CMS Deploys AI Tools to Improve Security, Privacy | CyberCast

The FBI's updated cyber strategy outlines a new approach to countering increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, disrupting adversaries and strengthening collaboration across government and industry. FBI Cyber Division Deputy Assistant Director Jason Bilnoski discussed the agency's cyber priorities and how the bureau is evolving cyber operations to address emerging threats from nation-state actors and cybercriminal groups. He also highlighted efforts to accelerate threat intelligence sharing, strengthen critical infrastructure defenses and encourage earlier victim reporting to help disrupt cyber campaigns. Bilnoski examined how the FBI is expanding partnerships with the private sector and leveraging artificial intelligence to accelerate investigations, analyze threats and improve cyber response capabilities.

With a reshaped Congress in 2027, how technology might take shape over the next two years are top of mind for federal agencies and policymakers. We caught up with Rep. James Walkinshaw (D-Va.), who discussed a number of priorities for federal technology. He called for reauthorizing the Technology Modernization Fund (TMF), adding that federal agencies need sustained investment to replace outdated legacy systems, strengthen cybersecurity and improve government performance. Beyond the TMF, Walkinshaw outlined two other priorities for the next Congress: modernizing the Federal IT Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) scorecard and reauthorizing the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). He wants a revamped FITARA scorecard to better measure agency cybersecurity readiness and AI adoption, while FedRAMP reauthorization could expand reciprocity between civilian and defense cloud security assessments and reduce duplicative work for cloud providers. Walkinshaw also discussed the federal government's need to rebuild its technology and acquisition workforce. Agencies need experienced personnel who understand both emerging technologies and the procurement processes required to bring them into government. Adopting AI, he said, requires addressing bureaucratic, regulatory and legal barriers that prevent connecting data across legacy systems and translating new capabilities into better government services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) manages sensitive data for approximately 160 million Americans. In this episode of CyberCast, CMS Acting Deputy CISO Leslie Nettles discussed how the agency is leveraging artificial intelligence to safeguard that information and strengthen cybersecurity. CMS is deploying AI-powered tools to help security personnel detect and mitigate network threats. These tools also reduce system noise and flag anomalies, allowing staff to focus on identifying and responding to potential threats. Nettles also highlighted the agency's broader cybersecurity efforts, including its successful bug bounty program, which helps identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

Department of Veterans Affairs Chief Data Officer Lisa Rosenmerkel discussed the vision of treating data as a core utility similar to water or electricity to make government services more reliable. She emphasized maximizing the value of existing data, particularly by streamlining claims processing and improving the transition experience for service members entering the VA system. She also highlighted the importance of leveraging already-collected data to reduce administrative burden on veterans and described how she connects teams and data initiatives across the organization.

This episode explored the real-world "horror stories" haunting today's organizations this Halloween season. Cybersecurity leaders JoJo D and Ty Hughes discussed how technical, human and cultural challenges collide in modern security environments. This includes a discussion on cybersecurity risks hiding in plain sight, such as shadow AI, alert fatigue, zombie legacy systems, identity sprawl and autonomous AI agents. The episode also dove into human burnout in security teams, the dangers of overloading analysts with constant alerts and leadership blind spots that allow risk to persist unnoticed. It's a reminder that the scariest threats aren't abstract, they're already inside most systems, waiting to be acknowledged and addressed.

Securing critical infrastructure and managing network vulnerabilities are a growing priority. That's what Former Department of Veterans Affairs IT leader Bill James kept top of mind when writing a new techno-thriller book, The Chariot Protocol. Set inside the VA, the novel imagines a rogue AI exploiting the connections between traditionally siloed systems, like IT networks and biomedical devices. Though the book is fiction, James emphasized that it presents a very real cybersecurity challenge and explained why federal agencies need to look beyond traditional IT security and how organizational silos can create vulnerabilities across critical infrastructure. He also discussed the role of civil servants in protecting federal missions and why, when systems fail, people are ultimately the most important line of defense.

The Department of Health and Human Services is working to centralize common IT procurement across the department by October 2027, with the Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions aiming to consolidate requirements currently spread across roughly 30 CIOs. Office of Mission Acquisition Solutions (OMAS) Executive Director Quentin McCoy said the effort is intended to deliver better value for taxpayers, shorten acquisition timelines and provide a unified view of HHS' IT environment. HHS is also using existing acquisition authorities and engaging directly with vendors to access AI and other emerging technologies more quickly. McCoy said the department is seeking additional tools, including Commercial Solutions Opening authority, and expanding market research to keep pace with emerging technology. He added that industry partnerships will be central to the effort, with HHS looking to vendors to bring forward ideas and engage directly with acquisition officials.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has spent the past several years building the governance, infrastructure and workforce needed to scale artificial intelligence across the nation's largest integrated health care system. Now, VA is increasingly focused on turning that foundation into practical applications that improve care and services for veterans. Acting Chief AI Officer Kimberly McManus discussed how VA's AI strategy has evolved and how the agency is measuring its impact. This includes a 22% decrease in opioid overdose mortality and general-purpose tools that employees say save them six hours per week. McManus also outlined how VA is measuring AI's impact on quality of care, access to care, turnaround times and employee productivity.

The federal government is modernizing electronic health records to give clinicians more seamless access to patient data across agencies and improve the delivery of care. Lance Scott, CTO for the Federal Electronic Health Record Modernization Office (FEHRM), discussed how the office is coordinating technology efforts across agencies to improve interoperability and standardize health information sharing. Scott explored the state of EHR modernization across the government, including ongoing efforts with the Departments of Veterans Affairs and War. He also discusses how FEHRM is working with additional federal organizations to expand the shared EHR ecosystem and improve the exchange of health information across the government.

Jamie Holcombe, COO of Electrosoft and former CIO of the Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), shared his leadership insights on how culture is built and discussed how speed without culture leads to burnout and broken trust. He explained the importance of connecting every team member's work to the mission and that without understanding the "why," people become disengaged and innovation suffers. Addressing the human cost of cyber work, Holcombe highlighted the need for leaders to recognize signs of fatigue and loss of purpose. He urged leaders to prioritize wellness, trust and mission clarity. His message is that culture is the steel inside the system. Build trust before crisis, explain the mission before tasks and care for people before they break. "People are our most critical infrastructure," he said.