The government's software is decrepit. The shutdown isn't helping

"Amid a historic shutdown, the technology that keeps the government running, has, largely, kept running. Official websites are online. Internal software is mostly working. And security experts continue to monitor potential cyberthreats. But as the 35-day closure stretches on, the situation could grow more dire, several current and former government officials told Fast Company, threatening the systems and teams that help support tax filing, healthcare systems, airports, and a lot more."

"Without new funding from Congress, government IT offices can, in the short term, keep a number of essential workers in the office and draw on other funding sources, like, for example, earnings from selling services to other federal agencies to stay online. Tech teams often rely on contractors to run their platforms, and those contracts are sometimes paid out in advance, providing an extra source of support. (Those resources vary, depending on the agency.)"

"Federal agencies are running behind on upgrading websites, improving software, and providing experiences to online users that are not frustratingly horrible. The government is also chronically short on technology workers, including tens of thousands of cybersecurity professionals. Many of the people who leave the private sector to work on government technology take a pay cut, often under the assumption that, at the very least, they'll have better job security in the public sector."

The 35-day government shutdown has left most official websites and internal software operational while security teams continue monitoring threats. Agencies are sustaining essential services short-term by using contractor payments, interagency service revenues, and existing funds. Those stopgaps are time-limited, and prolonged closure will delay critical upgrades, complicate system operations, and increase cybersecurity risk. The federal tech workforce is already undersized, with chronic shortages of cybersecurity professionals, and prolonged shutdown incentives staff and contractors to seek private-sector jobs. Reduced hiring appeal and stalled modernization imperil tax filing, healthcare systems, airport operations, and broader federal IT objectives.

Read at Fast Company