People
NSA has met 2,000-person workforce reduction goal, people familiar say
A broader Pentagon goal to shrink the nation’s defense budget over the coming five years could potentially subject the agency to further downsizing.
Cybersecurity
China accuses NSA of multi-year hack targeting its national time systems
“NSA does not confirm nor deny allegations in the media regarding its operations,” an NSA official told Nextgov/FCW.
Cybersecurity
Small defense industrial base firms pose tempting targets for nation-state hackers, NSA official says
Some 80% of the defense industrial base are actually small firms, according to the NSA’s head of DIB security, who has helped over 200 providers identify thousands of vulnerabilities in their systems.
Cybersecurity
Former and current officials clash over CISA’s role in US cyber defenses at Black Hat
CISA’s communications chief backed the narrowing of the agency’s scope, while a former NSA leader warned that shrinking the federal cyber workforce risks weakening U.S. defenses.
People
Cyber Command executive director departs for expected role in private sector
Morgan Adamski’s place as the top civilian lead in the combatant command will be filled by NSA official Patrick Ware, amid vast leadership changes at the nation’s top hacking unit.
Artificial Intelligence
House bill would task NSA with developing AI security playbook to counter China
Lawmakers want the NSA to develop guidance to help companies better protect the development of their advanced AI technologies from threat actors.
Cybersecurity
US agencies assessed Chinese telecom hackers likely hit data center and residential internet providers
Data center giant Digital Realty and mass media titan Comcast were documented as likely victims of the Salt Typhoon cyberespionage group, people familiar say, marking a potentially major expansion of the group’s initial telecom hacking campaign discovered last year.
People
NSA cyber chief to retire at end of month, people familiar say
Dave Luber’s planned retirement comes as the intelligence community has already undergone several workforce changes under the Trump administration.
Cybersecurity
People should be ‘outraged’ by efforts to shrink federal cyber teams, former CISA head says
As adversaries like China continue targeting U.S. critical infrastructure, Chris Krebs says we should "make CISA great again" amid expected cuts mounting inside the cyber agency.
People
Loss of NSA leaders will cause disruptions, agency’s former chief says
Gen. Paul Nakasone praised former NSA Director Timothy Haugh and former NSA Civilian Deputy Director Wendy Noble, who were fired from their positions last week.
Cybersecurity
Top NSA, Cyber Command officials pulled from premier cybersecurity conference
Notifications about their speaking engagements went out Tuesday afternoon, just days after President Trump fired the head of NSA and Cyber Command.
People
NSA firings stoke fears of Trump installing a partisan loyalist to lead spy agency
“We saw it’s possible, without adequate oversight, for our spy agencies to do inappropriate things,” a former senior intelligence official said, referencing the 1970s congressional investigations that revealed many spying abuses against Americans.
People
Trump fires head of NSA and Cyber Command
Gen. Timothy Haugh’s removal was spurred by far-right activist Laura Loomer, who, earlier Thursday, reportedly urged the president to terminate multiple National Security Council staffers.
Cybersecurity
Elon Musk paid a visit to NSA, Cyber Command amid DOGE-led overhauls
Musk’s trip to the signals intelligence office and combatant command is the first recorded instance of him visiting an intelligence agency since President Trump assumed office.
Cybersecurity
Former intelligence officials denounce job cuts to federal cyber roles
In testimony before a House panel, they said the moves — which have largely affected the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — are harmful to national security.
Acquisition
A decade-old risk led to ‘phenomenal partnership’ between AWS and the intel community
The move to bring highly classified systems to the cloud was uncharted territory for both the company and the CIA.
Cybersecurity
Chinese telecom espionage began with ‘much broader’ aims, officials say
The U.S. has been investigating the Salt Typhoon hackers since late spring and early summer this year, a senior FBI official said.
Cybersecurity
Device detonations reveal ‘incredible’ intelligence abilities: ex-NSA chief
“I think about our own supply chains and what we need to be able to do to ensure their integrity,” Paul Nakasone said.
Exclusive
Modernization
NSA’s secret Amazon-developed cloud environment progressing ‘very well’
The agency's $10 billion cloud program dubbed “WildandStormy" is benefiting from the intelligence community's dozen years of experience in commercial cloud, an AWS official said.
Cybersecurity