Author Archive
Aaron Boyd
Senior Editor, Nextgov

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.
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.
- Aaron Boyd
Threats
Riot Exposed Capitol's IT Vulnerabilities
Devices were stolen from members' offices. Were networks penetrated as well?
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
Business
Pentagon Awards JEDI Cloud Contract to Microsoft, Again
The decision follows a months-long legal challenge filed by Amazon Web Services.
- Frank R. Konkel and Aaron Boyd
Science & Tech
TSA's Updated Strategy Seeks Better Tech, Data-Sharing
“TSA Administrator’s Intent 2.0,” released on Tuesday, updates the 2018 version.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
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."
- Aaron Boyd
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.
- Aaron Boyd
Science & Tech
US Army to Study How Humans Team With AI
A new contract will focus on the teaming aspect of artificial intelligence in warfare by analyzing how humans and machines think when working together.
- Aaron Boyd
Policy
Congress Hears Options—And Concerns—for Using Smartphone Data to Fight Coronavirus
Other countries have been using various forms of location- and proximity-tracing to slow the spread of the disease, with widely varying levels of privacy protections.
- Aaron Boyd
Science & Tech
Border Patrol Seeks Automated Sensors to Cover Watery Blindspots
Homeland Security is looking for tech that can help border agents spot illegal watercraft — and decide what to do about them.
- Aaron Boyd
Threats
Security Clearance Backlog Hits Long-Awaited ‘Steady State’
About 200,000 people are waiting for background investigations, which lawmakers called a welcome, "sustainable" level.
- Aaron Boyd
Science & Tech
US Space Force Lists 20 Tough Problems for 1st Pitch Day
The military’s newest branch invites industry to bring solutions on March 4. Officials want to move quickly if they see something they like.
- Aaron Boyd
Science & Tech
CBP Reverses Course on Mandatory Facial Scans for US Citizens
After criticism from Congress and privacy advocates, the border security agency says it will pull back a proposed rule change.
- Aaron Boyd