The COVID-19 crisis has highlighted the importance of constant innovation—as well as the need to respond quickly, agilely, and on a large scale. During the early stages of the pandemic, governments increased mask production, facilitated data sharing among pharmaceutical companies, relaxed regulatory requirements for certain tests and drugs, and accelerated vaccine production. These were the critical first steps in what turned out to be a highly successful collaboration with the private sector, non-profit organizations, and research institutions. Governments have served as catalysts throughout the pandemic, assembling and enabling multi-sector efforts to deal with the flood of cases and develop vaccines. Even before the pandemic, the government's role as a solution catalyst was expanding in scope and complexity, with a focus on how to harness innovation across sectors for public benefit. Governments have gone beyond repairing market failures as commercial and cross-sector innovation has accelerated. Governments are fostering cross-sector solutions for a variety of societal challenges, including public health, climate change, and cybersecurity, in addition to assisting in the strengthening of strategic sectors such as defence and space. Utilizing outside innovation to drive mission delivery Many technologies have been developed by the commercial sectorthat can be used to address complex societal problems. Governments are looking into ways to use these capabilities to improve mission delivery in ways other than contracting, in order to develop a broader set of partners and solutions. It is not always easy to implement such technologies in the public sector. Governments, unlike commercial entities with access to legal and financial structures such as joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions, must find more creative ways to capitalize on external innovation based on mutual interest and advantage across sectors. Government action and innovation State and local government leaders face shrinking resources, demanding constituents, complex policy environments, and constant pressure to deliver results on time.

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Spotlight

Innovative Federal Strategies

Innovative Federal Strategies is a bipartisan firm whose members have over 150 years of combined federal service in the House of Representatives, the U.S. Senate, and the Departments of Agriculture, Air Force, Commerce, Navy, and Treasury. We understand the complex federal planning, programming, budgeting, contracting, and regulatory processes used in the Executive Branch.

Related News

Emerging Technology, Cybersecurity

Red River Secures Army ITES-3S Contract

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Red River, a technology transformation company serving government and enterprise customers, today announced that it is now an authorized provider on the U.S. Army’s Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 3 Services (ITES-3S) contract. Awarded by the Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and the Army Contracting Command - Rock Island (ACC-RI), ITES-3S is a nine-year, $12.1 billion, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The ITES-3S IDIQ will provide a broad range of enterprise information technology services and support to the U.S. Army and other authorized Federal Government agencies. Types of information technology services available through the ITES-3S IDIQ include Program Management; Cybersecurity/Information Assurance; Enterprise Design, Integration and Consolidation; Network/Systems Operation and Maintenance; Telecommunications; Supply Chain Management; Operation and Maintenance; Business Process Engineering; and Information Technology Education and Training. This award demonstrates Red River’s longstanding commitment to providing superior professional services to the U.S. Army and the opportunity to continue to serve and support the men and women in uniform at home and abroad. Red River has more than 25 years as a trusted technology and services provider to the U.S. government and Department of Defense (DoD). “We are excited to continue our longstanding history of supporting the technology services needs of the Army and other government agencies supported through this contract vehicle,” said Brian Roach, CEO for Red River. “We look forward to collaborating with DoD technology leaders to support their mission requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, managed services, cloud, infrastructure and collaboration. This is a significant addition to our contracts portfolio and strengthens our position as a leading technology and services provider to the DoD and the U.S. government as a whole.” About Red River Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in managed services, cybersecurity, infrastructure, collaboration and cloud solutions.

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Emerging Technology

New Iridium Certus Service Providers to Support U.S. Government Customers

Iridium Communications | October 13, 2022

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced today that Iridium partners MetOcean Telematics, NAL Research, and Trace Systems are now Iridium Certus® service providers for U.S. government customers, joining Satcom Direct, in this capacity. These unique, long-term deals will allow these companies to provide Iridium's secure global satellite broadband and midband connectivity for mobile voice and data services to the U.S. government through a dedicated gateway. By leveraging the inherent advantages of the Iridium® network, including truly global, on-the-move L-band connectivity, MetOcean Telematics, NAL Research, and Trace Systems are now able to deliver enhanced capabilities that meet Communications Security (ComSec) requirements for the Department of Defense (DoD) and warfighter. These capabilities include global and resilient voice, data and 1080 HD live-action video over satcom across all domains (land, maritime and air) on the move. The service also serves as the "ACE in PACE" – alternate, contingent or emergency communications link, supports early entry communications packages and command and control for autonomous or uncrewed systems and data backhaul. Whether in high-risk combat zones or during inclement weather events, the Iridium network provides uncompromising satellite communications that keeps users connected when it's needed most. Iridium Certus™ terminals enable U.S. government users to securely connect remote assets to respective command and control centers in the U.S. in a cost-effective and secure manner, from anywhere in the world. "Iridium Certus continues to provide mission-critical broadband and midband capabilities to the modern warfighter and we're excited to add new service providers to expand the distribution of these offerings, With the addition of Iridium Certus for the government, these partners will play a critical role in supporting DoD personnel as they utilize this value-added service." -Scott Scheimreif, Executive Vice President of Government Programs, Iridium. Unique in the satellite industry, Iridium Certus is the only broadband service that provides highly reliable, truly global, weather-resilient connectivity for on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access. Iridium Certus terminals are low-profile, compared to the competition, and capable of maintaining broadband connectivity in fast-paced, unpredictable environments on land, at sea, in the air — and can do it without landing in or passing through non-U.S. territories. Iridium Communications Inc: Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2019, the company completed a generational upgrade of its satellite network and launched its new specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus®. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM.

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Cybersecurity

One Year In, Cyber Executive Order Progress is Under Way, But Early Stage

MeriTalk | May 06, 2022

Ninety-one percent of Federal cybersecurity decision-makers say the 2021 Executive Order (EO) on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity has made U.S. data and critical infrastructure safer, but just 28 percent say significantly safer, according to Impact Assessment: Cyber EO Year One, a new study from MeriTalk, a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government information technology (IT). The report explores perspectives on progress against Cyber EO goals, identifies what successful agencies do differently, and finds the fault lines where agency cyber leaders say they need more help to succeed. Most Federal cyber decision-makers (78 percent) agree the steps outlined in the Cyber EO are necessary to protect our nation. Implementing software supply chain security and migrating to a zero-trust architecture are the two most important factors for national cybersecurity, the research highlights. And, while just 15 percent have seen tangible improvements because of EO efforts to date, a significant portion expects to see an impact within the next year. Federal cyber leaders confirm initial progress in areas including vulnerability detection, software supply chain security, vulnerability response, and investigative and remediation capabilities. Just over half confirm IT management and staff are placing increased priority on cybersecurity, and just over half are collecting more cyber data than in the past. But, across the board, progress against EO goals is still in the early stages. Fewer than half rate their agencies’ progress against key EO goals as “excellent.” For example, 36 percent rate progress toward creating a formal strategy as excellent; 34 percent rate progress toward investing in endpoint detection and response (EDR) as excellent; and, 33 percent rate progress migrating to secure cloud solutions, as excellent. When asked about the importance of zero trust, 82 percent agree that allocating staff and budget resources to zero trust is vital to national security and almost all, 96 percent, agree the Federal zero trust strategy is somewhat or very helpful. Despite the high priority, just 30 percent of Federal cyber decision-makers rate their zero trust progress as “excellent” and many, 67 percent, say the EO’s three-year window for implementing a zero trust architecture is not realistic. Zero Trust is the gold standard for cybersecurity, so we're encouraged to see the EO is prioritizing that approach. In addition, cloud-native endpoint detection and response capabilities can significantly strengthen the cybersecurity posture for the federal government, especially when integrated with other security capabilities including identity security, threat intelligence, and managed threat hunting. These concepts have become cybersecurity best practices for the private sector’s most technologically advanced businesses, and we encourage the public sector to continue to embrace these technologies and strategies.” Drew Bagley, vice president and counsel for Privacy and Cyber Policy, CrowdStrike “Getting to zero trust is not easy. The detail provided in the multi-step guidance from OMB provides a path, but there is no single box you can buy to meet the varied needs of the five zero trust pillars,” says Stephen Kovac, Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Global Government Affairs, Zscaler. “You need multiple solutions from varying vendors that work together with seamless integration to achieve true zero trust – it is a team sport. OMB has done a good job in helping to define those rules, with rule one being to keep users off the network. If they can’t reach you, they can’t breach you.” Funding is another roadblock. Just 14 percent report they have all funding needed to meet Cyber EO requirements. One-third say they have half, or less than half, of the funding needed. “The sea change is the focus on comprehensive cyber resiliency,” says Nicole Burdette, principal, MeriTalk. “The EO provided direction, and Federal cyber leaders are now doing the hard work. But progress requires sustained funding and resource commitment. The research shows the gaps.” “The U.S. federal government is taking important steps to improve the nation’s cybersecurity posture,” said Dave Levy, Vice President of U.S. Government, Nonprofit, and Healthcare at Amazon Web Services (AWS). “In the Cyber EO, the White House directs federal agencies to adopt security best practices, implement zero trust architectures, and accelerate migration to secure cloud services. Organizations of all sizes should consider similar principles and practices to enhance their cybersecurity and protect employees and sensitive data against cyberattack.” What are the leaders doing differently? Cyber EO champions (leaders who give their agency’s EO progress an A) are predictably more likely than their peers to say they have all the funding they need. They are also more likely to have their chief information officer (CIO) leading their zero-trust implementation (67 percent to 28 percent). When asked for perspectives on what’s needed to achieve cyber progress, the research identified the Federal wish list: Workforce training and expertise Stronger executive buy-in Detailed direction from agency IT leadership Centers of Excellence (COEs) in the government to lend expertise Three-fourths of Federal cyber decision-makers also say the EO should have been more authoritative with private-sector directives. The Impact Assessment: Cyber EO Year One report is based on an online survey of more than 150 Federal cybersecurity decision-makers familiar with their agencies’ cybersecurity initiatives, including zero trust strategies, in March 2022 and is underwritten by Amazon Web Services (AWS), CrowdStrike, and Zscaler. The report has a margin of error of ±7.7 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. About MeriTalk The voice of tomorrow’s government today, MeriTalk is a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT. Our award-winning editorial team and world-class events and research staff produces unmatched news, analysis, and insight. The goal: a more efficient, responsive, and citizen-centric government. MeriTalk connects with an audience of 160,000 Federal community contacts.

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Emerging Technology, Cybersecurity

Red River Secures Army ITES-3S Contract

Businesswire | March 23, 2023

Red River, a technology transformation company serving government and enterprise customers, today announced that it is now an authorized provider on the U.S. Army’s Information Technology Enterprise Solutions 3 Services (ITES-3S) contract. Awarded by the Computer Hardware, Enterprise Software and Solutions (CHESS) and the Army Contracting Command - Rock Island (ACC-RI), ITES-3S is a nine-year, $12.1 billion, indefinite delivery indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract. The ITES-3S IDIQ will provide a broad range of enterprise information technology services and support to the U.S. Army and other authorized Federal Government agencies. Types of information technology services available through the ITES-3S IDIQ include Program Management; Cybersecurity/Information Assurance; Enterprise Design, Integration and Consolidation; Network/Systems Operation and Maintenance; Telecommunications; Supply Chain Management; Operation and Maintenance; Business Process Engineering; and Information Technology Education and Training. This award demonstrates Red River’s longstanding commitment to providing superior professional services to the U.S. Army and the opportunity to continue to serve and support the men and women in uniform at home and abroad. Red River has more than 25 years as a trusted technology and services provider to the U.S. government and Department of Defense (DoD). “We are excited to continue our longstanding history of supporting the technology services needs of the Army and other government agencies supported through this contract vehicle,” said Brian Roach, CEO for Red River. “We look forward to collaborating with DoD technology leaders to support their mission requirements in areas such as cybersecurity, managed services, cloud, infrastructure and collaboration. This is a significant addition to our contracts portfolio and strengthens our position as a leading technology and services provider to the DoD and the U.S. government as a whole.” About Red River Red River brings together the ideal combination of talent, partners and products to disrupt the status quo in technology and drive success for business and government in ways previously unattainable. Red River serves organizations well beyond traditional technology integration, bringing more than 25 years of experience and mission-critical expertise in managed services, cybersecurity, infrastructure, collaboration and cloud solutions.

Read More

Emerging Technology

New Iridium Certus Service Providers to Support U.S. Government Customers

Iridium Communications | October 13, 2022

Iridium Communications Inc. (Nasdaq: IRDM) announced today that Iridium partners MetOcean Telematics, NAL Research, and Trace Systems are now Iridium Certus® service providers for U.S. government customers, joining Satcom Direct, in this capacity. These unique, long-term deals will allow these companies to provide Iridium's secure global satellite broadband and midband connectivity for mobile voice and data services to the U.S. government through a dedicated gateway. By leveraging the inherent advantages of the Iridium® network, including truly global, on-the-move L-band connectivity, MetOcean Telematics, NAL Research, and Trace Systems are now able to deliver enhanced capabilities that meet Communications Security (ComSec) requirements for the Department of Defense (DoD) and warfighter. These capabilities include global and resilient voice, data and 1080 HD live-action video over satcom across all domains (land, maritime and air) on the move. The service also serves as the "ACE in PACE" – alternate, contingent or emergency communications link, supports early entry communications packages and command and control for autonomous or uncrewed systems and data backhaul. Whether in high-risk combat zones or during inclement weather events, the Iridium network provides uncompromising satellite communications that keeps users connected when it's needed most. Iridium Certus™ terminals enable U.S. government users to securely connect remote assets to respective command and control centers in the U.S. in a cost-effective and secure manner, from anywhere in the world. "Iridium Certus continues to provide mission-critical broadband and midband capabilities to the modern warfighter and we're excited to add new service providers to expand the distribution of these offerings, With the addition of Iridium Certus for the government, these partners will play a critical role in supporting DoD personnel as they utilize this value-added service." -Scott Scheimreif, Executive Vice President of Government Programs, Iridium. Unique in the satellite industry, Iridium Certus is the only broadband service that provides highly reliable, truly global, weather-resilient connectivity for on-the-move internet and high-quality voice access. Iridium Certus terminals are low-profile, compared to the competition, and capable of maintaining broadband connectivity in fast-paced, unpredictable environments on land, at sea, in the air — and can do it without landing in or passing through non-U.S. territories. Iridium Communications Inc: Iridium® is the only mobile voice and data satellite communications network that spans the entire globe. Iridium enables connections between people, organizations and assets to and from anywhere, in real time. Together with its ecosystem of partner companies, Iridium delivers an innovative and rich portfolio of reliable solutions for markets that require truly global communications. In 2019, the company completed a generational upgrade of its satellite network and launched its new specialty broadband service, Iridium Certus®. Iridium Communications Inc. is headquartered in McLean, Va., U.S.A., and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol IRDM.

Read More

Cybersecurity

One Year In, Cyber Executive Order Progress is Under Way, But Early Stage

MeriTalk | May 06, 2022

Ninety-one percent of Federal cybersecurity decision-makers say the 2021 Executive Order (EO) on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity has made U.S. data and critical infrastructure safer, but just 28 percent say significantly safer, according to Impact Assessment: Cyber EO Year One, a new study from MeriTalk, a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government information technology (IT). The report explores perspectives on progress against Cyber EO goals, identifies what successful agencies do differently, and finds the fault lines where agency cyber leaders say they need more help to succeed. Most Federal cyber decision-makers (78 percent) agree the steps outlined in the Cyber EO are necessary to protect our nation. Implementing software supply chain security and migrating to a zero-trust architecture are the two most important factors for national cybersecurity, the research highlights. And, while just 15 percent have seen tangible improvements because of EO efforts to date, a significant portion expects to see an impact within the next year. Federal cyber leaders confirm initial progress in areas including vulnerability detection, software supply chain security, vulnerability response, and investigative and remediation capabilities. Just over half confirm IT management and staff are placing increased priority on cybersecurity, and just over half are collecting more cyber data than in the past. But, across the board, progress against EO goals is still in the early stages. Fewer than half rate their agencies’ progress against key EO goals as “excellent.” For example, 36 percent rate progress toward creating a formal strategy as excellent; 34 percent rate progress toward investing in endpoint detection and response (EDR) as excellent; and, 33 percent rate progress migrating to secure cloud solutions, as excellent. When asked about the importance of zero trust, 82 percent agree that allocating staff and budget resources to zero trust is vital to national security and almost all, 96 percent, agree the Federal zero trust strategy is somewhat or very helpful. Despite the high priority, just 30 percent of Federal cyber decision-makers rate their zero trust progress as “excellent” and many, 67 percent, say the EO’s three-year window for implementing a zero trust architecture is not realistic. Zero Trust is the gold standard for cybersecurity, so we're encouraged to see the EO is prioritizing that approach. In addition, cloud-native endpoint detection and response capabilities can significantly strengthen the cybersecurity posture for the federal government, especially when integrated with other security capabilities including identity security, threat intelligence, and managed threat hunting. These concepts have become cybersecurity best practices for the private sector’s most technologically advanced businesses, and we encourage the public sector to continue to embrace these technologies and strategies.” Drew Bagley, vice president and counsel for Privacy and Cyber Policy, CrowdStrike “Getting to zero trust is not easy. The detail provided in the multi-step guidance from OMB provides a path, but there is no single box you can buy to meet the varied needs of the five zero trust pillars,” says Stephen Kovac, Chief Compliance Officer and Head of Global Government Affairs, Zscaler. “You need multiple solutions from varying vendors that work together with seamless integration to achieve true zero trust – it is a team sport. OMB has done a good job in helping to define those rules, with rule one being to keep users off the network. If they can’t reach you, they can’t breach you.” Funding is another roadblock. Just 14 percent report they have all funding needed to meet Cyber EO requirements. One-third say they have half, or less than half, of the funding needed. “The sea change is the focus on comprehensive cyber resiliency,” says Nicole Burdette, principal, MeriTalk. “The EO provided direction, and Federal cyber leaders are now doing the hard work. But progress requires sustained funding and resource commitment. The research shows the gaps.” “The U.S. federal government is taking important steps to improve the nation’s cybersecurity posture,” said Dave Levy, Vice President of U.S. Government, Nonprofit, and Healthcare at Amazon Web Services (AWS). “In the Cyber EO, the White House directs federal agencies to adopt security best practices, implement zero trust architectures, and accelerate migration to secure cloud services. Organizations of all sizes should consider similar principles and practices to enhance their cybersecurity and protect employees and sensitive data against cyberattack.” What are the leaders doing differently? Cyber EO champions (leaders who give their agency’s EO progress an A) are predictably more likely than their peers to say they have all the funding they need. They are also more likely to have their chief information officer (CIO) leading their zero-trust implementation (67 percent to 28 percent). When asked for perspectives on what’s needed to achieve cyber progress, the research identified the Federal wish list: Workforce training and expertise Stronger executive buy-in Detailed direction from agency IT leadership Centers of Excellence (COEs) in the government to lend expertise Three-fourths of Federal cyber decision-makers also say the EO should have been more authoritative with private-sector directives. The Impact Assessment: Cyber EO Year One report is based on an online survey of more than 150 Federal cybersecurity decision-makers familiar with their agencies’ cybersecurity initiatives, including zero trust strategies, in March 2022 and is underwritten by Amazon Web Services (AWS), CrowdStrike, and Zscaler. The report has a margin of error of ±7.7 percent at a 95 percent confidence level. About MeriTalk The voice of tomorrow’s government today, MeriTalk is a public-private partnership focused on improving the outcomes of government IT. Our award-winning editorial team and world-class events and research staff produces unmatched news, analysis, and insight. The goal: a more efficient, responsive, and citizen-centric government. MeriTalk connects with an audience of 160,000 Federal community contacts.

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