Unanimous Vote Passed on SB 275, the State-Endorsed Digital Identity Program Amendments Bill
Utah’s Senate voted unanimously to pass SB 275 Sub 2, amending the State‑Endorsed Digital Identity Program. The legislation authorizes a wallet‑based digital ID that places data control and privacy in the hands of citizens. It builds on the SB 260 framework, incorporating decentralized governance, recoverability, and security‑by‑design principles. The bill also establishes a privacy bill of rights, guaranteeing optional participation and selective disclosure.
HTN Now: Exploring and Tackling the Real Pain Points Around the Use of Digital Systems
A recent HTN audience survey, presented by Aire Innovate’s Ian Dove and Fiona Costello, identified persistent pain points in NHS digital systems. Staff cite inadequate training, top‑down development, poor interoperability and extensive manual workarounds, while IT capacity backlogs stretch change...
NativeID Debuts Free Digital Identity Page to Protect Nigerian Businesses From Impersonation and Scammers
NativeID has launched a free digital identity platform aimed at Nigerian small and medium enterprises. The service consolidates scattered contact details from Instagram, WhatsApp, Google Business and other channels into a single, verified page. It offers a shareable link, QR‑code...
Middle East Weekly: Aito Secures First UAE Order, Qatar Launches 36 Digital Services, Dubai Tests Autonomous Taxis, and More
Chinese EV makers are deepening their Gulf foothold as Greenland Group inks a deal to export 5,000 vehicles to the UAE and Aito lands its first 200‑unit order in the Emirates. Dubai is set to launch autonomous taxis, initially deploying...
NHS SBS Launches Communication Framework Spanning Chatbots, SMS Messaging, Mail Processing
NHS Shared Business Services (SBS) has introduced a new procurement framework that enables NHS trusts to acquire digital communication technologies such as chatbots, SMS messaging, and hybrid mail. The framework lists 25 fully‑vetted suppliers across seven distinct lots covering digital...
Commission Holds First Meeting of Special Panel on Child Safety Online
The European Commission, led by President Ursula von der Leyen, convened the inaugural meeting of a new Special Panel on child safety online. The panel, announced in the 2025 State of the Union, will draft expert recommendations to protect children...
Post Office Awards Non-Horizon Modernisation Work to Accenture
The Post Office has awarded a £45 million three‑year contract to Accenture to modernise its back‑office IT applications, covering finance, HR, data management and process automation via cloud solutions. The agreement, running from 1 April 2026 to 30 June 2029, excludes the controversial Horizon system....
GDS Reveals Benefits of Using UPRNs
Unique Property Reference Numbers (UPRNs) are permanent 12‑digit codes that uniquely identify every addressable location in the UK. By providing a stable identifier, they eliminate inconsistencies in address data, enabling seamless linking across public and private datasets. The Open UPRNs...
Home Office Signs £49 Million Biometric Deal
The UK Home Office has awarded Indian AI firm Mastek a five‑year, £49 million contract to manage and upgrade its biometric infrastructure, including the Biometrics Services Gateway and the National DNA Database. The deal includes optional two‑year extensions and covers specialist...
Intertraffic 2026: Quarterhill Advocates Layered Weight Enforcement Strategy
Quarterhill’s Intertraffic 2026 briefing promotes a layered weight‑enforcement model that couples in‑lane weigh‑in‑motion (WIM) direct enforcement with supplemental screening WIM systems and traditional static scales. Direct enforcement automates citations from sensor data, expanding coverage and lowering staffing needs, while static...
Hogan Lovells Partners with LawFairy to Offer Pro Bono Support for Undocumented Children in the UK
Law firms Hogan Lovells and LawFairy have launched a technology initiative to provide pro‑bono immigration support for undocumented children in the UK. The decision‑support platform, built with Central England Law Centre, screens eligibility for British nationality and triages cases for...
From Localization to Leverage: How Data Control Will Define India’s Digital Sovereignty
India’s data‑localization push laid the groundwork for digital sovereignty, but the focus is shifting from where data resides to who controls it. In the AI‑driven hybrid cloud era, governance, transparency, and accountability become critical as data fuels models across multiple...
Is SDA Getting Ahead of Itself on Missile-Warning Satellites?
The Government Accountability Office released a critical review of the Space Development Agency’s missile‑warning satellite program, highlighting a heavy reliance on contractor‑provided technology‑readiness assessments and an aggressive two‑year acquisition cadence. GAO found that SDA lacks an enterprise‑wide schedule, has limited...
Codific Highlights Five Key Cyber Risks to Power Grids
Codific’s new analysis outlines five recurring cyber‑attack pathways that threaten power‑grid operations, from spear‑phishing and credential theft to remote‑access exploitation, ransomware, and the misuse of legitimate industrial commands. The report stresses that most disruptive incidents follow familiar patterns rather than...
Vietnam: Digital Infrastructure Powers Transparent Elections
Vietnam is embedding digital technology across every stage of its upcoming 2026‑2031 elections, linking voter data, candidate registration, and public communications to a unified online platform. The National Resident Database now fuels accurate voter lists, while QR codes, digital maps...
Australia: Real-Time Bridge Monitoring for Safer Victoria Roads
A 12‑month trial of Bridge Weigh‑In‑Motion (BWIM) technology was completed on Victoria’s Western Freeway, installing sensors beneath a bridge to capture real‑time axle loads of heavy vehicles. The system recorded detailed load patterns without disrupting traffic and proved portable for...
Army Overhauls Direct Commissioning Process to Bring in Civilian Tech Experts Faster
The U.S. Army is revamping its direct‑commissioning program to accelerate the entry of civilian technologists into officer roles. By moving oversight to the Army Recruiting Command and streamlining medical, security, and training steps, the accession timeline has dropped from roughly...
Baltimore Utility Sidelines Underground Transmission Line Project
Baltimore Gas & Electric has temporarily paused its underground transmission line project in downtown Baltimore after cost estimates ballooned from $109 million to over $400 million, with some analysts projecting total expenses above $500 million. The initiative, intended to link an expanded substation...
New Bill Would Push Agencies Toward Shared Services for Federal Lending Programs
The bipartisan Federal Loan Systems Modernization Act directs the General Services Administration to create a unified, commercially‑based loan processing platform called Lending.gov. The legislation aims to consolidate more than 175 federal loan programs onto a single technology backbone, eliminating duplicated...
Phoenix Taps Adobe DX To Unify Websites, Streamline Services
Phoenix consolidated 44 department websites into a single phoenix.gov portal using Adobe Experience Manager, completing a four‑year transformation that shifted the site to a resident‑first model. The new platform lets roughly 60 departments manage content directly, cutting page‑update times from...
Iran’s Authorities Using NtechLab’s Live Facial Recognition to Crush Dissent
Iranian authorities have integrated Russia’s NtechLab FindFace facial‑recognition system into a live surveillance network, accessed through local partners Rasad, Kama and BPO. The technology is deployed in Tehran’s university entrances, Mashhad’s subway, and other public venues to identify and detain...
These 2 Recent Cases Confirm DOJ Is Escalating Cyber Enforcement
At the close of 2025 the Department of Justice announced two high‑profile cyber enforcement actions that spotlighted deficient cybersecurity practices among DoD contractors. The first settlement involved Swiss Automation’s breach of the DFARS 7012 clause, which mandates NIST 800‑171 compliance. The second...
Idemia Public Security, Proof Partner on Single Portable Digital Credential
Idemia Public Security and Proof have announced a strategic partnership to launch a verifiable digital credential (VDC) that merges biometric verification with PKI‑based digital signatures. The solution delivers a single, portable credential that is user‑controlled, privacy‑preserving, and revocable, leveraging selective...
HID Debuts Cloud‑based Visitor Verification System for Healthcare
HID Global unveiled a cloud‑based visitor verification platform at HIMSS 2026, designed for hospitals to authenticate and track visitors in real time. The solution integrates directly with major electronic health record systems such as Epic and Oracle Health, enabling photo capture,...
How Vulnerable Are Computers to an 80-Year-Old Spy Technique? Congress Wants Answers
Senators Ron Wyden and Rep. Shontel Brown have asked the GAO to study how vulnerable modern computers are to TEMPERST‑style side‑channel attacks, which capture data from electromagnetic, acoustic or vibrational emissions. The request follows a new Congressional Research Service report...
Liberia Govt Agencies Agree on Framework for Refugee Biometric ID
Liberia’s Refugee Repatriation & Resettlement Commission, National Identification Registry and Immigration Services have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to create a biometric identification framework for refugees, beginning with Ivorian nationals. The agreement operationalises President Joseph Boakai’s Executive Orders 144 and...
Modernizing Federal Risk Management
Federal agencies are overhauling risk management as artificial intelligence moves from pilot projects to core missions. The AI Risk Management Framework has been refreshed, and NIST introduced the ARIA 0.1 framework to quantify real‑world AI behavior. Simultaneously, quantum‑computing challenges and tight...
Rural Texas Utility Plans $29.4M Transmission Upgrade to Support New Groundwater Supply
The Bistone Municipal Water Supply District in Limestone County, Texas, is launching a $45 million capital program that includes a $29.4 million water transmission and storage upgrade. New York‑based engineering firm STV was selected to design the replacement of 7.2 miles of 60‑year‑old pipeline...
What Builders Need to Know About E-Verify in 2026
Builders face a new compliance landscape as E-Verify becomes a prerequisite for most federal construction contracts in 2026. While the system can streamline hiring by confirming employee eligibility, it also exposes firms to government scrutiny of their workforce data. Errors...
AI-Powered Search Is Fueling a Wave of Epstein Files Transparency Projects
The DOJ’s Epstein Files release, mandated by the Epstein Files Transparency Act, provides millions of pages, images, and videos but suffers from rudimentary search functionality. Volunteer engineers and newsrooms have deployed AI‑driven tools—such as Jmail’s Gmail‑style inbox and Google Pinpoint...
CMS Launches Effort to Unify Medicare Claims Processing Systems
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has opened a competitive window for an eight‑year contract to deliver a unified, commercial‑off‑the‑shelf software platform called ClaimsCore. The system must consolidate four legacy claim‑processing applications, support over 2 million active users and...
Stranger Things Meets Cybersecurity: Lessons From the Hive Mind
The commentary likens modern cyber threats to the "hive mind" of Stranger Things, highlighting how botnets and APTs such as Salt Typhoon exploit default IoT credentials to create sprawling, often unseen attack surfaces. It stresses that telemetry—network traffic, logs, and user‑behavior data—combined...
Michigan House Committee Hears Proposal to Restrict State Drone Purchases
Michigan’s House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee reviewed a bipartisan package of five bills (HB 5328‑5332) aimed at tightening drone regulations for state agencies. The core provisions ban the use of state funds to purchase or operate drones manufactured by companies...
Sprawling FBI, European Operation Takes Down Leakbase Cybercriminal Forum
The FBI, together with European law‑enforcement partners, dismantled Leakbase, a subscription‑based cybercrime forum that sold stolen credentials and exploit tools. The coordinated “Operation Leak” involved 100 actions against 45 targets across more than a dozen nations, resulting in 13 arrests,...
QuSecure Selected for Small Business Innovation Research Tactical Funding Increase Contract Award
QuSecure, Inc. has been awarded a $3.9 million SBIR Tactical Funding Increase contract by AFWERX to develop quantum‑resilient encryption for U.S. Air Force missions. The award supports the maturation of its QuProtect R3 platform, targeting Impact Level 6 authorization and deployment in classified...
Bergen County, New Jersey Quickly Expanding Municipal Fiber Footprint
Bergen County, New Jersey is rapidly expanding its municipal fiber Institutional Network (I‑Net), with recent launches in Little Ferry, Hillsdale and Lodi. The wholesale‑only network supplies fiber to municipalities, schools and libraries, allowing participating towns to cut broadband expenses by as...
Labor Advocates Try to Put the Brakes on Unregulated, Self-Driving Waymo Cars
Minnesota labor advocates are urging state lawmakers to halt the deployment of Waymo’s autonomous vehicles until clear safety and regulatory frameworks are established. Waymo currently operates driver‑assisted cars in Minneapolis to map streets, while the state lacks specific autonomous‑vehicle legislation....
Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act Gets Penultimate House Nod
The Barangay Skilled Workers Registry Act (HB 7719) cleared its second reading in the House, mandating every barangay to maintain a voluntary, free registry of local skilled workers. Championed by Rep. Jolo Revilla, the bill seeks to make community‑level labor...
Cleveland Hospital Partners with OneDose for EMS-Specific Medication Safety
OneDose has launched eMACC, an electronic Medication Administration Cross‑Check app tailored for EMS clinicians, in partnership with University Hospitals’ EMS Institute. The tool digitizes cross‑checks, pushes protocol updates instantly, and aims to cut medication errors by more than 40 %. Early...
ASTP/ONC to Prioritize Interoperability in 2026
The Office of the National Coordinator (ONC) announced that interoperability will be its top priority in 2026, with a series of final rules aimed at strengthening health information exchange. Dr. Thomas Keane, HHS’s assistant secretary for technology policy, detailed the...
CMS Advances Zero Trust, AI Security in IT Modernization Push
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is accelerating its IT modernization by consolidating platforms, expanding shared services, and adopting a zero‑trust cybersecurity framework. Under Director Wade Zarriello, the agency has already exceeded its FY 2025 savings target, cutting $750 million in...
Telespazio Deploys LEO-Based Mobile Satcom for Brazil’s Presidential Security Office
Telespazio Brasil, a Leonardo‑Thales joint venture, has rolled out VELOCE, a low‑Earth‑orbit mobile satellite communications system for Brazil’s Institutional Security Office. The solution offers high‑speed, low‑latency voice and data links across the entire country, including the remote Amazon region where...
Samsara Uses AI to Help City Fleets Clear Snow After Storms
Syracuse, the nation’s snowiest city, has cut snow‑removal complaint calls by 30% after deploying Samsara’s AI‑enhanced GPS and dash‑cam system. The platform provides real‑time vehicle locations and video, feeding a public map that refreshes every five minutes and helps dispatch...
Defra Nears Exit of Legacy Datacentres but Retains Capgemini for £40m Digital ‘Capability as a Service’ Deal
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is close to completing a multi‑million‑pound programme to shut down its legacy datacentres, moving services to cloud platforms such as AWS. While a £9 million, 19‑month contract with Capgemini finalises the remaining...
Pentagon Vendor Cutoff Exposes the AI Dependency Map Most Enterprises Never Built
The Pentagon’s six‑month ban on Anthropic’s Claude has exposed a blind spot in enterprise AI risk management: most firms cannot map the full chain of AI model dependencies. A Panorays survey shows only 15% of CISOs have complete visibility, while...
New Figures Reveal 7 Million Started a New Job in 2025
HM Revenue and Customs reported that more than 7 million people began new employment in 2025, a rise of 300,000 over the prior year. The data coincides with National Careers Week, during which HMRC is urging job‑seekers to download its mobile...
$825K Grant Helps Bring Ill. Fire Training Tower Closer to Construction
Sterling and Rock Falls fire departments secured an $825,000 federal grant, thanks to Rep. Eric Sorensen, to fund a shared regional fire training tower. The facility, slated for Rock Falls’ industrial park, will provide daily realistic training, reducing travel and...
As Market Pivots Toward Identity Resilience, iProov Surpasses 1M Daily Transactions
iProov, the leading science‑based biometric verification provider, announced it processed over one million daily transactions in 2025, marking a milestone in high‑assurance identity checks. The surge coincides with a Gartner‑reported 62% of organizations suffering deep‑fake attacks, prompting a market shift...
DSIT to Create ‘Action Plan’ to Boost Procurement Spend with UK SMEs
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) will soon publish an action plan that sets a stretching target for procurement spending with UK‑based small and medium‑size enterprises (SMEs). Minister Baroness Liz Lloyd announced the strategy in response to a...
Digital ID Minister Replaced with Former Musician and Comms Advisor James Frith
James Frith, Labour MP for Bury North and former musician, has been appointed as the new minister overseeing the UK government's digital identity programme, replacing Josh Simons who resigned after an ethics probe. Simons' departure came amid concerns that his...