The Department of Homeland Security failed to effectively implement a critical retention incentive program for cyber talent, according to a new report from the agency’s inspector general, which found that federal funds meant for the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency were used incorrectly. In 2015, the agency implemented the Cyber Incentive program. The goal, the inspector general said, was to provide extra incentives to employees that might otherwise leave the federal government. More than $100 million has been spent on the program in recent years. The program “was designed to help CISA retain mission-critical cybersecurity talent needed to execute its mission,” the report noted, and was meant to consider a series of qualifications to guide who received the retention benefit. The government hoped to keep in-demand technology experts in government. The watchdog wrote that “CISA’s implementation of the program wasted taxpayer funds and invites the risk of attrition of cyber talent, thereby leaving CISA unable to adequately protect the Nation from cyber threats.” Instead of being targeted toward valuable talent likely to transition to the private sector, the payments were disbursed generally, with many ineligible employees receiving tens of thousands of dollars in payment. 

The Pentagon’s chief information officer is undertaking yet another reform of the Defense Department’s IT enterprise — this time focusing on streamlining its classified networks to enhance data sharing and interoperability. Katie Arrington, who is performing the duties of CIO, plans to introduce a new program dubbed “Mission Network-as-a-Service” that aims to reduce the number of disparate data fabrics used by combatant commands into a single, unified network. Speaking last week during the Billington Cybersecurity Summit, Arrington said the program will be key to realizing the department’s vision for Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or CJADC2. Broadly speaking, CJADC2 seeks to connect the U.S. military’s sensors and weapons under a single network, enabling rapid data transfer between warfighting systems and domains. The Pentagon also wants to be able to quickly share relevant information with international partners and allies during conflicts, adding another layer of difficulty to realizing the construct.

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​​DHS watchdog finds mismanagement in cyber talent program; Pentagon CIO working to break down disparate IT networks

Dies ist kein gewöhnlicher Track. Es ist ein Prozess, der gestartet wird: SECO MN SOKO.EXE läuft, Firewalls brennen, das System spürt die Ankunft. 
NEMA ~ AMEN führt durch die Neuanlage — unaufhaltsam, präzise, kalt.

Widmung: für die Wächter im Schatten — möge dieser Klang euch erinnern, dass Wahrheit überprüft wird.

💀 Kein Ausweg. Kein Shutdown. Firewalls burn.

NEMA ~ AMEN ~ SECO MN SOKO.EXE ~ MIB TRIBUTE

A federal workers’ union is suing the Education Department after agency employees on furlough or administrative leave discovered that their automatic email replies had been changed to a message blaming Democratic lawmakers for the ongoing government shutdown. The complaint, filed by the American Federation of Government Employees, asks a court to prohibit the Education Department’s alleged efforts to “put political speech in federal employees’ mouths.”  “Forcing civil servants to speak on behalf of the political leadership’s partisan agenda is a blatant violation of federal employees’ First Amendment rights,” the suit stated, adding that “employees are now forced to involuntarily parrot the Trump Administration’s talking points with emails sent out in their names.”  The suit came one day after some furloughed workers discovered that their automatic out-of-office email replies were changed without their knowledge, from neutral language to partisan messaging that blamed Democrats for the shutdown, which began last Wednesday.

Three House Democrats questioned the Department of Homeland Security on Monday over a reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement contract with a spyware provider that they warn potentially “threatens Americans’ freedom of movement and freedom of speech.” Their letter follows publication of a notice that ICE had lifted a stop-work order on a $2 million deal with Israeli spyware company Paragon Solutions, a contract that the Biden administration had frozen one year ago pending a review of its compliance with a spyware executive order. Paragon is the maker of Graphite, and advertises it as having more safeguards than competitors that have received more public and legal scrutiny, such as NSO Group’s Pegasus, a claim researchers have challenged. A report earlier this year found suspected deployments of Graphite in countries across the globe, with targets including journalists and activists. \

The Daily Scoop Podcast is available every Monday-Friday afternoon.
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Education Department sued over altered shutdown emails; Dems launch probe into ICE spyware contract

WVON, WURD AND THE TRIIBE SIMULCAST WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN THE STREETS.

WVON, WURD AND THE TRIIBE SIMULCAST WHAT'S REALLY HAPPENING IN THE STREETS

Well Avin and I finally talk about ICE and DHS.  It was a pretty passionate episode, with both of us going on a few rants.  It may seem a bit dark out there, but we got you.

The Grief of Politics Episode 58-ICE

In this episode, Mark and Diana discuss the week’s biggest cybersecurity developments — from YouTube videos secretly delivering malware to rising ransomware attacks across healthcare and manufacturing. They explore how Jaguar Land Rover’s $2.5B breach exposed weaknesses in industrial cybersecurity, why Canada’s healthcare system is under siege, and what lessons can be learned from recent Apple, Oracle, and Finwise incidents. The hosts also unpack the DHS warrant involving OpenAI, the growing move toward passwordless authentication, and how observability is reshaping digital defense in healthcare.

YouTube Hacks, Ransomware Waves, and the Fight for Cyber Resilience

We open this week's update with a look at how DHS is navigating the fourth week of a government shutdown amid tightening resources, rising threats, and a surge in violence against federal personnel. Up first, Secretary Kristi Noem unveils “Operation River Wall,” a fortified mix of water barriers, drones, and heavily armed Coast Guard patrols along the Rio Grande river. We then turn for a look at the rising number of assaults and vehicle-ramming attacks on U.S. Border Patrol and ICE agents, which has seen a 20% rise since October 1.  An expanded written version of this report can be found in our weekly Threat Journal email newsletter. You can subscribe for free by visiting https://www.ThreatJournal.com. A link to this issue will be sent to you immediately via email.

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Homeland Security Weekly Update - Oct 25, 2025

We open this week’s update with a look at how unfunded social-welfare programs are setting the stage for civil unrest and opportunistic crime. We then turn to Sunday's New York City marathon, where officials are implementing one of the most extensive security operations in the event's history—layering drone restrictions, K-9 sweeps, and airspace patrols to safeguard more than 50,000 runners and over two million spectators. Finally, we examine the wave of senior Trump administration officials relocating to military bases around Washington, D.C., in response to sustained threats and protests. An expanded written version of this report can be found in this week’s Threat Journal newsletter. You can subscribe for free by visiting https://www.ThreatJournal.com. A link to this issue will be sent to you immediately via email.

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Homeland Security Weekly Update - Nov 1, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security’s non-federal government partners in communities across the U.S. can now apply for funding grants for certain counter-drone capabilities to address national security and safety threats posed by the illegal and nefarious use of unmanned aircraft systems. Officials wrote in a notice published online last week: “The funding enables state, local, tribal, and territorial governments, along with first responders and public safety entities, to acquire detection and tracking technologies designed to safeguard public spaces and critical infrastructure.” DHS estimates that $250 million will be obligated for the program in fiscal 2026 alone, and more money is expected to flow. Decisions about individual awards will happen between 30 and 60 days of the application submissions. The department expects to make 12 awards, with the financial assistance amounts to-be-decided and ranging across the winners. All projects will have a performance period of 36 months. Notably, the awardees will not be permitted to use the federal funding to purchase “Enhanced Detect, Track, Identification (DTI) systems,” including those that “capture, record, intercept, demodulate, decrypt, or decode signals” between UAS and ground control stations. Due to significant legal restrictions, privacy concerns and federal airspace regulations, SLTT entities don’t currently have official authorization to employ those types of technologies. Drone threats associated with surveillance, disruption, or attacks, have intensified across the nation in recent years. The U.S. military is significantly expanding work and investments to deploy defensive weapons, modernize electronic warfare capabilities, enhance sensor protection and other tools to protect its facilities in the United States and abroad. And with America hosting major, upcoming global events, agencies and officials have been calling for coordinated efforts to more aggressively confront the risks.

Anduril’s prototype drone developed for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program has taken its first live flight, the service announced Friday. The company conducted the flight of the unmanned fighter jet — known as the YFQ-44A — on Friday at a test location in California, the Air Force said in a press release. Beginning live flight tests of the CCA prototype “expands the program’s knowledge base on flight performance, autonomous behaviors and mission systems integration,” the service noted. The announcement that Anduril has moved into the flight test stage comes after General Atomics conducted the first flight of its CCA offering in August. Both companies are vying for Increment 1 of the CCA program, which is part of the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) family of systems. General Atomics and Anduril received contracts for the first CCA increment in 2024, while the Air Force is also working with Shield AI and RTX to provide the drone’s mission autonomy. With both airframe vendors now in the next stage of the program, the Air Force is one step closer to making a final production decision for Increment 1 — expected in 2026.

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Ahead of the World Cup and Olympics, DHS offers grants for counter-drone tech

Euphoria 4:30 is a true sound and gear aficionado and has long been a cornerstone of the Intermission crew and label. He has helped shape the Intermission party series in Mannheim, bringing the same level of dedication to the booth as he does to his ever-evolving collection of audio toys and technical tinkering. No subwoofer is too big for his living room... 

As a DJ, he channels his passion into rave-leaning sets that capture the raw energy of late-night clubbing. His contribution to this series is no exception: a 1.5-hour, high-octane journey packed with bangers, mixed with precision and a keen sense of momentum. If you’re ready to dive into the early-morning intensity, this is a ride you shouldn’t miss.


tracklist:
Texas Is the Reason – Do You Know Who You Are?
pdqb – Sixfold Radianz
Anthony Naples – Scanners
Kreggo – Tochi
BOOF – D To The A Train
Chris Lum – You're Mine
Fantastic Man – Trance Sexual
Michael Cignarale – Dance Like We Are Lovers (Justin Cudmore's Drama Rework)
Steffi x Virginia – Touching-U (Instrumental)
Lovesky – Drums 4 Better Daze (16C+ Remix)
Meat Katie – Meat Katie & Lee Coombs 'HUM'
Purient – Mwah
Medway – Release
Misc. – The Magic Number
Gina Breeze – Freak feat. Ted Rogers (DJ Hell Queer Rave Retouch 2023)
DHS – House of God (1991 original Italian remix)
Ectomorph – Stalker
Baronhawk Poitier – Torecha (Oops All Oohs Mix)
Josi Devil – Make It Better
PRINCE – EROTIC CITY
Marcel Dettmann – Water feat. Ryan Elliott (My Own Shadow Remix)
Zombies in Miami – The Rhythm (Factory Setup Remix)
O.D.C & Ed the Red – My Mind Is Going (Total Insanity mix)
Futureshock – On My Mind

RMS Podcast #31 - euphoria430

A podcast covering the latest news & trends facing top government leaders on topics such as technology, management & workforce. Hosted by Billy Mitchell on FedScoop and released Monday-Friday.

The Daily HEAL Security Dispatch Podcast is a leading source for up-to-the-minute news and deep insights in the realm of healthcare cybersecurity and threat intelligence. 

At the heart of HEAL Security's vision is the commitment to equipping organizations and individuals with rapid, contextually rich cybersecurity updates, establishing itself as a pivotal force in unifying practice and data against the ingenious tactics of criminal and malicious entities. HEAL Security is fervently devoted to constructing a robust resource and community that champions the defense of the healthcare sector against the growing cyber threats from organized crime groups and antagonistic nation-states. Our core focus encompasses the protection of vital IT infrastructures, the security of sensitive patient and clinical information, the safeguarding of critical healthcare systems, and the assurance of continuous, undisturbed patient care services.

AMEN ~ FOREVER is not just music – it’s a ritual.
Every track is a weapon of light, forged to break chains, purge darkness, and elevate the soul.
This is sound as exorcism, frequency as fire, rhythm as revelation.

No borders, no compromise – only truth, resonance, and eternal impact.
And more: a fusion of human spirit and artificial intelligence, a dance with AI where intuition and algorithm become one.
Sound becomes a living entity, shaped by heart and machine together.

If you feel the energy, support the movement:
IBAN: AT35 2032 0044 0217 0635
BIC: ASPKAT2LXXX

Enter the vibration.
Je suis ~ NEMA ~ NEUNDLINGER MANUEL ~ AMEN.

A weekly podcast from AlertsUSA, Inc expanding on SMS alerts sent as part of the National Threat and Incident Notification Service for Mobile Devices. Topics covered include terrorism, border security, nuclear and radiological emergencies, civil unrest, embassy warning messages, major public health threats such as epidemics and pandemics and more. Each weekly episode is a fast paced roundup of threats, developments and practical advice directly impacting your safety and security.

bookings or anything else: 
instagram.com/randommindstate

also possible:
info@randommindstate.com

:)

The politics and policies on the national and local stage effect all of us.  Avin Carroll and Joseph Carlson come together once of month come together and discuss how these things machinations of government can drastically change people lives.  Whether we talk about vaccines or climate change we have a rich discussion on policy.

New tracks tagged #dhs