A Crucial Cybersecurity System Is Getting a Closer Look From Congress

by  David DiMolfetta

A proposal to formalize the vulnerability tracking program could strengthen its foundation, but officials warn against rules that could limit its ability to adapt.

Summary

Congress is considering a proposal to formalize the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) Program, which tracks software vulnerabilities.

While the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) supports formalizing the program, it warns against overly restrictive legislation that could hinder its adaptability, especially as artificial intelligence and international partnerships evolve. The proposal would establish a 15-member board to set CVE policies and priorities, with rotating members from industry, academia, and foreign governments.

 Read full story at Government Executive

How A Government CIO Shifted From Cost Cutting To Value

by  Greg Zorella & Chioma Onwuanibe

Our new case study describes how Patrick Newbold, CIO at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), spun a 2025 cost reduction mandate into a modernization opportunity.

Summary

A new Forrester case study examines how Patrick Newbold, CIO at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), transformed a 2025 cost reduction mandate into a modernization opportunity. Rather than pursuing reactive cuts, Newbold reframed discussions around value optimization, prioritizing investments that supported mission outcomes.

A key example was platform consolidation — CMS reduced Atlassian instances from 16 to five and unified multiple Salesforce deployments into one enterprise platform, generating roughly $18 million in annualized savings while lowering operational complexity. CMS also redefined vendor relationships, shifting toward shared-value compensation models and treating vendors as ecosystem partners.

By emphasizing transparency, consistent decision criteria, and the principles of decision-making and turned budget pressure into a catalyst for stronger governance and modernization.

 Read full story at Forrester

New 'Water Watch Center' Launched to Help Small Utilities Stop Cyberattacks

by  David DiMolfetta

The initiative comes as multiple states grapple with intrusions into their water systems that some officials suspect could be tied to Iran.

Summary

A new initiative called the Water Watch Center aims to help community water utilities nationwide as multiple states investigate possible Iran-linked cyber intrusions targeting water infrastructure.

The program provides direct cyber mitigation support to systems serving fewer than 10,000 people, which make up most U.S. community water systems. Launched at DEF CON, it is a joint effort between the National Rural Water Association and DEF CON Franklin, a project of the University of Chicago Harris School’s Cyber Policy Initiative.

State officials report that more than 30 Minnesota systems were targeted late last month and that about 12 states have seen similar activity, with no known public health impacts. The FBI and CISA are supporting incident response.

 Read full story at NextGov

Google Gemini Just Hit One Billion Monthly Users in Record Speed

by  Ece Yildirim

Gemini's user growth seems to be accelerating while reports claim competitor ChatGPT is slowing down.

Summary

Google’s Gemini app has reached 1 billion monthly active users, a milestone ChatGPT recently achieved as well. Most Gemini users appear to be on Android, since Google’s blog post noted over 100 million iOS users — likely reflecting Gemini’s pre-installed status on many Android devices.

Gemini launched under the name Bard in 2023 before rebranding that December and debuting as a standalone app in November 2024, meaning it reached the 1 billion milestone faster than ChatGPT did, surpassing even Google Maps’ previous growth record.

Gemini’s rapid rise follows the strong reception of Gemini 3, which reportedly rattled OpenAI leadership. Meanwhile, reports suggest ChatGPT’s growth is slowing, missing internal 2025 targets, which could complicate OpenAI’s anticipated IPO.

 Read full story at Gizmodo

Is Someone Stealing Your Wi-Fi? How to See Every Device on Your Network

by  Whitson Gordon & Jason Cohen

Don't let your neighbors hijack your internet connection. Here's how to track down the freeloaders and boot them off.

Summary

If you suspect someone is stealing your Wi-Fi, use a free tool like Wireless Network Watcher to see all devices connected to your network.

Identify unknown devices by checking your router's settings page and cross-referencing with the list from Wireless Network Watcher. To secure your network, change your Wi-Fi password and ensure it's strong, using WPA2 or WPA3 encryption.

 Read full story at  PC Mag

Microsoft Moves to Limit AI Use by Its Employees

by  Bob Violino

Going forward, each department will receive a certain number of tokens.

Summary

Microsoft is scaling back internal AI usage, marking a shift away from the “tokenmaxxing” trend in which companies maximized AI use regardless of cost. As AI expenses rise, Executive Vice President Jay Parikh told employees in an email that they need to be mindful of token consumption while ramping up GitHub Copilot use.

Under the new policy, each Microsoft department will receive an allocated token pool, with usage adjusted up or down based on need.

The move has sparked concern among some staff. One anonymous employee told 404 Media it was notable that a company with heavy AI investment and subsidized inference costs is now urging employees to curb their own AI spending.

 Read full story at Computerworld

Meta Can Keep Its Data Center Details Private, PSC Decides

by  Wesley Muller

Advocacy groups want more info on job projections, power needs

Summary

The Louisiana Public Service Commission voted 3-1 along party lines to overturn a judge’s order requiring Meta to disclose how it calculated job and electricity projections for its $50 billion Hyperion AI data center in Richland Parish. Republicans Jean-Paul Coussan, Mike Francis, and Eric Skrmetta reversed the ruling, while Democrat Davante Lewis dissented.

Environmental groups had sought a subpoena to verify Entergy Louisiana’s power-need calculations before approving new gas turbines for the facility, but Meta appealed, citing trade secrets. Coussan defended the decision, calling the subpoena push “a witch hunt” and warning it would create a “chilling effect” for businesses.

Critics warn Entergy customers could face bill increases of $8 to $13 monthly if the deal proceeds.

 Read full story at Louisiana Illumintor

Sempra Named to TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 List

by  Sempra Press Release

The list evaluated 1,000 U.S. companies across three dimensions: financial performance, employee satisfaction and sustainability transparency.

Summary

Sempra was recognized on TIME's America's Best Companies 2026 list for financial performance, employee satisfaction, and sustainability transparency.

The company is advancing its mission to build a leading utility growth business, focusing on regulated utilities and strengthening its balance sheet.

 Read full story at Sempra

The US Infrastructure Buildout Needs More Than Capital

by  Daryl Walcroft

The country is not short on infrastructure ambition; what it risks running short on is orchestration.

Summary

PwC projects U.S. infrastructure investment needs will reach $32.7 trillion through 2050, including $7.7 trillion for power infrastructure, with annual spending rising from $153.2 billion in 2024 to $371.2 billion by 2050. Daryl Walcroft, PwC’s Capital Projects and Infrastructure Leader, argues infrastructure must be viewed as interconnected systems rather than isolated assets, particularly as AI, data centers, and electrification strain the power grid.

Success will depend on early decisions around siting, financing, and delivery risk, with speed to capacity determining which regions attract investment. Walcroft recommends system-level planning, disciplined financing, built-in flexibility, and treating policy clarity as an execution lever — emphasizing that capital alone cannot guarantee performance without coordinated, disciplined execution.

 Read full story at UtilityDive