October 28 2022

This Week in Washington 

• Axios: The Biden administration is barreling ahead with the rollout of a new consumer product label by the spring that measures the security of smart devices — but affected companies still don’t know what to expect.
• CyberScoop: The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency released long-awaited performance goals aimed at setting baseline vital practices for critical infrastructure.
• AP: The U.S. Department of Agriculture is making available $759 million in grants and loans to enable rural communities to access high-speed internet, part of the broader $65 billion push for high-speed connectivity from last year’s infrastructure law.
• Fierce Telecom: The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) dismissed pleas from dozens of operators to keep the methodology for calculating their broadband coverage confidential, arguing transparency is necessary to make its mapping challenge process effective.
• Reuters: Funds from the recently passed $52 billion Chips and Science Act should be used to upgrade existing U.S. research and development infrastructure as well as building new facilities, a chips industry body said on Thursday.
• The Hill: Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) is urging the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to request top security clearance and collaborate closely with the intelligence community so it can effectively protect Americans’ data from foreign hacks.
• Nextgov: Sixteen professionals hailing from the private and public sectors will form the inaugural Internet of Things Advisory Board within the Department of Commerce, a body of experts whose job will be to advise the larger IoT Federal Working Group.

Article Summary

• FedScoop: Just 42% of government cybersecurity professionals feel they have the necessary tools and staff to respond to cyber incidents in the next two to three years, according to a survey by nonprofit (ISC)².
• Axios: Pressure is growing for the U.S. to develop a plan to quickly build internet lifelines for people living in conflict zones or under repressive regimes.
• Bloomberg Law: As a group, Native Americans are the country’s poorest— with more than twice the poverty rate of Whites—and the digital gap is also stark.
• Government Technology: According to the Association of County Commissions of Alabama, Alabama’s counties request the state legislature’s support of legislation to “allow for the creation of local programs that facilitate the expansion of high-speed Internet broadband services in the underserved unincorporated areas of counties.”

Featured Podcast

Marketplace Morning Report

• Podcast on Inequitable Broadband Pricing
  A reporter from The Markup helps shed some light on inequitable pricing on broadband internet around the country. (A lesson in tribal sovereignty … from Tesla – October 19, 2022)