People
Trump signs order targeting former CISA head Chris Krebs
Krebs previously led the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and contradicted baseless claims President Donald Trump made in 2020 that the election that year was rigged against him.
Cybersecurity
Treasury regulatory office reports ‘major information security incident’
The disclosed breach into the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency comes just months after another incident involving Chinese hacks into Treasury Department offices.
Cybersecurity
Senator puts hold on Trump cyber nominee, citing ‘cover up’ of telecom security report
An unreleased 2022 report is said to contain vital information about the security posture of the U.S. telecommunications sector, according to Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., who is blocking Sean Plankey’s nomination to lead CISA.
Cybersecurity
China is trying to recruit current and former feds, intelligence document warns
The notice is one of the first public acknowledgements from the U.S. intelligence community showing how adversaries are leveraging DOGE-led layoffs to target the government.
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
CISA to make comprehensive staff cuts in coming days, people familiar say
The nation’s premier cybersecurity agency, which sits in the Department of Homeland Security, has been in the Trump administration’s crosshairs for some time.
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
Tariffs create more volatile environment for cyberattacks, industry executive warns
Tenable Co-CEO Steve Vintz told Nextgov/FCW that the potential trade wars stoked by the Trump administration’s tariffs facilitate conditions that incentivize hacking activity around the globe.
Cybersecurity
Cyber label program could expand past consumer goods, FCC commissioner predicts
Nathan Simington, the junior Republican on the Federal Communications Commission, said a Biden-era cybersecurity labeling program could expand to cover wireless and industrial products.
Cybersecurity
Contractors could hack back against adversaries, top cyber Democrat says
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., said the federal government can’t protect everyone and the concept of asking private sector security companies to conduct offensive cyber operations is worth exploring.
Digital Government
Government interest in chat archiving service skyrockets following Signalgate
Top staffers across the government have reached out to Whiterock Technologies about its electronic communications preservation service amid a court ruling tied to last week’s Signal chat with top administration officials that accidentally included The Atlantic’s Jeffrey Goldberg.
People
Karen Evans tapped for DHS undersecretary weeks after assuming CISA role
Evans had been selected as both a senior advisor and then executive assistant director for cybersecurity at CISA prior to her DHS nomination.
Defense
Judge orders agencies to preserve discussions in airstrike Signal chat
The directive targets communications in a Signal chat with top intelligence and national security officials between March 11 and March 15 that discussed strikes against the Houthis in Yemen. The Atlantic magazine’s editor-in-chief was inadvertently added to that chat.
Cybersecurity
Phishing campaign seeks to siphon Ukraine war intelligence from defense contractors
Nearly 880 spoofed domains of worldwide IT, defense and aerospace firms were identified between December and March, DomainTools Investigations says.
People
Former election security official announces run for Congress in New York
Cait Conley is running on a Democrat platform to challenge Republican Rep. Mike Lawler in next year’s midterms. She is a combat veteran and served as CISA’s top election security advisor during the 2024 cycle.
Cybersecurity
FCC to investigate potential US operations of restricted Chinese firms
The commission’s new chairman, Brendan Carr, believes that some or all of the companies on the FCC’s Covered List are still operating in the nation.
Modernization
FedRAMP to announce major overhaul next week
The initiative would seek to automate much of the cloud security program’s approval workflow and shift more control to the private sector.
Cybersecurity
NIST’s vulnerability database logjam is still growing despite attempts to clear it
Vulnerability submissions increased 32% in 2024, NIST said. The agency is considering machine learning to automate certain vulnerability analysis tasks.
Policy