Author Archive

Aaron Boyd

Senior Editor, Nextgov

Aaron Boyd
Aaron Boyd is an award-winning journalist currently serving as senior editor for technology and events at Nextgov. He primarily covers federal government IT contracting and cybersecurity issues affecting both civilian and defense agencies. As a lifelong nerd and policy wonk, he feels right at home covering the intersection of technology and policy in the nation's capital.
Science & Tech

Air Force Wants to Add Facial Recognition to Automated Base Entrance

Scott Air Force Base is looking for verification and identification algorithms for a facial recognition pilot.

Science & Tech

DDS Security Clearance Tool Evolves into ‘SITH’ Insider Threat Program

The Defense Digital Service’s automated investigations tool turns to the dark side of insider threat hunting and gets rebranded to match.

Science & Tech

US Army Wants to Put Facial Recognition in Daycare Centers

A pilot system at Fort Jackson would begin “monitoring the health and well-being of children."

Science & Tech

South Korea to Add Robots-on-Rails and AI Surveillance to DMZ Border

The demilitarized zone between North and South Korea will be getting new surveillance technologies in the coming months, Korean news outlets report.

Science & Tech

US Army Wants Face Recognition at Base Gates

It's seeking a camera that can do the job through a rainy windshield at night.

Science & Tech

DARPA Hopes to Improve Computer Vision in ‘Third Wave’ of AI Research

The advanced research office is preparing a solicitation for novel research into In Pixel Intelligent Processing as the next breakthrough in artificial intelligence.

Threats

Feds Can't Buy Chinese-Made Drones Through GSA Anymore

By Feb. 1, all but five unmanned aerial vehicles will be removed from the General Services Administration’s offerings.

Threats

Riot Exposed Capitol's IT Vulnerabilities

Devices were stolen from members' offices. Were networks penetrated as well?

Threats

SolarWinds Isn't the Only Way Hackers Entered Networks, CISA Says

The agency warned that ejecting attackers from networks will be tough, especially because they can likely read the email of IT and cybersecurity employees.

Threats

Feds Race to Turn Off SolarWinds Products Amid Biggest Hack in Years

A critical flaw in software used throughout government was reportedly used to breach a major security company and at least two federal agencies.

Science & Tech

US Army Wants Data Analytics to Spot ‘Emerging Tech Leaders’

The Army plans to issue a call later this month through its Small Business Innovation Research program.

Threats

Air Force Wants 'Data Science Ecosystems' to Shorten OODA Loops

The AF Research Lab is looking for ways to deal with the rising ocean of surveillance video and other sensor data.

Business

Pentagon Awards JEDI Cloud Contract to Microsoft, Again

The decision follows a months-long legal challenge filed by Amazon Web Services.

Science & Tech

TSA's Updated Strategy Seeks Better Tech, Data-Sharing

“TSA Administrator’s Intent 2.0,” released on Tuesday, updates the 2018 version.

Threats

DHS Expands Insider-Threat Program to Cover Everyone Who Accesses Its Info

The Homeland Security Department will begin tracking all personnel—federal employees and contractors, with or without a security clearance—in the hunt for insider threats.

Science & Tech

ICE Details Its Outsourced Face-Recognition Efforts

A new report details the workings, rules, and privacy implications of Immigration and Customs Enforcement's 3rd-party facial recognition system.

Science & Tech

How COVID-19 Kicked a USAF Software Team Into High Gear

The programming group that makes tools for the Air Force's developers is now posting about 10 upgrades per day.

Science & Tech

The Pentagon's $800M Effort to Embed AI In Decisions in 'All Tiers'

That's the goal of a five-year task order from the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center to Booz Allen Hamilton.

Science & Tech

The Army Wants a Wearable COVID-19 Detector

On Monday, the service issued a request for project proposals through the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium “to develop a wearable diagnostic capability."

Threats

US Army Wants to Model COVID's Impact on Combatant Commands

The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research has sent an urgent request for COVID-19 modeling and prediction analyses services.