Countermeasures
Department of War awards $33.5M in defense grants to expand solid rocket motor industry
The Department of War recently awarded two companies $33.5 million in Defense Production Act Title III grants to expand the solid rocket motor industrial base. The grants also aim to boost supply chain resiliency and increase domestic production in strategic priority areas. "To meet the... Read More »
New York to award cybersecurity grants to local governments
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state would make more than $13.9 million in Infrastructure Act Grant funding available to eligible entities to apply for multi-factor authentication tokens. Hochul said New York is accepting request for applications for the tokens, and that the RFA was... Read More »
DHS Secretary Noem supports creation of U.S. Coast Guard secretary
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem publicly endorsed a letter delivered by Secretary of War Pete Hegseth supporting the creation of a secretary of the U.S. Coast Guard. The Coast Guard has duties as both a federal law enforcement agency and a branch of the U.S. military.... Read More »
Legislation addresses submarine cable infrastructure in national marine sanctuaries
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. Senate would safeguard the U.S. submarine cable infrastructure. The Undersea Cable Protection Act would amend the National Marine Sanctuaries Act to prohibit the commerce secretary from requiring authorization for the installation, continued presence,... Read More »
War Department announces cybersecurity defense framework
The U.S. War Department (DoW) will implement a new Cybersecurity Risk Management Construct (CSRMC) to harden defenses against cyber-attacks directed at military assts. The CSRMC is a five-phase construct designed to deliver real-time cyber defense at operational speed, officials said. The... Read More »
U.S. Secret Service dismantles telecom-related threat in NYC area
The U.S. Secret Service recently dismantled a network of electronic devices concentrated within 35 miles of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed toward senior U.S. government officials. “The potential... Read More »
House committee probes online platforms’ policies in wake of Kirk assassination
U.S. Reps. Andrew Garbarino (R-NY) and August Pfluger (R-TX) are requesting information about detecting and reporting extremist content from online platforms Discord, Twitch, Reddit and GitHub. Garbarino, the chair of the House Committee on Homeland Security, and Pfluger, chair of the subcommittee... Read More »
Tribes selected for Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information
The Justice Department recently selected six federally recognized tribes to participate in the Tribal Access Program (TAP) for National Crime Information. TAP provides training, the means to access and exchange data with national crime information systems, and software and biometric/biographic... Read More »
United States, United Kingdom hold coordinated satellite maneuver
U.S. Space Command and United Kingdom Space Command recently conducted their first coordinated satellite maneuver. The Rendezvous Proximity Operation, delivered under Multinational Force – Operation Olympic Defender, was held Sept. 4 to 12. The allies conducted information sharing and... Read More »
Sen. Peters urges Congress to extend expiring cybersecurity protections
U.S. Sen. Gary Peters spoke on the Senate floor Friday to advocate for the extension of cybersecurity protections that are set to expire on Oct. 1. Peters, the ranking member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, said the Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act of 2015 has... Read More »
Coast Guard campaign seizes 75,000 pounds of cocaine
Since launching Operation Pacific Viper in early August, the U.S. Coast Guard seized more than 75,000 pounds of cocaine. Operation Pacific Viper is the Coast Guard’s counter-drug operation in the Eastern Pacific Ocean, the site of illicit narcotics transported from South America. It is... Read More »
Governors’ association joins local leaders in urging Congress to preserve state, local cyber security grants
On Wednesday, the National Governor’s Association joined local and state leaders to sign a letter pushing for the preservation of cyber security grants. The letter, sent to Congressional leaders, asks Congress to reauthorize the State and local Cyber Security Grant Program that provides local... Read More »
GAO report: Cybersecurity organizations in DOD have opportunities to consolidate
A new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office has found that some organizations within the U.S. Department of Defense overlap and could benefit from consolidation. In a study of more than 440 organizations within the DOD that conduct cybersecurity operations, the GAO found that... Read More »
U.S. Customs and Border Protection names Houlton Sector chief patrol agent
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently named Derrick W. Stamper as chief patrol agent of the Houlton Sector, effective Sept. 1. Stamper began his career as a Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office sheriff’s deputy in Christiansburg, Va. He joined the U.S. Border Patrol in 2008 as a... Read More »
Collins Aerospace awarded NATO contract for electromagnetic warfare solution
The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) recently awarded Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, a contract to provide the Electronic Warfare Planning and Battle Management (EWPBM) solution, and integrated software tool designed to plan, direct, coordinate, synchronize and assess... Read More »
Check Point acquires Lakera for end-to-end AI security platform
California-based Check Point Software Technologies announced it had agreed to acquire Lakera, one of the world’s largest AI-native security platforms for Agentic AI applications. The acquisition will allow Check Point to deliver one of the industry’s most advanced AI-native security... Read More »
Legislation to protect shipyard workforce, national security introduced
Legislation from U.S. Reps. Jen Kiggans (R-VA) and Chris Pappas (D-NH) would exempt public shipyard workforces from federal hiring freezes and mass layoffs. The legislation, the Protecting Public Naval Shipyards Act, would protect the workforce responsible for repairing and retrofitting the... Read More »
Cyber technology key to Army’s future, branch cyber adviser says
Cyber technology is key to the U.S. Army’s transformation and to defending critical infrastructure, Brandon Pugh, principal cyber adviser to the secretary of the Army, said at the Billington CyberSecurity Summit on Sept. 11. “This is our effort to make sure the Army is adapting to the future... Read More »
University partnerships with China threaten national security, report says
A new report from U.S. Reps. John Moolenar (R-MI) and Tim Walburg (R-MI) has found that partnerships between U.S. universities with institutes and academic partners in China may threaten national security. Moolenaar, chair of the Select Committee on China, and Walburg, chair of the Committee on... Read More »
DHS cancels $31.7M in government contracts, grants
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has cancelled $31.7 million in government contracts and grants since Aug. 22. Noem reviews and approves or disapproves all U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) contracts totaling more than $100,000. “In just three weeks, Secretary Noem has... Read More »
Legislation would increase penalties for illegal aliens entering the United States
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would increase penalties for foreign residents who illegally enter or re-enter the United States. The goal is to discourage migrants from coming to the United States illegally and to keep criminals out of the country. The... Read More »
Survey shows operational technology leaders expect disruptive cyber incident with the year
A new study by MeriTalk and Claroty found that despite rising investment in secure operational technology, nearly two-thirds of federal operational technology (OT) leaders expect to see a disruptive cyber incident within the year. The study, “Guardians of Government, Vol. 2: Fortifying the... Read More »
CISA document outlines priorities for cyber vulnerabilities, exposures program
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) recently released a document identifying priorities that will elevate the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) Program to meet the needs of the global cybersecurity community. Feedback the agency received from domestic and... Read More »
International partnership releases guide on software bill of materials
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) joined the National Security Agency (NSA) and 19 other international partners to release a joint guide on the value of implementing a software bill of materials (SBOM). The group said the guide lets producers of software, organizations... Read More »
Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems partner for prototype air system
Lockheed Martin, a defense technology company, and BAE Systems, a defense, security, and aerospace company, recently announced a strategic partnership to develop a range of uncrewed autonomous air systems. Under the partnership, the companies’ advanced research and development divisions,... Read More »
DEA engages in operation against Sinaloa Cartel
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) conducted a week-long operation from Aug. 25 to Aug. 29 aimed at dismantling the Sinaloa Cartel, one of the world’s most violent and powerful drug cartels. DEA agents across 23 domestic field divisions and seven foreign regions carried out coordinated... Read More »
Treasury Department sanctions Southeast Asian network cyber scams
The U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced it has implemented sanctions against large scam centers across Southeast Asia. The centers allegedly use forced labor and violence to scam Americans out of billions of dollars, officials said. The latest action includes... Read More »
Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg named as Fleet Cyber commander
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Sept. 5 announced that President Donald Trump has nominated Navy Rear Adm. Heidi K. Berg as Fleet Cyber Command/commander, and Tenth Fleet/commander, Navy Space Command, in Fort Meade, Md. Berg is currently serving as deputy commander of both the Fleet Cyber... Read More »
Legislation would create federal drone facility
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would ensure the United States can design, test and manufacture drones. The SkyFoundry Act would create a government-run facility that would be capable of producing 1 million small drones annually. The bill would shorten the... Read More »
Legislation would re-authorize cybersecurity tools
The House Committee on Homeland Security recently advanced two bills that would re-authorize and update two vital cybersecurity tools the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) uses before they expire. The Widespread Information Management for the Welfare of Infrastructure and Government Act... Read More »
Legislation to address online radicalism passes out of committee
U.S. Rep. August Pfluger (R-TX) said his bill to address terror threats posed by online radicalization has passed out of committee. The Generative AI Terrorism Risk Assessment Act passed advanced out of the House Committee On Homeland Security. The legislation requires the U.S. Department of... Read More »
Legislation would reform FEMA
Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and federal disaster assistance programs. The Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act of 2025 would once again make FEMA a cabinet-level agency directly... Read More »
Company raises $10M to develop cyber threat defense products
Virginia-based Tidal Cyber, producer of Threat-Led Defense, announced it had raised $10 million in Series A funding to accelerate its product innovation and company growth. The investment, led by Bright Pixel Capital, with participation from existing Tidal Cyber investors, will help advance the... Read More »
House passes bills that will reform foreign arms sales
The U.S. House of Representative recently passed several bills that would improve the foreign arms sales process and strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base. The bills were included in a legislation package the House Foreign Affairs Committee advanced and will codify reforms to the foreign... Read More »