How DOD Is Using Modern Tech to Manage Its Workforce

by Daily Scoop Podcasr

Mark Gorak, principal director for resources & analysis in the office of the DOD CIO, joins the podcast to discuss how the department is relying on digital tool to boost its workforce management.

The Department of Defense houses one of — if not the biggest — workforces in the world. It is a Fortune 1 company, if you think about it that way. And managing a workforce that large and complex doesn't come easy. However, the department believes that modern technology can play a role in making workforce management more effective. To discuss that, Wyatt Kash recently spoke with Mark Gorak, principal director for resources & analysis in the office of the DOD CIO, about the digital tools and resources the department is leaning on to modernize it workforce management and the challenges such a large enterprise faces in managing its workforce.

The Trump administration has made its pick for federal CIO, FedScoop has learned. Two sources familiar with the matter confirmed that Greg Barbaccia has been hired for the federal CIO role within the Office of Management and Budget. He replaces Clare Martorana, who served in the role for nearly the entirety of the Biden administration. In the short time the role has been vacant since Martorana stepped down Jan. 20, Deputy Federal CIO Drew Myklegard has filled it in an acting capacity. Barbaccia comes to the role with a background of mostly private-sector experience, though he started his career in the U.S. Army, according to a public bio. He then went on to build a resume as a technology leader at Palantir, where he spent a decade in roles including head of intelligence and investigations; blockchain company Elementus; and San Francisco-based credit underwriting technology company Theorem, where he was most recently CISO before taking the federal CIO role.

 Read full story at FedScoop…

Local Governments See Explosion of Edge Computing Devices

by  Christopher Black

Smart city applications will grow thanks to distributed processing power.

When cities today deploy video camera units in various locations, they are establishing the biggest edge-computing environment possible. Modern video cameras contain a great deal of analytics power, meaning that they not only store but process data in their location.

The number of intelligent devices available for placement around municipalities by local governments only continues to grow. These devices can do a lot without a centralized server, increasing computing power on the spot. This growth fuels current public safety and public health trends and lays the groundwork for remarkable new innovations for local governments in particular.

In 2022, IDC projected that state and local governments would spend $3.8 billion on edge solutions that year. That number is expected to increase to $4.9 billion 2026.

 Read full story at StateTech…

State of the States 2025: Does IT Make Governors' Agendas?

by  GovTech Staff

If there was a universal theme in 2025 speeches, it was smartphone bans in schools. But governors also outlined plans and accomplishments in cybersecurity, modernization and digital government.

Governors want to make the cost of living more affordable in their states. That's one clear message coming out of this year's State of the State addresses. Many state chief executives outlined their ideas for bringing tax relief to residents, with cuts to property taxes showing up in many a speech. Another popular throughline was investment in education and workforce development programs to set kids up for future prosperity.

But the most consistently mentioned technology-related policy proposal in the 2025 speeches was support for smartphone bans in schools. Further, many governors cited the detrimental impacts of sticky social media content on the well-being of young people. In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul attached it to an “Unplug and Play” initiative that includes resources for parks and recreation, while Montana's Gov. Greg Gianforte proposed an overnight social media blackout. ”Kids need more rest, not more reels on Instagram,” he said.

 Read full story at Government Technology…

Don't Want to Be Hacked? These 10 Simple Security Tweaks

by  Chris Hoffman

These everyday online security tips are simple, fast, easy, and free.

Online safety doesn't have to be complicated. With some simple steps, you can easily protect your PC from malware and safeguard your personal data with very little extra effort.

The best part? None of these tips cost money. In fact, most important security tools you need are completely free. You can keep yourself and your PC safe online without spending a single dime. Here's how.

 Read full story at PCWorld…

iOS 18.3—How To Turn Off Apple Intelligence On Your iPhone

by  Kate O'Flaherty

Apple has released iOS 18.3, a major iPhone update including urgent security fixes. But iOS 18.3 is also notable for another reason — the iPhone maker has enabled its AI capabilities, Apple Intelligence, by default

It's certainly not ideal for those of us who prefer to opt-in to services, rather than out of them — especially since AI by its nature collects a lot of data. Before iOS 18.3, Apple appeared to acknowledge this, allowing people to choose to specifically opt-in to Apple Intelligence.

Indeed, Apple Intelligence now includes Siri integration which capitalizes on a partnership with Open AI's ChatGPT. And when you send data to ChatGPT in iOS 18.3, OpenAI's less stringent privacy policy applies.

So, once you've upgraded to iOS 18.3 — which includes important security updates so is worth doing right now — how do you disable Apple Intelligence on your iPhone?

 Read full story at Forbes…

What Is Device Code Phishing …?

by  Dan Goodin

Overlooked attack method has been used since last August in a rash of account takeovers.

The article describes a phishing campaign by Russian spies using device code phishing to hijack Microsoft 365 accounts. The attackers impersonate trusted organizations and initiate conversations with targets on messaging apps. They then trick users into clicking on a link and entering a device authorization code, granting the attackers access to the accounts.

 Read full story at arsTechnica…

Achieving Energy Dominance Without Leaving Small Customers Behind

by  Ray Gifford and Matt Larson

Addressing load growth must be done in a way that ensures rate stability for all and avoids an energy system that houses “haves” and “have nots.”

2025 begins with two disproportionately sizeable achievements. Kendrick Lamar winning song of the year, record of the year, best rap song, best music video, and best rap performance at the Grammy's. And Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro driving not only the best “around market” solution of the year, but perhaps the greatest “around market” solution ever.

To be clear, this is no slight on Gov. Shapiro and the actions he took in the aftermath of a PJM capacity auction that saw overall prices at $269.92/MW-day, up from $28.92/MW-day (or $14.7 billion in total costs versus $2.2 billion in the prior auction). Given these potentially dramatic impacts on customers, he did what he needed to do, securing price caps among other concessions, for the constituents he serves (and subject to numerous remaining approvals at the PJM and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission levels).

But these developments raise a broader question amid the change in administration and embrace of the notion of capturing “energy dominance” in the United States. This is not a simple question of “does PJM work anymore,”although that question is certainly being asked in some circles. It is a question of what energy dominance is. To us, it is continuing to build infrastructure that results in safe, reliable, and increasingly clean energy coming to customers — all while maintaining rate stability for all customers, not just the lucky few.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

New Data Shows Revolutionary Change Happening Across US Power Grid: “We Never Expected It Would Happen Overnight”

by  Justin Housman

More than 30% of the nation's utility-scale electricity generation capacity comes from renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, biomass, Do you know where your electricity comes from? And, no, “the outlet"”doesn't count. Do you know the source of the electricity powering your home? If not, here's some good news: Increasingly, the electricity that courses through the U.S. energy grid is generated by renewable sources.

2024 saw a big jump in renewable energy capacity. geothermal, and hydropower.

 Read full story at The Cool Down…

Significant Flexible Load Potential for US Grid Finds Duke Study

by  Yusuf Latief

At a time of increasing power demand concerns in the US, a new study from Duke University has found significant potential for load integration.

This is according to Rethinking Load Growth: Assessing the Potential for Integration of Large Flexible Loads in US Power Systems, from the university's Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment & Sustainability.

The study, which looked at 22 of the largest balancing authorities serving 95% of the country's peak load, finds that gigawatts of new load could be added to the US grid in each balancing authority (BA) before total load exceeds what system planners are prepared to serve.

This is so long as the new load can be temporarily curtailed as needed.

 Read full story at FactorThis…