5 Ways to Modernize Legacy Applications Effectively

by  Asim Iqbal

Consider these factors when assessing how best to update vital programs.

Summary

Modernising legacy applications is a priority for government agencies, but the process requires careful planning across several fronts. Agencies must first re-evaluate existing customisations — rather than carrying over every legacy feature, the focus should be on what works and what doesn't.

Long-term strategy matters too. With mobile delivery now essential, agencies should assess whether current applications meet constituent needs and explore what cloud providers offer to support modernisation efforts.

Skills shortages present a real obstacle, particularly where ageing code is no longer understood by current IT staff. Updating to a modern programming language can prevent obsolescence.

On the technology side, generative AI shows promise for code conversion but isn't yet fully reliable — output must be thoroughly reviewed. Automation, meanwhile, offers a more dependable path, helping agencies analyse, refactor, test and containerise applications with greater speed and consistency.

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AI Exposes the Limits of Perimeter-Based Security in State and Local Government

by  Adam Ford

Artificial intelligence's rapid evolution exposes weaknesses in legacy government security models built for a different era.

Summary

The report “Beyond Generation: The Rise of Agentic AI in State Government” by NASCIO reveals how state and local governments are rapidly scaling generative AI while exploring agentic AI systems capable of independent action. These autonomous technologies promise efficiency gains but introduce serious operational risks, especially when interacting with sensitive citizen data across legacy systems never designed for machine-speed operations.

Traditional perimeter-based security models, such as VPNs, leave agencies vulnerable as AI accelerates both innovation and cyber threats. The report notes that 70% of organizations have limited visibility into AI-driven risks over VPN traffic.

To address these challenges, governments must implement zero-trust architectures, build visibility into AI data flows, and continuously validate system behavior. This balanced approach enables secure modernization while protecting critical public services.

 Read full story at StateTech

NSA Taps Three Officials for Top Cybersecurity Positions

by  David DiMolfetta

David Imbordino and Holly Baroody will take leadership roles in the agency's Cybersecurity Directorate, while Bruce Jones will head its Cybersecurity Collaboration Center.

Summary

Hackers are already targeting infrastructure surrounding the 2026 midterm elections, according to a new report from cybersecurity firm Check Point. Rather than voting machines, attackers are focusing on campaign accounts, fundraising platforms and local government systems, using phishing, credential theft and AI-generated deception to sow confusion and erode public trust.

The firm identified roughly 9,500 exposed credentials linked to ActBlue and 6,500 tied to WinRed, and observed thousands of newly registered domains containing the words “election” and “vote” — potential staging grounds for future attacks. Russia, Iran and China are identified as the principal state-level threats.

The findings arrive as the Trump administration's proposed 2027 budget seeks to eliminate CISA's election security program, raising concerns that state and local officials may be dangerously underprepared heading into November.

 Read full story at NextGov

Euro-Office, Europe's Open-Source Alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Docs, Launches June 9

by  Steven Vaughan-Nichols

European tech firms will ship the first stable release of Euro-Office next month, giving governments and businesses worldwide a ready-to-run, sovereign alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Docs.

Summary

Euro-Office, a European open-source alternative to Microsoft Office and Google Docs, will launch its stable release on June 9.

Developed by a consortium of European tech firms, Euro-Office offers a familiar interface and document formats, supporting real-time collaboration and integration with existing European collaboration ecosystems.

The suite aims to provide a sovereign alternative to US-based productivity clouds, addressing concerns about data privacy and control.

 Read full story at ZDNet

Mark Zuckerberg Wants Meta Agents to "Run Your Whole Business"

by  Karissa Bell

The company is bringing AI agents to businesses on WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger.

Summary

Meta introduced AI agent tools for businesses on WhatsApp, Instagram, and Messenger, allowing owners to delegate tasks like customer interaction and appointment booking.

The ultimate goal is for these agents to help run entire businesses, with advanced capabilities like market research and competitive intelligence in development. While the initial setup is free, a subscription will be required for these advanced features.

 Read full story at engadget

US's Big Bet on Quantum Computing May Not Be Entirely Legal

by  John Timmer

Deal also launched the first quantum foundry company, but is there a need for it?

Summary

The U.S. government has announced $2 billion in quantum computing investments— including $100 million each to several startups — drawn from the CHIPS and Science Act. Rep. Zoe Lofgren argues the move is illegal, since those funds were designated for semiconductor microelectronics R&D, not quantum computing.

The largest recipient is Anderon, a new company co-funded with $1 billion each from IBM and the government. Anderon will inherit IBM's quantum fabrication personnel and intellectual property, operating as a foundry — similar to TSMC — producing transmon-based quantum chips for IBM and outside clients.

Critics note the deal favors one hardware category and raises conflict-of-interest concerns. Still, supporters say broader fab access could accelerate innovation across the field, even as widespread quantum utility remains a decade away.

 Read full story at arsTechnica

Department of Energy Unveils Funding Plans for Coal Generation Projects

by  Paul Ciampoli

The U.S. Department of Energy on June 4, 2026 unveiled funding plans for coal generation projects that include funds for the modernization of coal plants

Summary

The U.S. Department of Energy announced funding plans for coal generation projects, totaling up to $350 million. These projects aim to modernize and expand coal plants, adding or preserving approximately 3,565 megawatts of coal-fired generation capacity.

The funding includes $500 million from the Defense Production Act for 13 coal-fired power plants and the West Gateway Terminal Project, a coal export infrastructure.

 Read full story at America Public Power Association

Google to Fund 100-MW Virtual Power Plant in PJM in 'First-of-Its-Kind' Deal

by  Meris Lutz

Google has worked to make its own data centers flexible, but reasons it is often faster and more cost effective to pay other customers to shift their electricity usage, an executive told Utility Dive.

Summary

Google is funding a three-year, 100-MW virtual power plant (VPP) in the PJM Interconnection, partnering with VPP operator Voltus to aggregate distributed energy resources from residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The initiative aims to create an “industry-leading scalable blueprint” for unlocking capacity to meet data center demand amid rising electricity costs and shrinking reserve margins.

Google's global head of data center energy, Amanda Peterson Corio, noted it's often faster and more cost-effective to pay other customers to shift electricity usage than to make its own data centers flexible — given the billions in hardware costs tied to chip utilization.

The deal comes as utilities prepare to surpass $1 trillion in capital spending over five years, much of it on gas-fired plants that threaten corporate climate goals. With electricity prices fueling public backlash and three-quarters of Americans demanding stronger utility oversight, Google is urging utilities to collaborate: “Talk to us,” Corio said.

 Read full story at UtilityDive

How AI Is Reshaping Cybersecurity in Utility Operations

by  Ian Bramson

As Artificial intelligence (AI) integrates into the operations of utilities, it is fundamentally rewriting the rules of industrial cybersecurity in real time.

Summary

As AI reshapes utility operations — from grid modernization to autonomous decision-making in operational technology (OT) networks — it is simultaneously transforming industrial cybersecurity. Threat actors are leveraging AI to find zero-day vulnerabilities and launch sophisticated attacks at scale, while utilities deploy the same tools for anomaly detection and penetration testing. Cybersecurity teams that hesitate to adopt AI do so at their peril.

A critical emerging risk is Agentic AI in OT, which removes humans from the loop entirely. A compromised or drifting autonomous system can threaten safety and uptime just as effectively as a cyberattack — making utilities' own operations a potential threat vector.

Data Meshing offers a powerful defense, integrating cyber telemetry with operational, physical, and geopolitical data to detect threats earlier. Experts recommend a “secure-by-design” approach, treating agentic AI as an insider threat and adopting all-source monitoring across the enterprise.

 Read full story at Factor This