Defense Systems

Lawmakers seek details on damage done by the SolarWinds hack

As information trickles out about which federal agencies have been compromised by a sophisticated hacking operation, lawmakers have begun seeking an extensive accounting of what damage has been done.

Threats

Two Years In, US Quantum-Science Coordinator Lays Out Next Steps

Three agencies involved in quantum research spent 2019 planning and 2020 launching new efforts. 

Ideas

The Big Hack Is Damaging. That Doesn’t Make Russia 10 Feet Tall.

U.S. leaders must not overestimate a country with a weak economy and overrated military.

Ideas

Why German Troops Won’t Get Armed Drones

The reasons, which go back to Angela Merkel’s East German upbringing, are leaving the Bundeswehr dependent on allies and partners.

Threats

Acting SecDef Miller Visits Troops in Afghanistan

Trump's designee returned 19 years after serving here, this time to oversee a controversial order to rush troops out before Joe Biden is sworn in.

Ideas

Don’t Discount America’s Interest in Keeping Africa Safe

As the Pentagon removes more troops, consider what its modest investment has garnered.

Ideas

Biden Must Prioritize Missile Defense

The new president will be pressed to choose between short- and long-term improvements. The rise in threats mean he must pursue both.

Business

Lockheed’s Proposed Aerojet Rocketdyne Purchase Sets Early M&A Test for Biden

The new administration will weigh in on a further consolidation of the U.S. defense industry.

Ideas

How We’re Building a 21st-Century Space Force

Only by staying lean, agile, and tightly focused on our mission can we succeed in protecting the United States.

Policy

Trump Officials Deliver Plan to Split Up Cyber Command, NSA

An end to the “dual hat” arrangement has been debated for years — but the timing raises questions. The plan requires Milley's certification to move ahead.

Policy

Space Force Troops Get a Name: ‘Guardians’

VP Pence revealed the moniker for Trump’s oft-teased newest military service branch to stand alongside soldiers, airmen, sailors, and Marines.

Ideas

A Day of Deaths 25 Percent Higher Than Spring’s Worst

For the second week in a row, more COVID-19 deaths were reported in the U.S. than at any other time in the pandemic.

Defense Systems

Linux containers can minimize cross-domain security headaches

Containers can help expedite and improve the reliability of application and data transfers from the “low side” to the “high side,” allowing developers to safely move applications and data across domains while maintaining a secure pipeline.

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.

Science & Tech

Amid Massive Hack, Lawmakers Urge Trump to Sign Defense Bill with New Cybersecurity Legislation

As the government scrambles to understand the widening compromise, legislation to shore up the nation’s cyber defenses sits unsigned on the President’s desk.

Ideas

If You Don’t Hire Robots to Attack Your Networks, You’re Not Doing Security Right

Complying with DoD’s new cybersecurity regulations requires hard data, the kind that pretty much requires automation to compile.