Amazon Web Services gets Defense security authorization 

Amazon Web Services, Amazon’s cloud services company, has received a security authorization that would allow it to work with all agencies within the Defense Department, the company announced last week.

The new authorization — under the department’s cloud security standards — would let AWS work with more defense agencies to host certain projects, such as public-facing Web sites or open data sets that don’t require the defense department’s internal data centers. Amazon is currently working with the department to secure higher-level clearance to take on more sensitive work.

AWS already contracts with the Navy, Air Force and other select agencies, but the new authorization clears the service for all Defense Department organizations, according to the company. AWS has been authorized to operate under the FedRAMP government-wide general security standard since May of 2013, but the Defense Department’s cloud security standards are more stringent, according to Amazon.

Teresa Carlson, AWS’s vice president for the public sector, said the new certification could mean more than just new Defense Department business.

“We do have commercial customers that also request our FedRAMP package,” she said in an interview. “It’s the bar they want to meet … they don’t want to produce a new deal, but take advantage of something that’s working.”

(Jeffrey P. Bezos, chief executive of Amazon, owns The Washington Post and Capital Business.)
BlackBerry gets Defense Department approval, too

BlackBerry also received security certification that would allow federal clients to use its software last week.

The Toronto-based company’s smartphone and tablet application, Secure Work Space, received the Federal Information Processing Standard certification, clearing it for use in United States and Canadian government agencies.

Secure Work Space runs on BlackBerry phones as well as devices running on iOS or Android operating systems; the application lets administrators secure or wipe sensitive workplace information on an employee’s phone, and employees can keep personal and work content separate.

BlackBerry also received certification from the Defense Information Systems Agency to run on Defense Department networks, meaning government users with BlackBerry 10 smartphones can access Defense Department networks from their devices.

BlackBerry 10 smartphones are the only Defense Department-approved smartphones, according to the company.

Deltek acquires software provider Sohnar

Herndon-based IT contractor Deltek has acquired Sohnar, a New York-based software company, Deltek announced last week. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Sohnar’s flagship product, Traffic Live, is cloud-based software intended to help marketing companies and project-based businesses manage the flow of work, pricing estimates, schedules and billing.

Traffic Live’s capabilities integrate into Maconomy ERP, Deltek’s existing resource-planning software, Deltek president and chief executive Mike Corkery said in a statement.

“While Traffic Live is well-known in the marketing agency space, its innovative capabilities are also a great fit for Deltek’s other project-based customers,” he said.

(Deltek provides weekly content to Capital Business.)

Digital Management Inc. acquires Knowledge Path

Digital Management Inc., a Bethesda-based software contractor that does work with NASA, the Commerce Department and other agencies, as well as commercial clients, acquired e-commerce software company Knowledge Path, the companies announced last week.

Knowledge Path is based in Burlington, Mass., and has about 80 employees. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

KnowledgePath has developed smartphone and tablet software — often for managing mobile payment systems and processing analytics — for national retailers such as Sur La Table and Chico’s.

(By Mohana Ravindranath)

Source: washingtonpost

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