5 Things Government Agencies Should Know About Continuous Authentication

by  Joel Snyder

Get the facts about this active monitoring authentication method.

Continuous authentication is a tweak to traditional authentication methods, turning log-in-at-the-start authentication into more active monitoring. The usual goal is to reduce the security risk from stolen or borrowed credentials or malware-infected workstations.

Here are five things to know about this authentication method.

 Read full story at StateTech…

NASCIO: Data Literacy ‘Imperative’ for State Workforce

by  GovTech Staff

The National Association of State Chief Information Officers released a report Wednesday examining data literacy in state government.

The emerging use of generative AI has heightened the urgent need for data literacy training in state government, according to a new report from a national CIO organization.

The work originated from its 2023 State CIO Survey, wherein officials at the National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) discovered a notable statistic — namely, that 84 percent of CIOs don’t have a formal data literacy or proficiency program in place for state employees.

 Read full story at GovTech…

Zero Trust Experts: Prioritize People, Culture in Your ZT Journey

by Grace Dille

Zero trust security is a complex and moving target, but cybersecurity experts today explained how focusing on your people and instilling a culture of cybersecurity can help Federal agencies reduce zero trust complexity  

At the Visualyze Zero Trust Security Summit hosted by MeriTalk and Gigamon on Feb. 29 in Washington, D.C., panelists shared how they are focusing on the culture piece of zero trust in order to be successful.

”We can talk about the tech stack , but it's really about the changes that are happening inside the organizations themselves,” said Sean Connelly, senior cybersecurity architect at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and program manager of its Trusted Internet Connections (TIC) initiative.

 Read full story at MeriTalk…

18 Ways to Speed Up Windows 10

by  Preston Gralla

If you want to optimize Windows 10, take a few minutes to try out these tips to speed up your PC and make it less prone to performance and system issues.

Want your Windows 10 PC to run faster? We're here to help. By tweaking some of the operating settings, your machine will be zippier and less prone to performance and system issues.

And if you're already running Windows 11, we've got you covered there. Check out our top ways to keep Windows 11 devices chugging along smoothly.

Here's our list of tips for Windows 10.

 Read full story at Computerworld…

What is FinanceKit in iOS 17.4?

by  Jonny Evans

Other than leaving European users vulnerable to new threats via third-party app stores, iOS 17.4 introduced FinanceKit. What does it do?

Though iOS 17.4 could leave European users vulnerable to new threat vectors and third-party app stores, it also introduced an interesting new API Apple is calling FinanceKit. What does it do, and is it an opportunity for your business?

 Read full story at Computerworld…

Why SQL still rules

by  Charly Batista

So many programming languages have come and gone, but SQL remains. And it has a bright future still.

SQL, the Structured Query Language, remains one of the most widely used programming languages, coming in fourth in Stack Overflow’s research for 2023. Just over half (51.52%) of professional developers use SQL in their work, but only around a third (35.29%) of those learning to code use SQL.

For a language that has remained in use for decades, SQL has a mixed reputation among developers. Why does SQL remain in use when so many other languages have come and gone? And why does SQL have a bright future still?

 Read full story at InfoWprld…

California Regulators Approve New Program to Expedite Power Line Undergrounding

by  Robert Walton

Large utilities can file 10-year plans with the California Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety, which will have nine months to make a determination.

The new undergrounding program was authorized by legislators in 2022, in Senate Bill 884. It requires utilities to apply for available federal, state and other funding to help pay for the projects, and it calls for periodic audits led by an independent monitor selected by the Office of Energy Infrastructure Safety.

 Read full story at UtilityDive…

EPA Delays Rules for Existing Natural Gas Power Plants Until After the November Election

by  Matthew Daly, Associated Press

In a turnaround from previous plans, the agency said it will review standards for existing gas plants and expand the rules to include more pollutants.

The Environmental Protection Agency said Thursday it is delaying planned rules to curb emissions from existing natural gas plants that release harmful air pollutants and contribute to global warming.

… But in a turnaround from previous plans, the agency said it will review standards for existing gas plants and expand the rules to include more pollutants. The change came after complaints from environmental justice groups, who said the earlier plan allowed too much toxic air pollution which disproportionately harms low-income neighborhoods near power plants, refineries and other industrial sites.

Predicting Power Outages

by Texas A&M University

Using machine learning and a variety of data describing the causes of outages, the team can study data from the past to make predictions about the future.

Dr. Mladen Kezunovic, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Texas A&M University, and his team are combining historical outage data and weather-related data, often called big data, and machine learning to predict outages and change the outage mitigation paradigm from reactive to proactive.

 Read full story at EurekAlert!…