Technology

Dr. Joe Evans, technical director for 5G at the Department of Defense, recently discussed the impact that innovative technologies and 5G integration have on the private and public sectors during Potomac Officers Club’s (POC) 5G Summit. Evans, who is responsible for coordinating 5G efforts across DOD, served as the opening keynote speaker at the virtual event.

President-elect Joe Biden has proposed a potential $1.9T COVID-19 pandemic relief package that urges Congress to approve more than $10B in funds to support the modernization and improve the cybersecurity of federal information technology systems and networks, The Hill reported Thursday.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) has established the National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office, which will advance artificial intelligence research and policymaking across government, industry and academia. “The National Artificial Intelligence Initiative Office will be integral to the federal government’s AI efforts for many years to come," said Michael Kratsios, chief technology officer of the U.S. and 2020 Wash100 Award recipient.

Alan Lawrence, vice president of federal at Dell Technologies' (NYSE: DELL) Boomi business, said government agencies should shift their focus from maintaining legacy information technology systems and applications to advancing IT modernization to improve data security, employee and customer engagement and mission outcomes.

Kirk Herdman, formerly executive vice president of business and corporate development at KeyW, has joined VTG as president of the Chantilly, Virginia-based company's national security solutions unit. John Hassoun, VTG president and CEO, describes Herdman as “a thoughtful leader who brings a wealth of strategic insight, technical expertise, and operational savvy to this new role, as well as an impressive track record growing public- and private-sector businesses in the GovCon market.”

New York-based private equity firm Sagewind Capital has invested in Perry, Georgia-based intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance services provider Sigma Defense Systems for an undisclosed amount.

President Donald Trump has issued a national plan that seeks to combine cybersecurity resources and initiatives to protect the maritime transportation system from cyber threats and other vulnerabilities. The National Maritime Cybersecurity Plan recommends ways how the U.S. government will defend the country’s economy “through enhanced cybersecurity coordination, policies and practices, aimed at mitigating risks to the maritime sub-sector, promoting prosperity through information and intelligence sharing, and preserving and increasing the nation’s cyber workforce,” said National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien.

Steve Septoff, vice president of federal sales at Dell Technologies (NYSE: DELL), said the shift to remote work has prompted government agencies to accelerate information technology modernization efforts and increased the need for organizations to operate in multicloud computing environments.

Potomac Officers Club’s 5G Summit will feature notable federal and industry leaders on “The DoD Journey to 5G: Where We Are, Where Do We Need to Be, and What’s Next” Panel. The panelists will discuss emerging programs, priorities and challenges within the integration process of the new 5G framework. To register for the 5G Summit on January 7th, visit Potomac Officers Club’s Event Page!

Researchers recently discovered a series of cyber vulnerabilities dubbed Ripple20 in a common networking stack that poses risks to mission-critical devices and Erik Floden, director of federal civilian agencies at Forescout Technologies, said security teams at agencies should take steps to address the risk.