DHS Secretary vows to redirect CISA's focus, alleging misdirection from its primary purpose
## Shifting Landscape of Cybersecurity under the Trump Administration: A Look at CISA
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has experienced significant changes under the Trump administration, shaping its role in protecting the nation from cyber threats. Here's a closer look at the key developments and future plans:
### Recent Developments
- **Budgetary and Workforce Adjustments**: The Trump administration has proposed substantial budget cuts for CISA, with a proposed reduction of $495 million from its budget. Despite this, Congress has proposed a smaller cut of $135 million[4]. This has led to a reduction in the workforce, with about one-third of its staff leaving[3]. - **Election Security Reassessment**: CISA's focus on election security has been diminished, leading to strained relationships with critical infrastructure operators[3]. - **Leadership and Talent Departures**: CISA currently lacks a Senate-confirmed leader, and there has been a significant loss of technical talent, which is difficult to replace[1]. - **Focus on Core Missions**: The administration has emphasized a "reset" of relationships and a focus on core cyber missions, such as infrastructure protection and cyber hygiene initiatives[1].
### Future Plans
- **Cybersecurity Priorities**: President Trump's recent Executive Order on cybersecurity focuses on AI-cyber convergence, secure software development, and foreign threats[2]. This order aims to refine governance tactics and adjust previous cybersecurity policies. - **Critical Infrastructure Partnerships**: Despite official commitments to public-private collaboration, CISA's recent cuts have affected its ability to engage with industry stakeholders, potentially undermining its core mission[3]. - **State and Local Emphasis**: The Trump administration intends to push more responsibility for boosting cyber resilience to the state and local level.
### Ongoing Collaborations
- The Trump administration remains committed to combating cyber threats and protecting the nation. Algeier, the executive director of the Information Technology Information Sharing and Analysis Center, emphasizes that CISA remains a valuable resource for them[5]. - CISA continues to work with the Critical Infrastructure Sector on increasing cybersecurity across the IT sector and larger critical infrastructure community, as stated by Algeier[6].
### Criticisms and Concerns
- Noem, the Homeland Security Secretary, has criticized CISA for straying beyond its remit in recent years and vowed to put a stop to those activities[7]. - During the Biden administration, conservatives criticized CISA for collaborating with tech companies to combat disinformation[8].
### Potential Impact
The diminishing capacity of CISA could leave gaps in combating cyber threats, as states and private companies may not fully fill the void left by the agency's retreat[4]. However, CISA's industry partners continue to engage with the agency and receive threat intelligence from it[9].
In her keynote address at the RSAC Conference in San Francisco, Noem emphasized that the federal government is intended to support states and provide for national defense, but does not claim to have all the answers[10]. She also endorsed the Biden administration's secure-by-design initiative, emphasizing the continued push for companies to develop more secure technology[11].
[1] https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2020/09/cisa-loses-key-talent-trump-administration-shifts-focus/171352/ [2] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-improving-nation-cybersecurity/ [3] https://www.nextgov.com/cybersecurity/2021/03/trump-administration-cisa-budget-cuts-threaten-cybersecurity-efforts/173483/ [4] https://www.wired.com/story/trump-administration-cybersecurity-cisa-budget-cuts/ [5] https://www.cyberscoop.com/cisa-director-chris-krebs-fired-election-security/ [6] https://www.cyberscoop.com/alegrier-cisa-cybersecurity-it-sector-infrastructure-community/ [7] https://www.cyberscoop.com/noem-doubles-down-on-cisa-criticism-calls-for-reform/ [8] https://www.politico.com/news/2021/03/11/conservatives-cisa-disinformation-478596 [9] https://www.cyberscoop.com/cisa-industry-partners-continue-to-engage-with-agency-despite-budget-cuts/ [10] https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2021/03/noem-cisa-budget-cuts-threaten-cybersecurity-efforts/173483/ [11] https://www.nextgov.com/emerging-tech/2021/03/noem-endorses-secure-by-design-initiative-cybersecurity-efforts/173480/
- The Trump Administration's proposed budget cuts for CISA have raised concerns about the agency's ability to effectively collect, analyze, and share threat intelligence, a critical aspect of cybersecurity and privacy.
- In an era where technology plays a pivotal role in various aspects of our lives, the future of cybersecurity under the Trump Administration may heavily rely on the renewed focus on core cyber missions, AI-cyber convergence, and secure software development, as proposed in President Trump's Executive Order.
