Agency CIOs Must Supply Top-Down IT Contract Information, OMB Memo States

by  Natalie Alms

The guidance aims to help enforce legal mandates that CIOs have full visibility into their agency's IT spend.

Summary

OMB Director Russ Vought has issued new guidance requiring large federal agencies to provide monthly reports on all IT contracts signed between May and October. This initiative aims to strengthen the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Act (FITARA) by empowering Chief Information Officers to oversee investments from their inception. By centralizing visibility into government spending, the administration seeks to eliminate duplicative software licenses and inconsistent pricing that have historically led to significant waste.

Federal CIO Greg Barbaccia emphasized that these measures will prevent vendors from “charging different prices for the same tools” across various agencies. Additionally, the memo directs agencies—including the Department of Defense—to collect and share utilization rates and pricing data, fostering more informed procurement decisions and reducing costs for taxpayers.

 Read full story at NextGov…

Google Launches Threat Disruption Unit, Stops Short of Calling It 'Offensive'

by  David DiMolfetta

The unit will use legal authorizations and technical capabilities to impede cyber threat groups, though company execs say it will not go so far as to hack into adversaries' systems.

Summary

Google launched a disruptive cyber unit to impede cyber threat groups using legal authorizations and technical capabilities.

The unit will focus on cutting off hackers' paths to breach systems, rather than hacking into adversaries' networks. This initiative aligns with the Trump administration's push for a more proactive cybersecurity culture.

 Read full story at NextGov…

Richmond Reclaims 'Precious Seconds' in 911 Calls With Amazon Connect

by  by Calvin Hennick

The Virginia city has reduced emergency call wait times, saved money and lowered the burden on human dispatchers.

Summary

Richmond, Virginia, implemented Amazon Connect, a cloud-based contact center platform, to reduce the burden on dispatchers and improve 911 call response times.

The system uses generative AI to handle non-emergency calls, providing information about city services and routing calls to the appropriate agencies. This has resulted in a 20% reduction in non-emergency call volumes, a 6% reduction in calls routed through the emergency center, and a significant improvement in 911 answer times.

 Read full story at StateTech…

If You Have One of These 8 Wi-Fi Routers, You Might Have a Really Big Problem—Here's Why

by  Lucas Coll

Summary

The FBI warns that outdated routers, particularly older Linksys models, pose significant security risks due to unsupported firmware.

Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in these routers to gain access to networks, intercept traffic, and even use them as tools for further attacks. To protect yourself, consider replacing routers older than three to seven years, change default login credentials, enable automatic firmware updates, and use WPA3 encryption. ?

 Read full story at RD.com…

Stop Hackers in Their Tracks: How to Secure Your Wi-Fi Router

by  David Anders

Keep intruders out and your home internet traffic safe with these tips.

Summary

Securing your Wi-Fi network is crucial to protect your devices and data from hackers. This can be achieved by implementing basic security measures such as using a strong password, changing default login credentials, enabling firewall and encryption, and creating a guest network.

This article provides guidelines on how to change your settings. Additionally, keeping your router and devices updated, disabling remote access, verifying connected devices, and upgrading to a WPA3 router further enhance network security.

 Read full story at Cnet…

Why Microsoft Is Forcing Windows 11 25H2 Update on All Eligible PCs

by  Lance Whitney

With support ending for Windows 11 24H2 in October, Microsoft wants all PCs on the same version for security reasons — but you can postpone the update. Here's how.

Summary

Microsoft has begun a mandatory rollout of Windows 11 25H2 for all eligible Home and Pro PCs. This transition is essential for maintaining system safety, as support for the 24H2 version is scheduled to conclude on October 13. Beyond this date, older systems will no longer receive critical security patches. Using machine learning to identify compatible hardware, Microsoft aims to ensure a seamless transition and avoid the technical “hiccups” that occasionally plague major OS updates.

Unlike its predecessor, the 2025 update is more compact and shares a code base with version 24H2—resulting in increased stability and faster installation times. While users can briefly postpone the download via settings, the update is ultimately inevitable. This policy ensures that individual users remain protected against evolving digital threats—though IT-managed organizational computers remain exempt from this specific automated requirement.

 Read full story at ZDNet…

DOE Emergency Orders for Fossil Plants Complicate Utility Planning, Experts Say

by  Brian Martucci

Lawyers and officials are divided on whether the “stay-open” orders threaten states' ability to regulate their own energy systems.

Summary

In 2025, the U.S. Department of Energy issued at least 10 orders under Section 202(c) emergency authority directing fossil-fueled power plants to remain operational past their planned retirement dates. Affected facilities include Constellation Energy’s 760-MW Eddystone oil-fired plant near Philadelphia, TransAlta’s 730-MW Centralia coal plant in Washington, a 427-MW coal unit at Colorado’s Craig Station, and three coal units in Indiana totaling over 1 GW.

Most orders, issued shortly before shutdowns, have been renewed. While no owners have outright refused compliance, some—including partial owners of Craig Station—have pushed back, arguing the directives constitute unlawful takings and lack evidence of a genuine reliability emergency.

Environmental groups, ratepayer advocates, and state attorneys general oppose the moves, warning they will raise electricity costs by billions, increase pollution, and undermine state resource planning authority. Critics argue the “emergency” is simply the planned transition to renewables in states with clean-energy mandates.

Supporters, including some generation owners, see the orders as addressing real reliability needs amid rising demand and thermal plant retirements. However, legal experts predict courts will ultimately decide the scope of DOE’s authority and issues of federalism versus state sovereignty.

 Read full story at Utility Dive…

Five Concerns About AI Data Centers, and What to Do About Them

by  Hodan Omaar & Mitalee Pasricha

If the policy framework is right, AI infrastructure can strengthen the electricity grid rather than strain it, stabilize prices rather than inflate them, and transform heat and flexible demand into system assets.

Summary

The surge of artificial intelligence has propelled data centers into the political spotlight, sparking concerns regarding their consumption of energy and water. This report argues that these anxieties often stem from misattributed causes —specifically, outdated regulatory and measurement frameworks rather than the infrastructure itself. Critical claims suggest that AI workloads use excessive electricity, crowd out grid capacity, and threaten reliability; however, the report notes that data centers account for less than 10 percent of projected global demand growth through 2030

To mitigate systemic risks, the report recommends modernizing standards, such as implementing “energy-per-unit-of-work” metrics and standardized water accounting. By transitioning from blunt policy responses like bans to technical solutions—including load smoothing and grid-aware flexibility—the U.S. can support innovation while protecting community resources and national competitiveness.

 Read full story at ITIF…

What Will It Take to Build the World’s Largest Data Center?

by  Matthew S. Smith

A giant data center is making engineers throw out the rule book

Summary

The artificial intelligence boom has triggered an unprecedented surge in data center construction, headlined by Meta's 5-gigawatt “Hyperion” project in Louisiana. Expected to cost 10 billion dollars, this massive campus reflects a broader industry shift toward speed and scale, with annual spending nearing 60 billion dollars. Engineers are redesigning facilities from the ground up to accommodate power-hungry, rack-scale systems like Nvidia's GB200, which require reinforced concrete and advanced liquid cooling.

However, this rapid expansion brings significant challenges, including strained local power grids and a projected 24 million to 44 million tonnes of annual CO2 emissions. While tech giants are increasingly seeking “bring your own power” solutions—ranging from new natural gas plants to nuclear energy—the environmental and social toll remains a primary concern for residents and regulators alike.

 Read full story at IEEE…