Daily Archives: September 2, 2021

M&A

Known more for making acquisitions, private equity firm AE Industrial Partners is adding another way of searching for and partnering with companies whose technologies and business models present the potential to be transformative.

AEI is doing that by investing in and taking on the management responsibility for HorizonX Ventures, the venture capital organization formerly run by Boeing.

Boeing, AEI and others are putting new capital commitments into what is now called AEI HorizonX, which currently has 40 investments in the portfolio.

Leading AEI HorizonX is Brian Schettler, who was senior managing director of what was once Boeing HorizonX. Schettlers new title is head of AEI HorizonX and partner at AEI, though the vast majority of his time and energy will be spent on the ventures side.

When I asked Schettler why AEI and Boeing signed up for this new arrangement, he spoke of it being a more integrated investment platform between the legacy private equity side and what happens in the venture organization.

Covering early stage to late stage really gave you, one, almost better visibility from a PE side of what the emerging tech was coming that could potentially disrupt your private equity portfolios, Schettler told me. Or being one step ahead of what new technologies you might want to embrace in those portfolio companies to make them more competitive.

Being integrated into AEI and having that access to capital can help take companies through the phases of technology maturation and then operational growth, Schettler said.

The newly-casted AEI HorizonX will include new investments in these major themes: mobility, space and connectivity, industrial technology, and enterprise digital solutions. A broader emphasis on sustainability including carbon footprint reductions underlies all of that.

Regarding the role of Boeing: the aerospace giant will give the ventures organization access to the Boeing Applied Innovation team, which then will act as a conduit for portfolio companies to connect with Boeings technical capabilities and talent.

That feeds into what both sides of an investment get after the agreement is signed and partnership is formed. Schettler said the AEI HorizonX team is looking to create pathways for technologies across the portfolio and facilitate collaboration across it between all employees ranging from technology fellows and engineers to senior executives.

So what are the qualitative factors AEI HorizonX looks at in a potential company to invest in? The organization uses its targeted areas as filters, though Schettler said those are also intended to be broad strokes to keep the aperture open.

Then there is how differentiated the technologies are from the rest, so one question Schettler said the team asks is how soon a competitor can catch up to the invention. Intellectual property protection practices are another set of criteria to ensure the technology is built to last on its own, Schettler said.

Enterprise digital solutions are one area that may fit the definition of the broad strokes AEI Horizon X has made for itself. That essentially means software to drive productivity enhancements into the supply chain and incorporate tech tools for artificial intelligence, machine learning and big data.

For aerospace and industrial applications, Schettler said that means driving better decision-making, better uptime, ability to deploy into a factory setting and better delivery rates.

Area number two of focus is the supply chain. Schettler called that ripe for further digital disruption regarding security and traceability, finding counterfeit parts and understanding carbon footprints.

One word of caution to close with: patience is a virtue of you are one of those companies looking to get in touch with AEI HorizonX. Schettler said the integration phase is ongoing and includes a revamp of the website to create an easier mechanism for engagement.

But Schettler also told me that should not curtail companies from reaching out: do so nonetheless as they respond to everybody. Connections are still to be had and more are to be made.

About the Author

Ross Wilkers is a senior staff writer for Washington Technology. He can be reached at rwilkers@washingtontechnology.com. Follow him on Twitter: @rosswilkers. Also connect with him on LinkedIn.

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What's next for the Boeing-AEI investment partnership - Washington Technology

ACQUISITION

NOTE: This story first appeared on FCW.com.

What would you do with a billion dollars?

The Technology Modernization Fund (TMF) used to be one small way the federal government could help a few agencies push along their modernization projects with some extra support. But the fund has now taken on an new significance following a $1 billion investment in the American Rescue Plan, along with relaxed repayment guidelines and an aggressive cybersecurity agenda put forth by the White House.

With the new money and an unprecedented surge in proposals, questions arise about whether the board overseeing the TMF has been adequately organized and scaled to efficiently identify and implement projects capable of revolutionizing government technology.

Lane Becker, a former General Services Administration (GSA) official who helped stand up the TMF during its initial launch, said "the missing opportunity here is to think about how we spend money on technology in a new way."

The TMF board "could use the money to thoughtfully architect a structure that transforms the way we spend money on technology," Becker, who now leads the education non-profit Wikimedia, told FCW in a recent interview. "Or, we can take the billion dollars and do what we always do: Try to get rid of as much of it as possible, as fast as we possibly can, and shove projects through the door."

"My frustration is that the latter one is what appears to be happening," he added.

TMF proposals surge following $1 billion cash infusion

Prior to the $1 billion investment, the TMF funded 12 medium- and small-scale IT projects across seven agencies. Federal CIO Clare Martorana said at a May event that she expected to receive less than 100 "pretty robust" proposals ahead of a June deadline to begin priority reviews.

By July, Martorana told Congress the board had received 108 proposals from 43 agencies, totaling $2.1 billion in requests for funding. The board has continued to receive additional proposals since then, while accepting projects on a rolling basis and releasing key guidance for agencies hoping to gain more clarity around the process.

To cope with the surge in proposals, Martorana and other top board members began meeting multiple days a week to review projects ranging across four main priorities: modernizing high-priority systems, cybersecurity, public-facing digital services and cross-government services. The board also announced it was adding several alternative members after an influx in proposals following the relaxed repayment guidelines.

"The board and the [program management office] are adjusting, and we're scaling very quickly to meet the demand of proposals as they're coming in," Deputy Federal CIO Maria Roat said at MITRE's Center for Data-Driven Policy event in June. "We need to make sure that we maintain the quality, the governance and the rigor that made all of the prior awarded projects successful."

In an April letter sent to GSA and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the House Oversight and Reform Committee pressed both agencies to develop a plan to address how the program management office (PMO) supporting the TMF "will be scaled appropriately to handle the volume of project proposals from agencies."

Government Operations Subcommittee Chairman Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), who signed onto the letter along with four of his colleagues, told FCW he wanted to learn how the Biden administration was planning to "increase the capacity of both the TMF Board and program management office in order to accommodate the influx of agency proposals for TMF funds."

GSA did not answer questions about how many staffers worked within the PMO, but a spokesperson told FCW the office was "actively adding additional staff members from within the agency" and "looking at options including detailees from across the government for surge and expertise support."

"The Technology Modernization Fund Program Management Office continues to scale to meet the needs of the TMF including the $1 billion provided in the American Rescue Plan," a GSA spokesperson told FCW in an emailed statement. "During the budget formulation process, budget requests are developed with information known at that time. GSA will continue to scale the PMO to support the full needs of the TMF."

Congress first allocated $100 million to the revolving fund in fiscal year 2018, followed by annual investments of $25 million over the next two years. Officials said the initial approach to building the fund allowed the board to begin putting in place efficient and rigorous oversight procedures, all while ensuring the several modernization projects it supported were successful and that loans were being repaid on time.

However, strict repayment requirements made applying to the TMF less enticing for many agencies, as lawmakers called for relaxed repayment guidelines and increased funding to help move along government-wide cybersecurity and modernization efforts.

Those calls were answered earlier this year when the new administration included a $1 billion investment for the TMF in the American Rescue Plan, and relaxed repayment guidelines were announced for projects addressing critical cybersecurity and modernization issues. After decades of underinvestment in IT across government agencies, the TMF became a symbol of hope for a consistent and increased cybersecurity investment -- and even a federal cloud modernization moonshot.

But questions still remained over how projects would be chosen and whether top board members had enough support from the PMO to focus on oversight rather than identification and testing. Another former GSA official who asked not to be identified also expressed concerns over whether the agency had appropriately scaled the PMO to cope with the surge in proposals following new investments and relaxed repayment guidelines.

That official said the Trump administration previously treated the TMF as "a risk to be managed, rather than an opportunity to be embraced," housing the PMO under the deputy administrator instead of within the Technology Transformation Service (TTS) offices, where some of the GSA's top talent resides.

Still, many observers continue to support a slower approach to scaling up the TMF board and PMO now that the fund has transformed into a much larger entity.

The most successful pattern for government modernization efforts have included hands-on involvement from senior-level staff, followed by effective scaling based on lessons from numerous cycles of learning and iteration, according to Rohan Bhobe, CEO and co-founder of the digital services firm Nava Public Benefit Corporation, who played a significant role in fixing the Healthcare.gov website following its botched rollout.

"Unsuccessful modernizations typically have a shape where they're trying to do everything at once, they spin up hard and fast, so you get a lot of new people in at the same time you're trying to build an organization," Bhobe said. "If instead you can have a more gradual, glide-path to successful outcomes, those have been much more consistently successful for the type of work and type of complexity these modernization projects have to deal with."

"You don't want to scale something that doesn't work, but it's important that Congress asks for a plan," he added.

GSA's 10x Program is one the agency could potentially model while considering how to scale up the PMO and TMF board, Bhobe suggested. Initially created in 2015 and launched in 2018, the program was established to fund innovative ideas from civil servants across the federal government and slowly expanded into the larger entity it is today.

The 10x program "created an environment in which people were comfortable taking risks," Becker said, noting how GSA allowed for projects the program was funding to fail in order to learn from those pitfalls.

Dave Wennergren, CEO of the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC), said "it seems likely to me that more people will be needed" within the PMO to support the dramatic increase in funding, which he added "will represent a significantly increased pace of project review and approval."

"IT Modernization is still a crucial issue, with many agencies still spending the vast majority of their IT budgets sustaining aging legacy infrastructure and systems rather than implementing new, digital-age solutions," Wennergren toldFCW. "The government should be applauded for rapidly requesting and reviewing new project proposals, but I do think that some process changes may be needed, both to accelerate and streamline the process for identifying, approving and implementing projects and also to consider a combination of 'push/pull,' considering some directed projects in addition to calls for proposals."

Whether the TMF is able to fund transformative projects while remaining a sustainable entity at current operating capacity remains to be seen. Last month, the White House urged Congress to dramatically increase the $50 million it proposed for the fund during the fiscal 2022 appropriations process. The administration previously requested $500 million.

About the Author

Chris Riotta is a staff writer at FCW covering government procurement and technology policy. Chris joined FCW after covering U.S. politics for three years at The Independent. He earned his master's degree from the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, where he served as 2021 class president.

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Where does the TMF Board go from here? - Washington Technology

By Stuart Foster, Contributing Writer

MARLBOROUGH The Marlborough United Brethren Masonic Lodge awarded the citys public school systems Technology Specialist Team with its Masonic Teacher of the Year award at a ceremony on Aug. 18.

The Technology Specialist Team, whose four members are Jacqueline Carter-Halbrooks, Chris Henry, Nancy Marrese and Jennifer Smith, were awarded for their role in teaching the school systems teachers how to best incorporate technology in their instruction.

Outlined against a dark, gray COVID-19 pandemic cloud, Marlboroughs four instructional technology specialists took on the challenge of an upcoming crusade, said Tom Plati, the director of Institutional Technology at Marlborough Public Schools.

Plati said that the members of the team regularly worked together to facilitate professional development workshops. They successfully swept away the doubts and technophobia of teachers in the Marlborough school system, he said.

Plati credited the Technology Specialist Team with pulling the districts school system forward during a year that was extremely challenging due to the necessity of remote learning because of COVID-19.

Personally, I have been in the field of instructional technology education over 35 years, said Plati. Never in all this time in this technology field have I been associated with such an exemplary group of educators.

Smith thanked the Masons for the award and said that the team was extremely honored to be the first team recognized as Marlboroughs Teacher of the Year.

She added that her team always works together to make their work more enjoyable and meaningful and thanked her team members.

Together, we are each others biggest cheerleaders and we are each others most supportive friends, Smith said.

Carter-Halbrooks thanked the teams family members, while Henry acknowledged the support of the community and staff of the Marlborough school system, as well as the Marlborough Information Technology department.

Marrese thanked Plati on behalf of the group, saying that Plati assembled the group after seeing creativity, leadership and a passion for teaching and learning in the teams members.

He has supported us, encouraged us, taught us, and always believed in us, Marrese said.

As the Technology Specialist Team won the award, Kate Olsen, a fourth-grade teacher at Jaworek Elementary School was also a finalist for it.

Stephanie Richardson, a new fourth-grade teacher at Jaworek who nominated Olsen, wrote in her nomination letter that Olsen had been very helpful in her transition to Jaworek and described her as extremely dedicated to her students.

Richardson used an example of how Olsen supported a student this year who required movement breaks, which were less available due to the pandemic. Richardson said that Olsen got the student a floor pedal bike to use as a substitute for the breaks.

Kate puts 150 percent effort into ensuring her students have what they always need, Richardson said. She goes out of her way to make sure all of her students receive the best possible education.

Marlborough Mayor Arthur Vigeant thanked the Masonic Lodge for continuing this tradition of honoring educators. He further thanked the Technology Specialist Team and Olsen.

I cant thank you enough for all you do for all our kids, Vigeant said.

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Marlborough Technology Specialist Team recognized at Teacher of the Year ceremony - Community Advocate

BROKEN ARROW, Okla. An investment company has announced plans to build a 60,000 square foot medical center in Broken Arrow.

The Vincent Medical Campus will be built near Florence and Elm. The building will use modern technology to alleviate germs and resist the spread of bacteria, including COVID-19. That technology includes anti-microbial lights and building materials.

The group also plans to use solar panels and geothermal energy to make it one of the most energy-efficient buildings in Oklahoma.

Kevin Cox is the leader of 7315 Investments. He says his group realized the need for modern medical facilities that could reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Technology must be leveraged whenever possible to make patients and their physical providers comfortable meeting in person. This is 2021, and its time we leverage what we know to bring normalcy back to the doctor-patient relationship. We believe this is the time, and this location in Broken Arrow is the place to do it, said Cox.

Construction is expected to begin soon.

Vincent Medical Center (Weidnerd)

2021 Cox Media Group

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New medical facility coming to Broken Arrow, will feature modern technology - KOKI FOX 23

BHUBANESWAR, India--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Tetrasoft, a leading global information technology and consulting services company, today opened a state-of-the-art Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) in Bhubaneswar, India, expanding its digital transformation capabilities across a range of digital technologies to drive delivery excellence and customer experiences for global enterprise clients.

Expected to hire over 100 highly-skilled digital experts initially, the hub will feature an Insurance Innovation Lab (IIL) which will capitalise on the growing demand and augment its capabilities, offering an immersive environment for clients to collaborate and co-innovate across Insurance industry covering Core platform modernization, intelligent process automation, big data analytics and cloud to drive operational efficiencies, and boost client experiences faster while reducing the costs.

The solutions will dwell on Core Insurance Products like Duckcreek and next generation technologies like digital analytics, Cloud enablement, DevOps, Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and cognitive computing. Focused on building next generation products and intelligent platforms for its global enterprise customers, the company is in hyper growth mode and would be looking for aggressive ramp ups of both lateral and young engineers who are looking to accept their next growth challenge.

Enterprise clients are under stress grappling with seismic technology shifts, to score a competitive edge. At Tetrasoft, we are passionate about helping our clients predict, prepare, and thrive navigating disruptive changes by applying advanced innovations to shape the future, said Rama S Eyunni, Chief Executive Officer, Tetrasoft Inc. Our Technology Innovation Hub in Bhubaneswar will help cross-pollinate ideas and innovations from around the world, enable our clients to scale their technology investments, boost business outcomes, and create new opportunities for local talent.

With a digital-first approach to accelerate transforming the way businesses interact in the market by leveraging business, data, and insights, the lab will leverage a large pool of digital talent, domain experts, industry innovators, proven methodologies, state-of-the-art technologies, and an agile business approach to enable clients harness future technologies. Staffing for the new jobs created in the Hub will be sourced locally, in partnership with local academic institutions and the ecosystem to build a strong pipeline for talent and innovation.

We are excited to open our new office in a high-skill location like Bhubaneswar which will focus on developing core digital solutions for a range of industries with an initial focus on Insurance. Bhubaneswar has a talent pool with deep expertise in digital platforms and integration skills, said Surya Thammiraju, EVP & Chief Technology Officer, Tetrasoft Inc.

The Lab will enable clients to develop and scale technologies for the new age digital economy and accelerate value creation through enterprise-wide, game-changing innovations.

Bhubaneswar is an excellent destination in expanding our Global delivery operations with a focus on Insurance. The office will focus on core delivery of projects, building solutions at our Insurance Innovation Lab (IIL) and nurturing talent at the Tetra Academy at Bhubaneswar (TAB), said Anil Venuganti, VP & Global Delivery Head.

The Innovation Hub will also be focusing on digital services and will be integral to bring together capabilities needed to ideate, prototype, build and scale disruptive solutions for clients across geographies and industries, and tap the rich talent pool and innovation ecosystem spread across the globe where it operates.

The hub will empower global clients to accelerate next-generation, digital transformation, driven by world-class collaborative innovation and co-creation to deliver superior experiences, introduce personalized products, reduce costs, boost efficiency & growth, faster and smarter, said Sujeet Parida, Practice Head Insurance Products who joined the company last year to strengthen the insurance offerings.

As a global leading information technology and consulting services company, Tetrasoft strives to harness the power of the explosion of data, mobility, emergence of cloud-based business platforms, hyper automation, transforming ways of working, connected devices, and cloud integration to help customers transcend across digital generations.

About Tetrasoft

Tetrasoft is a global digital services company, focused on delivering innovation and digital services to leading enterprise clients. The companys strategies transform the way businesses interact in the market by leveraging business, data, and customer behavioural insights. With a digital-first approach, the company helps its clients stay ahead by using the best-in-class agile and lean methodologies. With a strong focus on insurance, healthcare, and manufacturing, Tetrasoft specializes in developing commercial products and solutions using disruptive technology across data engineering, customer experience, intelligent automation, cloud platforms and enablement, mobile applications, quality engineering and cyber security service lines.

http://www.tetrasoft.us

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Tetrasoft Opens Advanced Technology Innovation Hub in Bhubaneswar, to Hire 100 Plus Digital Talent - Business Wire

A member of the Lycoming County Career and Technology Center superintendents advisory committee visited the Homeland Security Consortium in the Muncy Area Volunteer Fire Hall earlier this week to hear the perspectives of those who would like to see homeland security curriculum brought to the CTC.

Mike Pawlik, the East Lycoming School District superintendent and member of the superintendents advisory committee, heard from the assembled fire chiefs, municipal leaders and Melanie Bertin, who heads up Williamsport Area School Districts program.

The consortium, which is made up of fire departments and municipal leaders from around the east end of the county, is attempting to bring a homeland security program comprised of firefighter, emergency medicine and law enforcement/corrections programs to local high school students.

The goal is to increase the spirit of voluntarism with local fire departments as well as teach practical skills students can graduate with and use to further their own careers.

We certainly understand there is a desperate need for young blood coming up, Pawlik said.

Youre looking at some of the young ones. We are the young ones anymore, Todd Winder, Clinton Township fire chief, said.

Dan Knapp, the president of Muncy Area Firefighter, said a lack of opportunities to speak to kids at school prevents fire departments from recruiting as well as other clubs and activities.

Pawlick said finding applicants to a potential position created for these courses may pose some challenge to the CTC. However, Delaney suggested Bertin may know of others who would be interested.

I know of 12 other people who applied. Directors in the prison system, instructors for volunteer firefighting, some retired state police officers, Bertin said.

Bertin said the children in her program, which was started three years ago, are looking for purpose; they enjoyed the bonds they formed with EMTs in the back of the ambulance, so they did not leave after high school.

The kids in our school are the most articulate, thoughtful and concerned individuals. They talk about their community and the future, Pawlik said. What theyre searching for is a good place to put their effort. Most kids want to make a difference someway, somehow in others lives.

Pawlik said he would share the information with the other board members.

The Lycoming County Career and Technology Center is made up of Montoursville, Muncy, Warrior Run, Loyalsock and East Lycoming School Districts, and also accepted students tuitioned in by Benton School District.

Jerry McLaughlin is the superintendent of record for the CTC.

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Lycoming County Career and Technology Center to consider adding homeland security courses by local consortium - Williamsport Sun-Gazette

ABUJA - Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei says it wants to train up to3million African youths to work with cutting-edge digital technology such as artificial intelligence. Already, Nigerian students who took part in a Huawei-sponsoredinformation and communications technology (ICT)competition say the benefits, including possible job placements with the company, are enormous. But experts warn there could be potential negative impacts of China's growing tech influence in Africa.

Computerengineering finalist MuhammadMaihajais settograduatefrom the Ahmadu Bello University in Nigerias Kaduna state in November.

In 2019, he was part of a team of six from the school who represented Nigeria at theglobalHuawei ICT competition in Shenzhen, China, where they finished in third place.

Huawei introduced the competition to Africa in 2014 to identify and nurture highly skilled ICT professionals what the company says ispart of its expanding talent search in Africa's tech sector that has benefited some 2,000 African students likeMaihaja.

We have been exposed to devices and technologies we've never experienced before. As normal university students,we would not have experienced what we did experience in the competition.So,I'll say ... this has made me much more ICT inclined, so to say,Maihaja said.

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The competition evaluates students' competence in network and cloud technology.Maihajaand his team's success in 2019 was a rare achievement for an Africanteam, letalone a first-time participant.

The feat inspired many other students like HamzaAtaborwho tried out for the next edition in 2020. He and the other Nigerian students this time won the competition.

I was inspired by, you know, when they talked about their stories, how they won the competition,and alsowhen they were given their prizes and everything.I just felt,OK,this is something to actually makeasacrifice for,Atabor said.

Students likeMaihajaandAtaborare meeting Huawei's setobjective,but critics say the company is only a fragment of China's fast-paced dominance in Africa's technology landscape.

Huawei reportedly accounts for more than 70%of the continent's telecommunications network.

Mohammed Bashir Muazu, a professor of computer engineering at Ahmadu Bello University,says it's no surprise China is gaining traction in Africa.

Seeing the level of technological developments in China, I think what is actually happening is inevitable,Muazu said.

Concerns about China's presence in Africa grew in 2019 after U.S. newspaper,The Wall Street Journal, reported that Huawei had helped Ugandan and Zambian authorities spy onpoliticalopponents.

Huawei denied the accusations and declined an interview on the matter.

But ICT expert Samuel Adekola says China could use its competitive advantage for selfish gains.

It's really dangerous.I cannot quantify how much they could do, but whoever has data, you can do a lot of things. You have a lot of information about a group of people, the nation,Adekola said.

As long asChina continues toinvest inAfrica, students likeMaihajaandAtaborwill learn valuable skills, even though experts say Africa may have to pay a price for relying too heavily on foreign companies.

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Some Nigerian-based Experts Warn of China's Growing Influence in African Technology - Voice of America

According to Jacobsens book, AABIS aimed to cover 80% of the Afghan population by 2012, or roughly 25 million people. While there is no publicly available information on just how many records this database now contains, and neither the contractor managing the database nor officials from the US Defense Department have responded to requests for comment, one unconfirmed figure from the LinkedIn profile of its US-based program manager puts it at 8.1 million records.

AABIS was widely used in a variety of ways by the previous Afghan government. Applications for government jobs and roles at most projects required a biometric check from the MOI system to ensure that applicants had no criminal or terrorist background. Biometric checks were also required for passport, national ID, and drivers license applications, as well as registrations for the countrys college entrance exam.

Another database, slightly smaller than AABIS, was connected to the e-tazkira, the countrys electronic national ID card. By the time the government fell, it had roughly 6.2 million applications in process, according to the National Statistics and Information Authority, though it is unclear how many applicants had already submitted biometric data.

Biometrics were also usedor at least publicizedby other government departments as well. The Independent Election Commission used biometric scanners in an attempt to prevent voter fraud during the 2019 parliamentary elections, with questionable results. In 2020, the Ministry of Commerce and Industries announced that it would collect biometrics from those who were registering new businesses.

Despite the plethora of systems, they were never fully connected to each other. An August 2019 audit by the US found that despite the $38 million spent to date, APPS had not met many of its aims: biometrics still werent integrated directly into its personnel files, but were just linked by the unique biometric number. Nor did the system connect directly to other Afghan government computer systems, like that of the Ministry of Finance, which sent out the salaries. APPS also still relied on manual data-entry processes, said the audit, which allowed room for human error or manipulation.

Afghanistan is not the only country to embrace biometrics. Many countries are concerned about so-called ghost beneficiariesfake identities that are used to illegally collect salaries or other funds. Preventing such fraud is a common justification for biometric systems, says Amba Kak, the director of global policy and programs at the AI Now institute and a legal expert on biometric systems.

Its really easy to paint this [APPS] as exceptional, says Kak, who co-edited a book on global biometric policies. It seems to have a lot of continuity with global experiences around biometrics.

"Biometric ID as the only efficient means for legal identification is flawed and a little dangerous."

Its widely recognized that having legal identification documents is a right, but conflating biometric ID as the only efficient means for legal identification, she says, is flawed and a little dangerous.

Kak questions whether biometricsrather than policy fixesare the right solution to fraud, and adds that they are often not evidence-based.

But driven largely by US military objectives and international funding, Afghanistans rollout of such technologies has been aggressive. Even if APPS and other databases had not yet achieved the level of function they were intended to, they still contain many terabytes of data on Afghan citizens that the Taliban can mine.

The growing alarm over the biometric devices and databases left behind, and the reams of other data about ordinary life in Afghanistan, has not stopped the collection of peoples sensitive data in the two weeks between the Talibans entry into Kabul and the official withdrawal of American forces.

This time, the data is being collected mostly by well-intentioned volunteers in unsecured Google forms and spreadsheets, highlighting either that the lessons on data security have not yet been learnedor that they must be relearned by every group involved.

Singh says the issue of what happens to data during conflicts or governmental collapse needs to be given more attention. We don't take it seriously, he says, But we should, especially in these war-torn areas where information can be used to create a lot of havoc.

Kak, the biometrics law researcher, suggests that perhaps the best way to protect sensitive data would be if these kinds of [data] infrastructures ... werent built in the first place.

For Jacobsen, the author and journalist, it is ironic that the Department of Defenses obsession with using data to establish identity might actually help the Taliban achieve its own version of identity dominance. That would be the fear of what the Taliban is doing, she says.

Ultimately, some experts say the fact that Afghan government databases were not very interoperable may actually be a saving grace if the Taliban do try to use the data. I suspect that the APPS still doesnt work that well, which is probably a good thing in light of recent events, said Dan Grazier, a veteran who works at watchdog group the Project on Government Oversight, by email.

But for those connected to the APPS database, who may now find themselves or their family members hunted by the Taliban, its less irony and more betrayal.

The Afghan military trusted their international partners, including and led by the US, to build a system like this, says one of the individuals familiar with the system. And now that database is going to be used as the [new] governments weapon.

This article has been updated with comment from the Department of Defense. In a previous version of this article, one source indicated that there was no deletion or data retention policy; he has since clarified that he was not aware of such a policy. The story has been updated to reflect this.

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This is the real story of the Afghan biometric databases abandoned to the Taliban - MIT Technology Review

By Author: by Caitlyn-Rae Arendse, Security Television Network

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September 1, 2021 (Security Television Network) Above: IBM is ready to fulfill promises to protect and preserve upcoming technologies with an all new center located in Washington, DC.

As the world approaches an incredibly fast-paced and motivated digital technology era, it is important to take a step back and examine the ways that technology has and is being corrupted in order to prevent future threats to cybersecurity.

The ongoing worries of failing cybersecurity, amidst this time of rapidly upcoming tech advances, dates back to fears of similar future events. Most recently, ransomware cyber attacks, like SolarWinds and the Colonial Pipeline, have been the main focus of the multi-billion dollar tech-company, IBM (International Business Machines Corp). According to YahooNews!.com, the hackers behind the SolarWinds hack have enacted cyberattacks around the world. These people are driven to create havoc within global data systems, with more esteem to infiltrate bigger and more powerful ransomware networks. This is an incredible finding, as we are currently in the midst of one of the biggest technological data shifts to the online cyberworld in global history: the COVID-19 Pandemic.

A quick online search reveals that the vast number of jobs that IBM needs in order to combat the efforts of future threats, from both hackers and special groups around the globe, include:

Sap Process Engineer (Cybersecurity) Senior Security Command Center Consultant Data Privacy and Cybersecurity Attorney Cybersecurity Software Developer/Architect Cyber Security Incident Responder All of these jobs demand a strong ability to constantly adjust to the evolving technology surrounding their company, while also supporting IBMs security and privacy posture.

Launching of IBM Center for Government Cybersecurity

Above: The homepage of the new center promises a deeper understanding of cybersecurity. The company is planning to launch a new center, called the IBM Center for Government Cybersecurity, located in Washington, D.C. This will focus on, helping federal agencies address current and future environmental issues surrounding cybersecurity threats (IBM). IBM stresses its values through stating that they are a calling to: build, design, code, and consult, in all areas and in any job; whether it be at the newest center, or in other areas of the organization.

Cybersecurity has been at the forefront of todays news due to hackers corrupting the infrastructure of ransomware to create gas shortages in the southern part of the United States. As such, it requires the most up-to-date technology and infrastructure data encryption to prevent further attacks on domestic technology for businesses in the United States.

The IBM Center for Government Cybersecurity will provide clientele with a game changing way to reach new technology protection methods. The company will offer initial conversation meetings before inviting clients to workshops which will be focused on zero-trust frameworks and cloud security. It will also allow permission to utilize IBM research and the IBM Security X-Force research organization with technologies.

Securing the environments in which technology and data are placed is of the utmost importance to IBM. This company capitalizes on enabling businesses through incident response in terms of cybersecurity. IBM also states that all companies must establish a policy of zero trust meaning to have a dedication to the least amount of privilege access, to never trust any information without conducting investigation. This will ensure the verification of information given, although they must always assume a breach will occur.

These policies are all meant to add to the stance of: open approach to security that is aligned with business priorities. IBM strives to enhance the corporate-client relationship that will strengthen all relations within the cyber-world and secure data if the problems that exist are discussed. With obvious growth in confidence of hackers domestically and internationally, it is important to study the organization of business structures and how companies can truly succeed in protecting ransomware, data, and more importantly, themselves. As the late IBM chairman and CEO, Thomas J. Watson, proclaimed, You have to have your heart in the business and the business in your heart.

IBM Top Officials will join Center Advisory Group

Above: From Left to right: Curt Duke, Tony Scott, Kiesten Todt, Picture Created from online bios The center will also provide security advisory services from both internal and external advisors, which includes the top former government officials. Tony Scott, a former U.S. chief information officer; Curt Duke, a former information security and cybersecurity lead for the National Security Agency; and Kiersten Todt, a former cybersecurity adviser for former President Barack Obama. All who promise, to advise US Federal customers on historical challenges and help evaluate best practices for navigating current and future regulations (IBM).

The center will definitely have an incredible insight into the previously mentioned heart-in-the-business approach that former IBM CEO, Thomas J. Watson, desired. This method will have the ability to see the hard work and capabilities of top officials and executives in current day businesses/companies. As they learn more about threats that can occur, they will be in need of help from the cybersecurity world. Receiving recommendations and advice from top aides and advisors will help businesses achieve a broader and more truthful lens about the dangers of security and ransomware attacks. More importantly, it will show the world how massive of a threat, but also a helpful tool, cybersecurity can be as it is constantly growing at a rapid speed.

IBM and Dedication to Cyber Protection Additionally, IBM has promised to create and help teach techniques to all clients willing to learn. The skills that will be taught were born through the hard work and innovation of the companys dedication to cybersecurity.

Above: IBM has been crucial in the fight against ransomware protection strategies globally. As the company moves towards upcoming progressions in the cybersecurity realm, many questions will be asked. Will the center be effective in improving relations between clientele, technological advisors, and security architects? These being all seeking to learn and preserve the security and mainframes of the present and future security data we currently hold. The answer is that only time will tell.

Protecting cyber assets is a key to success for IBM, and it will continue to be for generations to come. The company currently lists the following as key aspects in protecting all areas of cybersecurity:

Identity and Access Management (IAM)identifying the soles and privileges of each user granted access to data and info tech. A comprehensive data security platformability to view security vulnerabilities in order to see weaknesses for future attacks/breaches. Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)a system used to further advancement in the cyber systems response to any cybersecurity fluke.

Above: IBM is ready to ensure the safety and security of all data and information technology now and in the future. The future of security lies within the hands of the American people, who can and hopefully will participate in any way possible. According to CBSNews.com, the United States has nearly 500,000 job openings within cybersecurity, ranging from a network security engineer, or an incident response analyst, to even a pen-tester (which after an eight-week course at the University of San Diego, you could earn upwards of 60,000 to 90,000 dollars a year).

For more information on how to schedule an initial consultation conversation or learn more about the upcoming center and IBMs goal for the future of technology in security, visit ibm.com/security/services/us-federal-cybersecurity-center.

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Dr. James Halldrhall@security20.com(202) 607-2421

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IBM: Focusing on the Advancement and Protection of Cyber and Ransomware Technology - KTVZ

This year, more than 950 nominations from organizations of all sizes in 29 nations were submitted forStevies. Businessolver Silver Award in the Solution Provider category for HR Technology Solution Provider of the Year recognizes achievements for human resources-related systems, software, or analytics.

"Our tagline here at Businessolver is 'Technology with Heart,' and I think that's what the judges saw in the course of reviewing our achievements over the past year or so. We have consistently tried to proactively meet the increasing demands for our key usersboth HR leaders and their employeesin a period where disruption has been the norm," said Rae Shanahan, Businessolver Chief Strategy Officer. "In everything we do, we're trying to put it through the user experience lens and get ahead of the needs we see coming in the market."

More than 70 professionals worldwide helped select this year's Stevie winners.

"The judges were impressed by all of the nominees, whoduring the crises we've confronted this year and lastcontinue to dedicate each day to making the lives of their employees and teams better through training, software, work-from-home plans, and more," said Maggie Gallagher, Stevie Awards President.

Businessolver and its fellow Stevie honorees will be recognized during a virtual awards ceremony on Nov. 17.

About BusinessolverSince 1998, Businessolver has delivered market-changing benefits technology and services supported by an intrinsic responsiveness to client needs. The company creates client programs that maximize benefits program investment, minimize risk exposure, and engage employees with easy-to-use solutions and communication tools to assist them in making wise and cost-efficient benefits selections. Founded by HR professionals, Businessolver's unwavering service-oriented culture and secure SaaS platform provide measurable success in its mission to provide complete client delight.

Media Contact:Bridget Mortland, Head of Marketing[emailprotected]515-273-1426

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Businessolver Honored as HR Technology Solution Provider of the Year - PRNewswire