CISA

Mullin’s appointment to lead DHS raises questions about future of CISA

Following months of turmoil, Kristi Noem’s exit leaves uncertainty around DHS’s cyber mission, after CISA faced hefty workforce cuts and still contends with a leadership vacuum.

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Trump’s CISA nominee said he left Coast Guard to address GOP hold

Sean Plankey confirmed the intent to Nextgov/FCW and said he’s “prepared to lead the nation’s cyber defense agency to protect the federal civilian networks and our nation’s critical infrastructure from physical and cyber attacks.”

Trump’s CISA nominee to exit Coast Guard role, but still in running to lead cyber agency

Sean Plankey has been serving in a Coast Guard advisory role for some months and is still set to be the nominee to lead CISA.

CISA appoints new acting cyber chief after recent leadership shakeups

Chris Butera is now serving as acting executive assistant director for CISA’s cybersecurity division, after its former occupant, Nick Andersen, stepped into the top leadership role at the cyber agency.

CISA acting director moved to new DHS role

Madhu Gottumukkala will be moved into a strategic implementation role in the Department of Homeland Security. Nick Andersen will take his place.

CISA CIO expected to leave agency after receiving transfer orders

Last month, the cyber agency’s acting director reportedly took steps to transfer Costello, but other political appointees blocked it.

Hackers are exploiting exposed Cisco products, Five Eyes intelligence agencies say

A Cisco threat intelligence report calls the cyberintruders “highly sophisticated” but stops short of naming any affiliation with a foreign nation.

CISA threat-hunting leader to depart for private sector role

Jermaine Roebuck announced his voluntary departure last week. The cyber agency has already lost a third of its workforce in the past year.

CISA to furlough most of its workforce under impending DHS shutdown

The shutdown would also slow ongoing revamps of a major cyber incident reporting rule that was signed into law in 2022, acting director Madhu Gottumukkala said this week.

CISA’s acting chief says 70 staff were reassigned to other DHS offices in last year

The cyberdefense agency in turn received some 30 employees from other DHS components, while a “handful” of CISA staffers were transferred to ICE, Madhu Gottumukkala told lawmakers.

CISA orders agencies to patch and replace end-of-life devices, citing active exploitation

The directive gives agencies three months to identify unsupported edge devices, a year to begin removing them and 18 months to eliminate them entirely.

AI info-sharing center is in development, CISA official says

CISA’s Nick Andersen told reporters that he didn’t know of a completion timeline, but talks were ongoing across government and industry.

CISA to cease participation at RSAC conference after Biden-era cyber leader named CEO

The decision, which has been in motion over the last week, highlights the Trump administration’s push to strictly control how current officials participate in industry events linked to former senior leaders now under White House scrutiny.

Democrats press CISA’s acting chief over major staffing cuts

Madhu Gottumukkala also faced questions about a reported failed polygraph exam and attempts to reassign the agency’s chief information officer.

CISA budget bill would require agency to maintain ‘sufficient’ staffing levels

The congressional justification diverges from steps taken last year to curb the agency’s workforce and election security footprint.

Trump officials consider skipping premier cyber conference after Biden-era cyber leader named CEO

Jen Easterly, who led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency under Biden, was named CEO of RSAC Conference Thursday.

Trump renominates Plankey to lead CISA

The cyberdefense agency has been without a permanent director for the past year.