Law Enforcement

All Veterans Affairs police officers to be issued bodycams, dashcams by end of 2023

The Department of Veterans Affairs said it will begin issuing in-car and body-worn cameras on June 20, starting with officers at the VA Desert Pacific Healthcare Network in Long Beach, California.

  • By Edward Graham

The largest law enforcement agency in the nation pledges to hire a lot more women

The agency has a long way to go to fulfill its new commitment.

  • By Eric Katz

How the FBI stumbled in the war on cybercrime

Although cyberattacks were becoming more sophisticated, FBI officials told counterparts at DHS and elsewhere in the federal government that ransomware wasn’t a priority.

  • By Renee Dudley and Daniel Golden, ProPublica

Biden named the next Secret Service director ‘at a critical moment’

Kim Cheatle previously worked at the agency for 27 years and was on Biden’s detail when he was vice president.

  • By Courtney Bublé

House Oversight Dems seek data from social media companies about threats to law enforcement

Lawmakers are demanding information from online platforms about how they are responding to growing threats against law enforcement officials following the FBI’s search of Mar-a-Lago.

  • By Edward Graham

National Archives recovered more than 100 classified documents from Trump in January

The more than 700 pages of classified material included documents relating to special access programs – some of the nation's most closely held secrets.

  • By Chris Riotta

Three options for the FBI’s long-awaited new headquarters are still on the table

The General Services Administration briefed lawmakers on this last week.

  • By Courtney Bublé

Former DHS acting IG pleads guilty in software scheme

A former acting top watchdog at the Department of Homeland Security pleaded guilty in a scheme to steal case management software from multiple federal agencies in order to create a new system to sell back to the government.

  • By Chris Riotta

Federal agencies highlight security improvements a year after Capitol attack

The Homeland Security Department said officials do not “have information indicating any specific or credible threats related to the anniversary.” 

  • By Courtney Bublé

GSA addresses plans for FBI headquarters at House hearing

GSA Administrator Robin Carnahan told lawmakers she was in contact with FBI Director Chris Wray about ongoing plans to build new headquarters for the bureau after the years-long plan was scrapped by the previous administration.

  • By Chris Riotta

IRS dips into enforcement funds, user fees for IT

"Each year, the IRS must take extraordinary measures to fund IT," IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig explained in an August letter to three senators.

  • By Adam Mazmanian

New bill looks to ramp up penalties for ransomware crooks

Three senators are aiming to pass new legislation that expands DOJ's power to go after botnets and stiffen penalties for cyberattacks on critical infrastructure by adding it to the upcoming infrastructure bill.

  • By Justin Katz

Colonial CEO defends $4.3M ransomware payment

Joseph Blount, the chief executive officer of Colonial Pipeline, on Tuesday defended the company's ransom payment to the criminal group Darkside and said Colonial is continuing to work with law enforcement and cybersecurity consultants to restore their business systems.

  • By Justin Katz

DOJ seizes $2.26 million in ransom paid out by Colonial Pipeline

The FBI on Monday said it has identified at least 90 victims across multiple industrial sectors that Darkside has victimized.

  • By Justin Katz
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Supreme Court narrows scope of hacking law, but questions remain

The Supreme Court's ruling on Thursday decided a police officer did not violate a 1980s anti-hacking law, but the court ultimately left open questions about the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act's applicability for other purposes such as cybersecurity research.

  • By Justin Katz

Mayorkas: DHS running ransomware task force, White House plan coming

DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday said his agency plans to take up the recommendations from a new report focused on combating ransomware and that the White House is developing its own plan to confront the growing cybersecurity threat.

  • By Justin Katz

CISA, FBI warn of hacking threat against Fortinet product

The advisory warns that an unattributed threat actor is using known vulnerabilities in a Fortinet security product to gain access to government and industry networks.

  • By Justin Katz

Mayorkas announces cyber 'sprints' on ransomware, ICS, workforce

The Homeland Security secretary announced a series of focused efforts to address issues around ransomware, critical infrastructure and the agency's workforce that will all be launched in the coming weeks.

  • By Justin Katz

DOJ charges three in WannaCry attacks, attempts to steal $1.3B

In addition to unsealing the charges against three North Korean hackers, the U.S. government also published indicators of compromise for a family of malicious cryptocurrency applications called "AppleJeus."

  • By Justin Katz

New bill looks to close retirement loophole for injured federal first responders

Sponsors say the legislation is needed to allow federal first responders to access their retirement benefits if they are injured on the job.

  • By Natalie Alms

Senate Dems demand answers on DOJ's hack exposure

A group of Democratic senators want detailed answers from the Justice Department and the judiciary branch by the end of the month about the impact of the SolarWinds breach.

  • By Justin Katz