Online Exclusives

• Diplomacy Wins the Day for Alliance Ground Surveillance System
  February 10, 2012
  A flurry of diplomatic activity in recent months and the intervention of high-level Pentagon officials helped the NATO nations to move forward on the Alliance Ground Surveillance system. The surveillance system is designed to provide commanders with a more comprehensive picture of the situation on the ground.
  
  
• The Last Cyber Warrior
  Tuesday, February 7, 2012
  When it comes down to it, you — yes, you — are the last line of cyber defense against the endless hordes of cyber criminals, terrorists and foreign agents. Digital technology now touches almost every living person and as time moves on its reach will only continue to grow. With technology reaching us all and being incorporated into more parts of our daily lives, you can no longer rely on someone else to protect you. Whether it is defending your data at work, or defending your personal data at home, being an effective cyber defender is a continuous responsibility.
  
  
• Chertoff Urges DHS Focus On Domestic Intelligence
  February 3, 2012
  
  
  
• SPAWAR Selects Winning Bidder for CANES Design
  February 2, 2012
  The Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, San Diego, has selected Northrop Grumman Space and Mission Systems Corporation to develop and produce the Navy's next-generation tactical afloat network, Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES).
  
  
• Defense Secretary Outlines 2013 Budget Cuts, Priorities
  January 26, 2012
  Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta today offered the first glimpse into changes in store for the U.S. military that will come to pass if the president's 2013 Pentagon budget is approved by Congress. Those changes include reductions for two major branches of the military, adjustments in some major weapons systems, and asking Congress for authorization to begin a new round of the Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) process.
  
  
• Load-Carrying Robot Deploys to Afghanistan
  January 23, 2012
  The U.S. Army deployed four large unmanned ground systems to Afghanistan earlier this month to assess their ability to lighten the load for combat troops.
  
  
• Virtualization: Security Issues and Savings
  January 18, 2012
  With the military's current mandates to increase efficiencies, virtualization offers multiple benefits to the armed forces. Projects underway at the National Security Agency are advancing its use, but the government needs to reconcile security requirements with available capabilities before warfighters enjoy the full benefit of the technology.
  
  
• Cybersecurity Experts Forecast Industrial Attacks, Preparation for Cyberwar in 2012
  January 10, 2012
  With the new year only a few days old, one of the information technology industry's biggest security firms is out with its annual predictions of the top cybersecurity threats for 2012. David Marcus, director of security research with McAfee Labs and a principal co-author of the study, says threats against industrial and industry networks top the list.
  
  
• New U.S. Military Strategy Breaks With the Past, Focuses on New Challenges
  January 5, 2012
  Out with the old (Cold War systems), in with the new: Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta says that ISR, space and cyber will be new priority areas as the Defense Department embarks on a strategy befitting the new global security environment. Speaking at a January 5 Pentagon press conference, Panetta defined the future military as “a smaller and leaner force” with reductions coming in the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps. This force will be more agile and flexible, ready to deploy quickly, and it will feature new technologies and other advances.
  
  
• Wounded Army Signaler Receives FBI Badge
  December 23, 2011
  Officials in the Tampa FBI office recently awarded a badge and credentials to a non-agent for what, according to their research, is the first time in the bureau’s history. Sgt. Joel Tavera, USA, received the honor in recognition of the sacrifice he made serving his country and to pay tribute to his persistent spirit. But he set the process in motion with a little playful cheek.
  
  
• Social Media to Be Included in 2012 Cyber Exercise
  December 19, 2011
  Although still in the planning stages, next year’s National Level Exercise will likely include analysis of the role of social media during a major cyber event, according to sources participating in the exercise. One official says social media may prove useful in predicting and reacting to a wide array of catastrophes, including terrorist attacks, natural disasters and disease outbreaks.
  
  
• Postponement of NGEN RFP Not Likely to Delay Program Implementation
  December 15, 2011
  The U.S. Navy's rescheduling of the Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN) request for proposals (RFP) should not delay the program, according to a Navy official. After slating an RFP release for December 21, the Navy changed course and extended the RFP release date to sometime in late January 2012 at the earliest.
  
  
• 'Tis the Season to Watch for Scams
  December 16, 2011
  This holiday season, don’t fall prey to a criminal’s cyber scam. Protect yourself by following a few simple guidelines when shopping online and giving to charities. Actually, these rules are good all year round as well.
  
  
• Keeping It Simple Is Not Stupid
  December 9, 2011
  The small form factor of increasingly popular mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets is posing new challenges to those developing applications, or apps, for these items. Gwynne Kostin offers her advice for agencies considering the move to mobile.
  
  
• Think Mobile, Think Simplicity
  December 5, 2011
  When it comes to Internet content consumed on a mobile device, there may be an app for that … but there’s an important distinction that must be recognized. Mobile isn't just a "little Web," according to a GSA official.
  
  
• U.S. Space Program Is Alive and Ambitious
  November 30, 2011
  NASA's final space shuttle mission did not mark the end of U.S. space travel. Instead, scientists and engineers now have their sights set on exploring deeper into the solar system with plans to enable trips to Mars and asteroids. A plethora of projects are testing how to supply the food, liquids and fuel necessary for such journeys.
  
  
• Intelligence Confronts Catastrophic Cuts in Doomsday Budget Scenario
  November 17, 2011
  The U.S. intelligence community faces the possibility of devastating budget cuts if the congressional Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction does not reach an agreement by November 23, 2011. The community is not ready for the massive reductions that would be imposed if that congressional committee fails to reach agreement, says a senior defense official.
  
  
• An Alternative Approach to Implementing New Technology
  November 28, 2011
  Here’s an interesting look into the inner workings of international cyber criminals by virtue of covertly recorded conversation snippets. The characteristics of similar processes in Western governments, particularly here in the United States, are well known because they are described in detail in the media. Our processes exist to provide accountability, budget constraint, quality assurance and fair competition. The bad guys have a slightly different take on how to go about things.
  
  
• Pushing MANETs to the Spear's Tip
  November 14, 2011
  The U.S. Coast Guard 1st District is making plans to extend its network of disparate yet connected radio frequencies down to its front lines. If all goes according to plan, the smaller, lighter technology could make its way into the vests of boarding-team leaders, giving them the ability to connect with higher headquarters via not only voice, but also full-motion video and videoteleconferencing.
  
  
• Improved Cloud Over the Horizon for Warfighters
  November 10, 2011
  U.S. Army officials are planning improvements to the Army’s mobile cloud computing platform commonly used in Afghanistan. The next version of the Battle Command Common Services (BCCS) system will mark the Army’s first attempt to align the cloud platform with the Common Operating Environment. It will improve interoperability between the operations and intelligence communities, ultimately improving situational awareness for warfighters.