White House IT report sets quick deadlines for NIST, DHS on securing federal networks

A newly released report from the White House on federal IT modernization directs the Department of Homeland Security, the National Institute of Standards and Technology and other agencies to take a number of actions within the next 180 days to identify cyber vulnerabilities and refine processes for managing cyber risk.

The report -- released Wednesday -- stresses the need to upgrade IT systems for “high-risk high-value assets” and calls for the use of shared cybersecurity services across the government....