Cybersecurity
DHS says shutdown layoffs at CISA will proceed despite court injunction
The cybersecurity agency says it has complied with the court’s order because the firing of 54 people in its Stakeholder Engagement Division was planned beforehand and doesn’t affect unionized employees.
Top cybersecurity official exits for TSA role amid recent cyber office reductions
Ryan Donaghy had served at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency since 2016. It’s not clear if she was voluntarily moved to TSA or was given transfer orders.
Upcoming White House cyber strategy to seek more involvement with private sector
The Trump 2.0 cyber strategy is in development, National Cyber Director Sean Cairncross said, though he did not elaborate on when it would be released.
CyberCorps talent pipeline buckles under Trump hiring freezes
The cornerstone program for training and placing student talent into government cybersecurity positions has been hobbled by recent federal employment logjams, jeopardizing workforce pipelines and leaving many recruits burdened by debt.
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House Democrats want answers on CISA reassignments to border security, immigration roles
A letter led by Rep. James Walkinshaw, D-Va., argues DHS violated the Antideficiency Act when it conducted a reduction in force during the government shutdown.
Top cyber lawmaker wants answers on CISA workforce reductions
Rep. Eric Swalwell, D-Calif., penned a strongly-worded letter to CISA’s acting director asking for an update on the status of the cyberdefense agency’s staffing posture.
Multiple CISA divisions targeted in shutdown layoffs, people familiar say
CISA units including its Stakeholder Engagement division are believed to have been hit. A DHS spokesperson said that the RIFs are meant to help get CISA “back on mission.”
Hundreds of DHS staff face reassignments to border security, immigration
Affected workers — including people in the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency — have been given a week to respond or risk termination from federal service.
Keep Senate confirmation for top intelligence lawyers, civil liberties groups urge
A provision in the 2026 annual intelligence community bill would lift Senate confirmation rules for the chief counsels of the CIA and ODNI. Advocates warn the change would weaken transparency and public oversight of the intelligence community.
‘Widespread’ breach let hackers steal employee data from FEMA and CBP
A Citrix vulnerability — suspected to have led to firings of multiple FEMA technology staff — enabled the breach, which let hackers pilfer data from FEMA servers connected to states at the southern border.
Senate report accuses DOGE of risking Americans’ data by operating outside federal law
A report released by Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., said a lack of restrictions on DOGE employees’ collection of sensitive data can result “in serious cybersecurity vulnerabilities, privacy violations, and risk of corruption.”
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Pentagon bans tech vendors from using China-based personnel following a ProPublica investigation
The Defense Department has tightened cybersecurity requirements for its cloud services providers. The changes come after ProPublica revealed how Microsoft’s use of China-based engineers left sensitive government
Over 100 cyber professionals call for quick Kirsten Davies confirmation as DOD CIO
Davies was nominated in May and is scheduled to testify on Thursday.
US needs an agency to call ‘balls and strikes’ on digital IDs, lawmaker says
Rep. Bill Foster, D-Ill., said Congress needs to create a federal body capable of auditing identity verification technologies to lay the groundwork for a broad embrace of digital IDs.
‘Whole-of-nation’ effort needed to deter nation-state hackers, new White House cyber director says
Newly confirmed ONCD director Sean Cairncross wants to work with the private sector to develop a toolkit for stopping foreign hackers and boosting U.S. cyberdefenses.
FEMA begins security overhauls following cyber incident and employee firings
The agency recently blocked users from accessing multiple websites and made password changes to an internet security tool in efforts to shore up its cyber posture, people familiar say.
Noem terminates 24 FEMA workers for failing to address cyber vulnerabilities
An internal FEMA email obtained by Nextgov/FCW ordered all agency employees to change their passwords “due to recent cybersecurity incidents and threats.”
CISA’s head of legislative affairs to soon depart
Kate DiEmidio, who most recently served as the top policy executive at Dragos, is leaving voluntarily after spending three months in the role.
Lawmakers look to ease educational requirements for federal cyber workforce
New legislation from Reps. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., and Shontel Brown, D-Ohio, attempts to expand the U.S. government’s pool of cyber talent by promoting skills-based hiring.
Government layoffs are making us less safe in cyberspace, experts fear
There’s been a mass exodus of government cyber expertise during the Trump administration.
